For the launch of the new Nike React running shoes, we hacked in-store trialling and wired up a game played by running. ‘Reactland’ is an immersive experience installed in stores around China where shoppers would run on a treadmill and become the heroes of a game. Players were scanned and transformed into an avatar they controlled as they ran through a fantastical land that represented the attributes of the shoe (soft, light and bouncy). Players would leave the experience with a 10 second video of themselves running through ‘Reactland’ to share on social media.

The experience was installed in four stores and one pop-up location in China and ran for one month. Following the success, it was bought back into stores for the launch of the new colours and Nike Taiwan and Berlin installed the game. Shoppers would try on the shoes, have their photo taken and create an avatar before stepping onto the treadmill. Using a hand controller to jump, there aim was to get as far as they could along the land full of metaphors for the shoes. The further they got, the higher up the leaderboard they went. Once leaving the experience shoppers would receive a randomised personal 10 second clip from the game.

Within 3 weeks, thousands of consumers experienced Reactland in 4 stores located in China - Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou. The experience has successfully converted 48% of consumers to purchase the shoes and created huge buzz on social media with thousands of people sharing their customized video. Even though it was a local experience in China the story was picked up by Washington Post, Creativity, Adage along with 80 media press globally.

Reactland boldly reimagined retail by blurring the line between gaming and shoe trialing. It created a new way to do product showcase and education that perfectly combined entertainment and social sharing. And is already being adapted by Nike Germany and Taiwan.