Using the data from the runners’ RFID-enabled race bibs — the very bibs that sport the adidas logo — along with a custom video capture and rendering process, we transformed the entire race into a creation engine. We created 30,000 personalized films for each of the 30,000 runners in the marathon, all delivered within hours of the end of the race.

Each personalized video featured footage of the runner, isolated based on his or her race data, along with personalized motion graphics and title cards that featured the runner’s starting group, split times, and completion stats. Woven together with narrative footage from the full marathon, the videos told the story of each runner’s legendary performance in the historic race.

We brought all of the data inputs together under the creative construct “Here to Create Legend,” telling the narrative of each racer’s journey along 26.2 miles, from beginning to end. Every element of the film was personalized, starting with the racer’s name, bib number, their wave and start time. The story progresses just as the race does, showing each runner’s individual split times alongside shots of them at those checkpoints woven in with b-roll from throughout the course. For every b-roll clip in the film, we captured 4-5 variable shots of footage representing that moment and pulled from those at random in the video rendering, generating exponential options for the final cut of each video and creating a unique experience for each runner. The historic weather that day (another data point in the film) made a difficult production nearly impossible and became pivotal to telling the story of a legendary performance. The cumulative effect of this seamless merging of data generated 30,000 unique stories that feel personalized all the way through.

We disrupted an industry of marathon photography and videography to personalize and visualize run data at a scale, speed and level of quality that has never been done before—despite historically cold, rainy and windy weather conditions that day.

The personal highlight films shattered the norms for engagement. Runners happily consumed and shared brand-generated content, as evidenced by:

- More than half of all runners watched their videos, and videos viewed had an incredible 97% completion rate.

- 20% of the viewed videos were shared on social media, amounting to more than 160k views, 52k reactions, and 12k comments.

- The email that delivered each runner’s personal video link to their inbox had a 47% open rate, far beyond industry standards as well as adidas’ YTD baseline.

- Product sales attributable to the campaign were up 1,189% over baseline.

- Publicity for adidas from multiple major press outlets included a headline story on Runner’s World.

We harnessed the power of 30,000 runners generating data from RFID-enabled race bibs at the 2018 Boston Marathon to transform the race into a creation engine. Shooting footage throughout the 26.2-mile course and programmatically pairing it with each runner’s individual race data, we created 30,000 personalized highlight films for all 30,000 runners in the marathon, all delivered within hours of the race.

With multiple cameras along the race course, we captured footage throughout the marathon, including fixed positions tied to RFID checkpoints. Racer bibs generated individual split time data, which we mapped to the footage to identify each runner. Our custom algorithm then sliced the videos to ensure each runner would be ideally positioned in frame, no matter their pace.

These personalized film clips were combined with motion graphics and title cards representing the runner’s individual performance stats, along with additional footage shot throughout the course featuring iconic landmarks and memorable moments from the race. These were randomized within the videos so that each runner’s video was even more unique.

Our custom software and workflows allowed us to shoot, process, edit, and deliver 30,000 personalized videos all within hours of the end of the race. Runners received their videos by e-mail, and could search for other participants by bib number through a custom website.

There are marathons, and then there’s Boston. As a runner in this event, you’re creating something bigger than yourself — you’re becoming part of the legend. For their 30th anniversary as sponsor of the Boston Marathon, adidas wanted to celebrate the runners with a digital experience that embodied their brand mantra, “Here to Create,” a platform that recognizes athletes as creators. Boston is adidas’ biggest opportunity each year to root the brand within the running community. We set out to create an authentic, data-driven experience that would win the hearts, minds, and social feeds of runners in Boston and beyond.