Why Adidas created custom videos for every runner at the 2018 Boston Marathon

Company: Adidas
Campaign: 2018 Boston Marathon, Here to Create Legend
Agency mix: Grow (digital agency partner)
Duration: March - April 2018

Adidas created custom videos for all 30,000 runners at the 2018 Boston Marathon to build excitement for a shoe launch.

Strategy
Adidas wanted to celebrate both the 30th year of partnership between Adidas and the Boston Athletic Association, and drive hype for the release of the Adizero Boston 7 2018 Boston Marathon edition running shoe.

The campaign team set out to highlight individual runners for this year's marathon in a way that would showcase their experience and cement them as legends for their participation.

Tactics
Grow, Adidas’ digital agency for the campaign, developed a technology that uses radio frequency identification chips built into runners' race bibs. The technology was able to transmit data to advanced cameras to capture footage of each runner throughout the race. Grow also developed a custom algorithm to enable videos to be edited and shared mere hours after the race concluded.

Adidas also created a microsite to go along with the campaign.

On March 30, Adidas released a brand film to its YouTube channel announcing the campaign and issued a press release with details of the effort a few days later.

On April 16, the day of the race, Adidas and Grow managed a team of 18 videographers, editors, and staff, who captured footage of each runner throughout the race, as well as a shot of them crossing the finish line.

Within 24 hours, Adidas emailed the personalized videos and a link to the microsite to all the Boston Marathon runners. On the site, Boston Marathon runners could access and share their personalized videos via their bib numbers.

Feeling those post-marathon blues after such a rush of excitement and utter craziness yesterday... but fun to reflect back on the experience. Adidas created a little video for each and every competitor! Check yours out ???? Go to the link in my bio, scroll down and type in your bib number, and VOILA! @adidasrunning #createdwithadidas #BostonMarathon #HereToCreate

A post shared by Amanda Nurse (@amandarunsboston) on Apr 17, 2018 at 5:27pm PDT

The brand pushed content on social platforms to help drive visits to the microsite.

We’re #HereToCreate Legend.
Now every #BostonMarathon runner can tell their story.
Click the link after the race to input your bib number and discover your unique race video: https://t.co/6bz2NXHeij pic.twitter.com/J7xwQWREWo

— adidas Running (@adidasrunning) April 15, 2018

30,000 people across 1 finish line. Our stories are all different, but this moment is ours to share. #BostonMarathon #HereToCreate --- #Running #Run #adidasRunning

A post shared by adidas Running (@adidasrunning) on Apr 13, 2018 at 8:59am PDT

Results
Adidas received more than 80,000 visits to the campaign microsite, with more than 13,000 visitors continuing on to Adidas.com.

The email open rate for the campaign was 113% over the brand's year-to-date baseline. The brand also shared that actual product sales garnered per email was up 1,189% above the year-to-date baseline.

Social shares of the videos generated more than 64,000 social engagements, measured through reactions, likes, favorites, and comments.