The observation that runners spend nearly half of the running motion 'in the air' provided our central insight: “Running is the body trying to fly”. Pursuing the metaphor of running fast as flight, the campaign focused on athletes in midair, evoking a sensation of freedom and possibility, and portraying the beauty and the grit of overcoming obstacles to achieve breakthroughs both physical and personal. The line “WE FLY” spoke both to the initial insight, and as a collective affirmation of a group of vibrant, youthful and multidimensional athletes celebrating the joy of speed and the exploration of human potential.

“WE FLY” launched as a fully integrated summer-long marketing campaign across digital, print, and retail touch points. The consumer journey involved a membership program to reward loyalists and enlist new runners, as well as outreach to influencers.

Though the campaign emphasized a strong female perspective, it targeted runners between 17 and 24 regardless of gender. To cut through the noise of a generation accustomed to information overload and wary of hollow promises, we wanted to speak simple truth, convey usefulness, and, above all, evoke emotion.

Creative executions sought to emphasize the responsiveness and propulsive attributes of the shoe, and to convey the sensation of flight, inviting consumers to feel what it’s like to fly. By evoking the sensation of flight as delivered through running fast, we sought to empower runners of all abilities to see past their perceptions of potential barriers and embrace the joy of the body in motion.

Starting in April 2018, the campaign launched with product seeding to a select group of athletes, consumers, media and Nike + members. Momentum continued to grow with the launch of a women’s exclusive colorway in mid-May, the global launch in June and the release of colorway updates through the balance of the summer.

Implementation included teaser posts on athlete, influencer and Nike IG channels followed by a fully integrated launch on e-mail, Nike app, nike.com and 1800+ retail doors. Media coverage included product reviews in trade magazines and on digital channels - YouTube, Reddit and Podium Runner as examples. Exclusive launches featuring athletes and influencers, city-specific races, and a presence at Nike-sponsored marathons including Shanghai and Chicago.

This women-led campaign resulted in the fastest selling Pegasus running shoe in history for both genders.

9.5m consumers reached @NikeRunning and @NikeWomen.

1.4m views through @NikeRunning and @NikeWomen.

3.7m total impressions on Instagram stories.