The Powerade Challenge – Interactive Marketing
In a world jam-packed with marketing messages with multiple screens fighting for our attention it is increasingly difficult for brands to cut through the clutter. It’s hard to ensure your audience’s undivided attention for a 15 second TVC let alone 50 whole minutes but Powerade created a way.
The Powerade Challenge is an interactive 8km running course on Wellington’s waterfront (Auckland and Christchurch’s courses will be open soon). Competitor’s register online (costs $5) and are sent a wristband to scan at the start and halfway vending machines. This records your official race time as well as giving runners a free bottle of Powerade at the end.
Over the weekend I gave challenge a go. For nearly an hour I was removed from other distractions and engaged with Powerade’s marketing. I organised a running group exposing more people to the Powerade brand, everyone enjoyed the experience with most already planning another go.
Start/end point vending machine
Runners generally exhibit a sense of camaraderie and I found myself smiling at others wearing blue wrist bands on the course. It was like we’re part of special elite running club. You had to be in the “know” to belong. Well actually my wrist band arrived after the run so no run record or Powerade this time.
Outdoor advertising was cleverly used throughout the course and included bus shelters, streetlight flags and a large outdoor screen that projected personalised support messages. I will post a photo of the billboard when we run again with wristbands. In the meantime below is Olympic gold medalist Hamish Carter with the 2013 Auckland billboard followed by snaps from the 2014 Wellington signage.
