In the wake of Ahmaud Arbery's heinous murder while going for a jog, adidas created a three-part docuseries meant to shine a light on dangers and discrimination Black individuals face while performing simple activities like running.
Objective
On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery went for a run in a quiet Georgia neighborhood. It would be his last. Ahmaud was murdered by white men who thought he was "suspicious." His murder allowed the broader American population to realize something the Black community already knew to be true — running while Black exposed runners to suspicion, racism, threats, and violence. adidas, with a heritage in running and ties to the community, wanted to shine a light on Black runners, whose stories had the power to highlight the need for accessibility and safety and inspire positive change. The brand wanted Running While Black to become an inspiration that would create more possibilities for runners.
Context
This campaign wasn't about selling a product or targeting an audience. It was about using the power of sport to create change. Nelson Mandela showed the way when he used sport to unite a racially divided country. In his words: "Sport has the power to change the world." It's a powerful sentiment that adidas truly believes this.
Target Audience
Eighty-two percent of Black runners face racial discrimination, with 40 percent feeling unsafe. Running, marred by profiling and violence, must inspire change. adidas wanted to reflect the reality of the Black community and reach a broader audience to help achieve this goal.
Creative and Media Strategy
Directed by Jenn Shaw and narrated by gold medalist athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Running While Black was a three-part video series to highlight the complexities that can come from running while Black. It would honor Ahmaud Arbery's memory, pay tribute to Black runners, shine a light on the issues Black runners face, and offer inspirational stories, all while promoting safe running for new generations of runners, particularly Black men and boys.
With partners Vice Media Group and Religion of Sports, adidas was able to connect the right talent and elevate meaningful community stories to shine a light on the reality of the issue via its three-part video series, which was distributed and promoted across Vice and adidas channels.
Running While Black consisted of three 20-minute video episodes, "We Are Here," "We Represent," and "We Run Things." Prior to release, the promotional effort kicked off with a press release in key industry trades, as well as running and culture trades, ahead of the wider docuseries rollout.
The episodes ran across Vice and adidas properties, including linear and digital TV. This was complemented by social and out-of-home promotion, as well as digital articles and newsletters. Activations took place in key U.S. cities from New York City to Los Angeles where there were special Juneteenth screenings of the film. The live events included a bazaar for Black businesses, activities lead by adidas Runners (aR) captains, leaders of a running community created by adidas, and panel discussions.
Running While Black had a scaled reach of over 38 million video views and 45 million earned impressions, bringing visibility to this topic, helping people see possibility for change and inspiring them to take action. Running While Black resonated with both women and people of color, showing significant lift across all sponsorship metrics.
adidas saw a lift in unprompted brand awareness of six points — indicating that viewers associated the brand with the purpose of the content. There was also a four-point lift in perception as a brand committed to supporting the Black community. Running While Black also significantly grew search for adidas.
The emphasis on sensitivity, empathy, and authenticity in storytelling, as well as the deliberate effort to ensure members from the Black community were prominently involved in all aspects of production, reflects a genuine commitment to the cause rather than commercial exploitation. This approach fosters trust and credibility with the target audience and can serve as a model for other companies seeking to engage with social issues.
