| Title | LIGHT OF SPEED |
| Brand | NIKE |
| Product / Service | NIKE ZOOM |
| Category | A07. Use of Events and Stunts |
| Entrant | MINDSHARE CHINA Shanghai, CHINA |
| Media Agency | MINDSHARE CHINA Shanghai, CHINA |
| Entrant Company | MINDSHARE CHINA Shanghai, CHINA |
| Media Agency 2 | MINDSHARE CHINA Shanghai, CHINA |
| Production Company | FABRIQATE CHINA Guangzhou, CHINA |
| Name | Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Ananth Devarajan | Mindshare China | Director, Digital Innovations |
| Simon Ashwin | Mindshare China | Managing Partner |
| Danny Lee | Nike | Media Director |
| Vicky Huang | Nike | Media Manager |
| Renee Pan | FabriQate | Progam Director |
| Joe Lau | Nike | Territories South Lead |
| Archit Hari | FabriQate | Project Manager |
| Joey Kang | Mindshare China | Partner, Strategic Planning |
How do runners prepare for a big race? They aim, they train, and they run. But who are they competing against? Time and again they try to beat personal bests. Core runners compete against themselves. Usually it’s a Yes or No at the end of the race: better or worse than last time. It’s very difficult to judge where the seconds or tens of seconds get shaved off. If only runners could replicate themselves and race one-on-one. Self-on-self.
How do you know you’ve irked a competitor? When they petition the government to shut down your event. Due to SuperX’s complaints, Nike Light of Speed was shut down a day early. But that didn’t stop Nike from generating twice the brand buzz around the marathon compared to the official sponsor. This was the first custom-built LED track of its kind. Not only did Guangzhou’s most disciplined and competitive runners compete against themselves, but numerous media outlets covered the event. Nike received earned media equal to 10X the cost of the entire activation, including construction of the 1km track!
We recruited runners using the Nike Running WeChat group, inviting them to the Nike store to pick up a pair of Zooms, and test them out at the custom-built 1km Nike Light of Speed Running Track, at the Tianhe Stadium, the kit pick point for the official sponsor, SuperX. All runners who stopped by to pick up kit could see that Light of Speed was going on; but only Nike runners could access it. Using Nike+ data, each runner was given the chance to race a light representation of their best time. Seeing it, chasing it, reaching it.
Nike wanted to help runners prepare for the biggest marathon in Southern China: Guangzhou. We wanted to give core runners the chance to race their biggest competition. Using Nike+ data and the power of light after dark, we built a self-racing track. These were hard-core marathon runners, not casual joggers or fashionable teens. The two weeks in the run-up to the Guangzhou marathon were precious. Final preparation, race strategy, and psychological discipline. We wanted to give them the edge they were looking for.