72andSunny launched its first major integrated campaign on March 13, 2009 as the lead Brand Connections partner for Nike Running in Europe. The campaign, Men vs Women, aims to recruit runners of all levels to the Nike+ community, a digital platform that allows runners to track their progress both during and after their runs. The pan-European campaign consists of TV spots, online films, retail, outdoor and print, all linking to a campaign-specific digital experience on Nikeplus.com.
In the campaign, men are pitted against women around the world to see who can rack up the most kilometers on the Men vs Women challenge leaderboard at nikeplus.com. The women get a hand from world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe and dancer Sofia Boutella. The men are supported by Roger Federer, Fernando Torres, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Tony Parker, among others.
"In our approach to Nike Plus, rather than explain the technology, our goal was to make it matter more," said Glenn Cole, 72andSunny co-founder and creative director. "People care about competing. And nothing gets the blood flowing like a good old fashioned rivalry, especially the most heated rivalry of all time - Men vs Women."
This is the second major campaign from 72andSunny for Nike Europe over the past year. The first was "Next Level," a global football campaign in all media, which launched in advance of the European Championships last summer.
"The inspiration for the campaign actually came directly from a consumer who posted the Men vs Women challenge nearly two years ago," noted Nike EMEA Brand Connections Director Enrico Balleri. "In 2008, it was one the most popular challenges on nikeplus.com, with runners contributing nearly 2.5 million kilometers. We are excited about the way in which 72andSunny has brought the concept to life for Nike Running."