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Spotify, Adidas playlist creator sings to runners

Digital music service Spotify and athletic brand Adidas have teamed together to promote the new #BoostYourRun trend by devising personalized playlists for runners.

Spotify and Adidas aim to maximize workouts by using location, music preference and desired workout intensity level to revamp the user experience. The #BoostYourRun campaign works alongside Adidas? existing Boost running shoe collection, encouraging runners to employ the ?Boost? cushioning technology.

?It?s a good mix: Adidas will attract runners who will now discover this new music service, and Spotify will attract music lovers who will keep Adidas top of mind when it?s time to shop for new items,? said Tony Vlismas, Head of Marketing Strategy at Polar.

Sandhya Suryam, marketing director at Atimi, agrees.

"Music and running go hand in hand," Ms. Suryam said. "It's a natural fit that brands that provide these services work together. It's about creating inspirations and simplifications for people to run."

Mr. Vlismas and Ms. Suryam are not affiliated with Adidas or Spotify, but agreed to comment based on his expertise.

Adidas nor Spotify commented before press deadline.

Building a community
@AdidasRunning tweeted the information with a photo of runners wearing the Boost running shoes and its account has been repeatedly tweeting periodically to spread the word.

Along with using social media to gain awareness, a YouTube video has been created for additional inspiration using upbeat music, runners traversing through a city and an up-close view of Boost running shoes. The video is 45 seconds long.

?It?s not what you put into your run, it?s what you get out of it,? the commercial reads. ?Boost your energy. Boost your run.?

To use the playlist creator, runners first enter their city, favorite running track, distance willing to run and intensity level. There is also a map to view exact location.

The tool then generates a handful of routes in the nearby area to choose from, and users can save preferred routes to use frequently.

By eliminating the time it requires to build a workout playlist, exercise enthusiasts are able to spend more time running and less time planning.

The movement also aims to create a community among its followers. Runners can share stories and gain inspiration by reading the stories of experience from other users through the #BoostYourRun hashtag. Participants often share workout achievements via social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Spreading the socialization
Adidas Group continues its mobile social run with a new platform for Reebok intended to serve as a hub for athletes as well as a bluetooth-enabled Adidas soccer ball that links to a smartphone.

Users of Reebook?s new Fitleague application can receive updates on Fitleague-specific workouts, and informative articles pertaining to their own fitness, training programs and goals. The newly launched Adidas miCoach Smart Ball is a soccer ball that analyzes its movements through the air as well as foot touch points of impact to coach users to take better kicks, passes and shots (see story).

Adidas is also taking its customized sneaker program to the next level via a new mobile application enabling users to apply a photographic image to create their own ZX Fluxshoe and have it delivered.

The sportswear brand has offered the mi adidas sneaker customization program for several years but in the past it entailed enabling customers to pick from a variety of available materials, colors and prints as well as being able to add their name, a country flag for team logo. With the help of the mobile app, customers will have significantly more creative freedom to design their sneakers (see story).

Collaboration between brands has been commonly known to generate positive results across multiple sectors. By widening the bridge of opportunities, all parties benefit.

?I think both brands want to be synonymous with health and fitness,? Mr. Vlismas said. ?It gives each brand a chance to communicate with the other brand?s readers to bridge that gap.?

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon, editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York