Ad Infinitum: Running After A Dream
With the rise in awareness around fitness and availability of fitness trackers, running has become an integral part of most people’s fitness journey. An increasing number of Indians are taking to running that reflects a growth trajectory similar to what was witnessed by the western world in the ’80s. India has seen a rise in the number of running events and marathons across the country, and each year participation is rising by thousands. Keeping this in mind, sportswear brand Adidas launched a campaign to tell the stories behind why people run and inspire more people to take to it.
The campaign highlights that running is changing, and it has a special space in the runner’s mindset. The brand believes running is an individual’s journey and every runner has a story.
The narrative, using Mumbai city as the backdrop, will be showcased at the adidas Running Film Festivals being hosted across four continents. Adidas India’s film “Always Running” is one of seven films selected, from out of over 45 cities that submitted their entries. The Mumbai narrative is one amongst seven which also include stories from London, Madrid, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beirut & Los Angeles.
Speaking on the launch of the film, Sharad Singla, Brand Marketing Director, adidas said, “The Mumbai Always Running film is a part of seven global films which are being hosted at adidas’s International Running Festivals. The films bring to life real stories of runners and running communities brought to life through the local lens. Through the films, adidas wants to celebrate the power of running and how it’s an integral part of a city’s culture and its people.”
For an individual, from clocking a personal best at a marathon to being part of a running group or larger community, running has evolved from just being a fitness journey. The notion of connecting with nature, exploring cities and building social relationships over food & coffee is a classic example of how running is so much more than the physical & biomechanical aspect of the sport. It reflects how people can rise over their deepest fears, transform the world around them and start a new journey in their individual capacity.
The film highlights the ‘Always on the Run’ spirit of Mumbai and India at large. It captures the city of Mumbai from a local lens of running and deals with subtle nuances that reflect the city’s culture. It further epitomizes four key protagonists and their stories, with each story being an inspiration to the life of a common man.
Explaining the concept behind the choice of the four protagonists, Singla said, “We believe in inspiring the current generation through stories of real people who have come out strong against all odds. The stories of all 4 protagonists, Charita, Afroz, Ayesha and Jyoti, inspired us immensely and we felt their stories deserved to be shared to inspire people and create an emotional connect towards the power of running.”
