Event Management Case Study: How Nike Achieved Event Success
5.00/5When it comes to creating an event, it is not enough to design it just for the sake of gathering a bunch of people and presenting your brand, products or services to them. You need to give people a reason to attend and actively engage with your brand. You need a WHY. Nike’s Breaking 2 is the perfect event management case study. It will help you understand all the different elements that go into a successful event.
Let’s take a deep dive into the actual event and why it was able to be watched live by over 13 million people across YouTube, Facebook and Twitter in 2017. To date, 19 million people have watched it.
Nike Breaking2: Event Management Case Study
In 2016, Nike and National Geographic teamed up to do the impossible: break the 2-hour marathon barrier.
At the time, the world record time was 2:02:57. Nike challenged athletes to shave more than 2 minutes off a 26.2-mile course.
The brand reached out to three marathon runners:
- Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya
- Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia
- Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea
They all agreed to join the project and run in Nike’s new Zoom Vaporfly Elite running shoe. But the truth is that the shoes were never the main character. It was them, Eliud, Lelisa and Zersenay. Their stories, their passion, and their will to do the impossible captured the attention of millions around the world.
This was the real story of three men trying to achieve an audacious goal.
On May 6, 2017, they all gathered in Monza, Italy for the race. It was held on the Formula 1 circuit and would be streamed live on social media. But most importantly, it was going to be a documentary that focused on the athletes’ stories, the science behind the record attempt, the training, and the race itself.
Although none of them succeeded (Eliud Kipchoge fell 25 seconds short), the event captured the attention of athletes and people around the world. More than 13 million people watched the live stream. The brand received more than 140,000 mentions on social media.
Why?
A Genuine Story & Partnerships
Several elements came together to make this event a success:
The goal of the brand: Mark McCambridge, director of brand communications, says the project was never a marketing stunt. The goal was to test human strength and see if people could run fast enough to break barriers.
- 🔭The brand’s vision: Nike knew the attention potential of this challenge and was smart enough to go the extra mile and make it more than just a one-day experience for the public. They turned it into social media posts, but most importantly, they turned it into a documentary that anyone can watch today, years later.
- 🤝The brand’s partners: Nike knew the limitations of doing this as a one-brand show.
- Partnering with National Geographic allowed them to create the documentary and take advantage of all the content that could be generated during the months of training and the day of the event. It allowed them to extend their reach and leave a mark that would last for years to come.
- Working with Airbnb gave fans the opportunity to stay close to the course, meet the athletes, and most importantly, be a part of a unique event.
- Partnering with well-known sports broadcasters and Hollywood actors allowed them to multiply their reach and have a trustworthy image running live for anyone following along, even on social media.
- 🧑💻The story of the brand: Far beyond having a great idea, Nike was able to execute it flawlessly. Even when the world record was not achieved. Breaking2 is living proof that a good narrative, tied to emotion, can quickly resonate with your target audience and motivate them to do more.
Conclusion
Nike’s Breaking2 will always be remembered as one of the best marketing campaigns ever. It’s one of the best event management case studies you can review. One that achieved the perfect combination of creativity, team, storytelling and execution.
Are you ready to take your events to the next level? Start a conversation with the best event management agencies and set yourself up for success.
