2023 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

adidas has a history of opening its doors to opportunities and calling on creators to innovate and co-create the future of sport together. As one of the largest global sportswear manufacturers, adidas was in a unique position to bring about historic change that would be beneficial for the neurodivergent community and the brand. adidas’ fundamental belief is that sport has the power to change lives, embodied in their iconic brand platform ‘impossible is nothing', making them perfectly suited to remove barriers for people with Down syndrome and help them see what’s possible in the world of sport.

People with Down syndrome rarely see themselves represented as athletes capable of achieving greatness. When they are not omitted from the sports narrative entirely, they are featured within narratives that prevent true inclusion, such as the team manager or segmented into a “special” event. For people with Down syndrome, sport is a powerful tool to change their lives—physically, cognitively, and emotionally. This is seen through athletes such as Ironman Chris Nikic, who has observed strengthened memory, enhanced learning, and boosted social skills since incorporating exercise into his routine.

The lack of representation of neurodivergent athletes in sports is keeping them from seeing and realizing what is possible. Representation is a critical part of inspiring the next generation of athletes. When you watch those you idolize and identify with achieving the impossible, it motivates you to do the same. When you are not represented, you don’t. When people with Down syndrome don’t see themselves represented in sports, they aren’t able to see what’s possible for them.

“Runner 32”: the movement led by adidas that asks the world’s largest marathons to reserve Bib 321 for a neurodivergent athlete who qualifies.

Iconic numbers have been revered as a symbol of the best athletes of all time. In reality, they’ve only represented athletes that fit within the confinements of mainstream sport. Introducing “Runner 321”, the movement wherein adidas asks the world’s largest organized marathons to reserve running Bib 321, representing Trisomy 21, the genetic marker for people with Down syndrome, for a neurodivergent athlete who qualifies. The campaign launched on World Down Syndrome Day, March 21, 2022, with an inspirational video showcasing adidas-sponsored athlete and Ironman Chris Nikic.

Their campaign landing page encouraged other races to get involved and offered a “Runner 321” toolkit with race instructions, social posts, and more. They held activations at the NYC and Boston Marathons with a takeover of the New York adidas store on 5th Avenue, and cheering sections at mile 3.21 of the races. Once Chris completed the Boston Marathon, he handed his bib to the next “Runner 321”, Kayleigh Williamson, in preparation for the 2023 race.

After launch and Chris Nikic’s activation at the Boston Marathon, the campaign became a global movement with runners signing up from all over the world and races from three different continents reserving running Bib 321. adidas sponsors two of the world’s six major marathons, but the other four are sponsored by Nike, New Balance, and Asics. Regardless of their sponsor, these races signed up to be included in this movement to make running a more inclusive sport.

adidas’ “Runner 321” campaign started a movement that continues to grow. Their campaign hero is Chirs Nikic, a Down syndrome athlete who is also an Ironman, an ESPY winner, a Special Olympics Ambassador, a public speaker, a published author, an adidas-sponsored athlete, and an inspiration to the global neurodivergent community. All other athletes featured in their communications have Down syndrome, creating visibility and awareness of what athletes with Down syndrome can accomplish.

Other campaign results include all six of the world’s largest marathons, including four that are sponsored by Nike, New Balance, and Asics, have reserved a spot for Runner 321 in their 2023 events. 278 athletes, and counting, have signed up to be the next Runner 321 and 252 races have committed to adding a Runner 321 to date. 59 earned placements for 268M impressions including Forbes, The Boston Herald, Barstool Sports, Yahoo!, and MSN Sports.

Credits

Client: Adidas
Director, Brand Communication Sport Footwear and Apparel: Dustin Geddis
NAM Sports Marketing: Hygie Ordono
Snr. Manager, Brand Communications – Running Footwear: Josie Johnson
Running Footwear: Andrew Lemoncello
Assistant Manager, Digital Publishing: Emily Crueger
Manager Digital Content: Sally Rubey
Senior Manager Digital Content: Rene Hirschbolz
Agency: FCB Canada
Creative
Chief Creative Officer: Nancy Crimi-Lamanna
EVP, Global Creative Partner: Danilo Boer
Executive Creative Director: Andrew MacPhee
Art Director: Leo Barbosa
Copywriter: Cuanan Cronwright
Associate Creative Director: Sally Fung
Associate Creative Director: Sara Radovanovich
Account Management
VP, Managing Director: Ricky Jacobs / Tim Welsh
Account Supervisor: Chris Flynn
Project Management
VP, General Manager Content – Ian Buck
VP, Content Development – Yotam Dor
Director of Project Management: Emily Mihalek
Strategy
Chief Strategy Officer/Sr Planner: Shelley Brown
Strategist: Audrey Zink
Other:
VP Technology – Luiz Costa
UX/UI Tech Specialist - Lara Goldsmith
Production Credits: 456 Studios
VP, Integrated Production: Stef Fabich
Director of Broadcast Production: Sarah Michener
Producer: Sarah Michener
Postproduction Company: School Editing
Executive Producer: Sarah Brooks
Editor: Lynn Sheehy
Asst Editor: Fiona Alvarez
Colour Facility: Alter Ego
Colourist: Andrew Ross
Colour Assistant: Ebi Agbeyegbe
VFX/Finishing Facility: Alter Ego
On Line Artist: Sebastian Boros
On Line Assistant: Nupur Desai
Producer: Spencer Butt
Audio House: OSO Audio
Executive Producer: Hannah Graham
Producer: Lauren Dobbie
Creative Director: Daenen Bramberger
Engineer: Dylan Groff
PR Company: Current PR
President, North America: Amy Colton
Senior Vice President, Client Experience: Shannon McGovern
Senior Manager, Client Experience: Sara Koerner