Last years, Argentina approved a new media law that restricts sponsored time on TV. This caused media rates to increase substantially and challenged the team to develop an idea that would avoid expensive media budgets. So we thought of a solution that would only require a production budget and which could generate buzz in the press on its own. The Nike Knitting Machine was a real time branded content activation with runners' active involvement at registration rather than a spot on TV.

After 10 years of promoting 10k races, it was the first time that Nike decided to promote a 21k distance race. Too much time passed since the last time that the brand decided to communicate to the core runner. We understood that this marathon would be the best way to reach so many different runners from around the country and South America. Our research showed that connecting at registration would be the ideal time to connect with them and engage them in an activity that would benefit them then and once they completed the race. Taking advantage of the registration event, users were able to experience the Flyknit technology in real time. We created a Knitting Machine powered by runner’s energy. The final piece of equipment made an impressive display in the lobby when people arrived.

Each user could run on the treadmill, generating the energy for the machine to knit ribbons for the marathon's medals. We used more than 18,000 kilometers of thread over the three days of registration with runners hopping on the equipment to watch the materials woven together powered by their own two feet. This way, runners helped create their own reward, doing what they love most: Running.

The installation allowed users to make the product test through an innovative and fun experience. It acquired relevance when people started to talk about it. The activation had great results. More than 1,500 consumers tried the Nike Mercurial and completed the trial. More over, we were able to draw 60,000 people to Nike’s House of innovation during the time this activation was live.