On Feb. 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery went for a run in a quiet Georgia neighborhood. It would be his last. Ahmaud was murdered by White men who thought he was “suspicious.” It was the culmination of something the Black community already knew to be true – running while Black in the U.S. exposed runners to suspicion, racism, threats, and violence. adidas, with a heritage in running and ties to the community, wanted to shine a light on Black runners whose stories had the power to highlight the need for accessibility & safety and inspire positive change. We wanted Running While Black to become inspiration that would create more possibilities for runners.

Directed by Jenn Shaw and narrated by gold medalist athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Running While Black was a three-part video series to highlight complexities that come from running while Black. It would honor Ahmaud Arbery’s memory, pay tribute to Black runners, shine a light on the issues Black runners face and offer inspirational stories, all while promoting safe running for new generations of runners, particularly Black men and boys.

We wanted to reflect the reality of the Black community as well as reach a broader audience in order to inspire real change.

Given the history of violence towards Black athletes in the U.S., the series – as well as promotional efforts – required sensitivity and empathy, without commercial exploitation. Specific attention was given to ensure members from the Black community were the primary representation in all aspects of the production, in front of and behind the camera.

82% of Black runners report experiencing racial discrimination and 40% do not feel safe running. For the Black community, the act of running is marked by a history of profiling and violence that often makes the otherwise healthy and empowering sport a source of fear.

With partners Vice Media Group and Religion of Sports, adidas could connect the right talent and elevate meaningful community stories to shine a light on the reality of the issue via a three-part Running While Black video series distributed and promoted across Vice and adidas channels. This would be complemented by outreach and promotion via athletes and grassroots organizations, which would also help create visibility, change the conversation, and accelerate sport in Black communities.

Running While Black consisted of three 20-minute video episodes, “We Are Here,” “We Represent” and “We Run Things.” Prior to release, the promotional effort kicked off with a press release mid-June in key industry trades, as well as running & culture trades ahead of the wider docuseries rollout in late June/early July. The episodes ran across Vice and adidas properties, including linear and digital TV. This was complemented by Social and OOH promotion, as well as digital articles & newsletters. Activations took place in key cities from NYC to LA where there were special Juneteenth screenings of the film. The live events included a bazaar for Black businesses, activities lead by adidas Runners (aR) captains, leaders of a running community created by adidas, and panel discussions.

Running While Black had a scaled reach of over 38 million video views and 45 million earned impressions, bringing visibility to this topic, helping people see possibility for change, and inspiring them to take action. Running While Black resonated with both Women and People of Color showing significant lifts across all sponsorship metrics.

adidas saw a lift in unprompted brand awareness of 6-points – showing viewers associated the brand with the purpose of the content. There was also a 4-point lift in perception as a brand committed to supporting the Black community. Running While Black also significantly grew search for adidas.