#TBT: Compete with a virtual self on Nike's Stadium

Asia has proven to be a leader in the creative field. Not too long ago, before Singapore hosted the “world’s largest luxury car vending machine,” Philippines was home to the “world’s first LED running track.”

Installed right in the capital city, Manila, Nike created a running track, dubbed as the “Unlimited Stadium“, to promote the LunarEpic Flyknit footwear innovation. Conceived by BBH Singapore, the shape of the stadium derives from the footprint of the sport shoes and features a 200-meter running track, lined with LED screens.

This week’s #ThrowBrandThursday gives you a unique insight on how a brand can digitally interact with the consumer. In this case, to beat the ‘inner’ athlete, users are supposed to wear Nike shoes, which include a radio frequency identification sensor.

The amazing installation fuses the virtual and real world together, inviting up to 30 runners to compete against themselves and break their personal records. To make this possible, the Singapore-based agency, together with the BIRDMAN production team, imagined the installation as a loop-running track.

After the first lap, the sensor picks up enough information to map the runner’s position at any given time and creates a digital avatar that runs on a special LED screen alongside the real track. Interestingly, the faster the runtime was, the larger in size the avatar grew, encouraging competitors to keep up with their digital version.

The award-winning project, part of the brand’s bigger campaign, “Unlimited” was honored at the D&AD Awards, Clio Awards, the Webby Awards, and other prestigious advertising events.

The epic running track follows other interactive installations made by BBH for the sportswear brand. Previous to this, in 2015, the agency created “Hypervenom,” the largest interactive football game, giving people the chance to literally put themselves in the shoes of their favorite players.

Moreover, Nike’s motto, “If you have a body, you are an athlete,” inspired the agency to create the “Run Jakarta” campaign, encouraging people to exercise on the crowded city ‘streets.’