Each year, our oceans get to be suffocated by eight million tons of plastic. There are plenty of campaigns that want to help our waters get a sip of fresh air. Projects such as “Unforgettable Bag,” Unseen Ocean,” “Sound of Sea,” or “Wasteland,” were born in the hands of either NGOs or big brands just to raise people’s awareness about the real threat that affects the oceans.

Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. We take care of this water of ours, but what about the ones that are found in nature? Why not treat this treasure of the environment with the same respect we show towards our own bodies? Actually, people can do this through sports. There are plenty of health benefits one can enjoy due to physical activity. But your body isn’t the only one to thank you for doing sports. Nature also found a way to thank you for choosing to do this.

Mother Nature has the power to heal itself without the help of humanity. But, as long as our species is still here, we need to learn how to coexist. So, why not do something good for the environment and help it recover? After all, we are all responsible for what is wrong with it. Why not do something and help it overcome some of the bad things we did to it?

Well, all of this is possible and you are about to see it during this week’s #ThrowBrandThursday. Behind this admirable initiative stands Adidas, which believes that sport not only has the power to change lives, but also the world. This isn’t some kind of motto of the sportswear brand. It is something tangible; something that you can actually wear. To raise awareness of the threat of marine plastic pollution, the company created a huge campaign for its UltraBOOST running shoe. What makes these shoes be so amazing and eco-friendly is the fact that they are made of Parley Ocean Plastic™, a proprietary textile made from recycled plastic retrieved from the coastal communities and beaches.

The idea comes from the minds of the artists at Global Adidas Running’s creative partner, TBWA\NEBOKO, which is responsible for creating an eye-catching animation that promotes the UltraBOOST Parley.  In the stop-motion video, viewers can see the upper knit being used as a canvas. On it stands the creation story of the shoe, which is told through beautiful embroidery.

In addition to this, the Amsterdam-based agency designed a global toolkit for “Run for the Oceans,” the bigger campaign that hosts this initiative. The activation invited communities to join hands and run together to raise awareness for the threat of marine plastic. Plus, the creative agency developed creative assets to complement the rollout to six key cities. The runners who participated at the race were asked to use some apps: Runtastic and Joyrun — the latter addressed the Chinese community only.

“The latest additions to the Adidas x Parley collection are another step in our journey to creating one million pairs of UltraBOOST from up-cycled marine plastic. As a global brand, we have a responsibility to help change the world for the better; these designs reflect our support for a great cause, whilst also delivering the exceptional performance we are renowned for. A powerful combination, which we hope will excite and inspire our global community as much as it does us,” said Mathias Amm, Product Category Director, Adidas Running.

To create the video featuring the runners, TBWA\NEBOKO worked together with director R.J. Sanchez of SNOW BEACH and photographer Sophie Hemels of Cake Photography. The film shows local Adidas running communities and influencers taking the first step and setting the right example. Would you care to join them?

Credits:

Client: Adidas

Agency: TBWA\NEBOKO