Track Runner Athletes Are On to Run for Each Other

Just in time for the World Athletics Championships’ 18th edition, held in Eugene, Oregon, Swiss sportswear company On launched an inspiring campaign, at the heart of which stands the idea of team, defining the term as being the glue that keeps even athletes who compete individually united in attaining success. Visible through a 90-second-long video, written by Oliver DeVitre and directed by Mischa Meyer, the campaign takes viewers on a sporting (and motivational) journey where the main protagonists are eleven elite track runners and members of the professional running club On Athletics Club (OAC) who “Run For Each Other.”

Built on the idea that “no matter how good a runner you are, you will always be better with a team,” the campaign video — designed in partnership with agency Levity Creative and production company AKKURAT Studios — documents the stories of the OAC members ahead of their solo races at the competition. The video captures the athletes building their way to some of the world’s most prestigious sporting events. But in order to get as far as possible, they know that working together is the right thing to do to make it to the podium.

So, are there any athletes who prefer to embark on such a journey alone? “Maybe,” says the video’s narrator. The images that run before the audience’s eyes, showing OAC members running solo in the countryside or training on a treadmill, only reinforce the belief that, perhaps, such players do exist; athletes for whom “the last thing they need is someone next to them having their back,” cheering them up with encouraging words.

By the end of the video, we discover that while there might be a possibility for this sports enthusiast to exist, On hasn’t found them yet, “because [it] wasn’t looking for this one runner.” Still, what the company is certain of is that while many sportspersons may compete individually to achieve new heights, OAC runners are On to Run for Each Other and score success as a team.

“‘Run For Each Other’ is about the true power and spirit of ‘Team’ and how teamwork is the embodiment of success,” explains Feliciano Robayna, Executive Producer and Head of Sports Marketing at On. “Our OAC athletes are on a journey to the World Championships and know they are better together — having learned that group camaraderie is a key ingredient towards fulfilling optimum performance under pressure. Each athlete knows their fellow team members have their back, not only during competition but off the track during training as well as in their personal life. This is the true essence of how teamwork drives ultimate success — which is one of the core philosophies of our brand.”

Filmed on and off the track across the US, the spot is a cinematic piece in the true sense of the word. Shot using a series of different, classic cameras on 35MM using Kodak 5219 film, the video evokes a nostalgic feeling through its vintage style, a look that manifests wonderfully via the grainy texture visible throughout the film. “We wanted the film’s texture to echo the human spirit of a team that competes in the world of performance sports. Running in a team gives our young athletes a competitive edge that can’t be matched with artificial means, just like the analog quality of film sets us apart from the sheer technical perfection of other polished works out there,” comments Oliver DeVitre.

“By using multiple film formats versus shooting on digital or using VFX, we wanted to convey the emotional bond between the young OAC athletes and capture the humanity in their approach to performance running. Because On is as much about technology in running shoes as it is about the human spirit of those who run,” DeVitre concludes.

Currently coached by Dathan Ritzenhein, the eleven middle-distance athletes who are part of the OAC eat, sleep, and breathe running. As individuals, they are award-winning athletes, each with their own titles. But, as a collective, they are on a mission toward victory as a team.