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RUN EASY says Reebok
Why hit the wall if it hurts? A NEW marketing initiative by Reebok encourages runners to enjoy athletics. It flies in the face of traditional messages that stress “no pain, no gain” and says the comfort zone is a good place to be. This controversial campaign uses Carolina Klüft, the Olympic heptathlon champion, to promote the message. Klüft, along with sports stars such as footballer Thierry Henry, can be seen jogging while smiling and chatting to friends at the same time. Traditionalists are sure to be appalled, but Reebok believes the campaign will help with the ongoing battle to reverse the growth of the obesity problem. Better to run slowly, they say, than to become a couch potato. Reebok is also keen to find a solution to the number of people who are turned off athletics because it looks too hard, painful or likely to result in injury. The shoe company wants to redefine people’s perception about running as a sport merely for the fittest. Another goal of the campaign is to re-establish Reebok’s image with women, once a core market for the brand. Lately, it has neglected them as it focused on basketball and the hip-hop lifestyle. The Run Easy campaign reminds runners to enjoy the sport at a pace that’s right for them — a comfortable pace that Reebok calls “running at the speed of chat”. “There’s no point doing it if you don’t enjoy it,” they say. “Stay fit how you see fit. Map your favourite mileage, share some snapshots, spread some music and start some conversation – all at your own pace, right here. Enjoy the ride.” The website – goruneasy.com – incorporates Google maps and Flickr technology, allowing visitors to upload favourite running tunes and scenes from favourite routes to create personal running videos for viewing by others. Photos of runners in pain poke fun at the “no pain, no gain” mentality. Other messages include: “Why are you hitting the wall? It hurts,” and “Run + Puke + Run = Crazy”. |
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