Swedish brand Craft Sportswear, in collaboration with global creative agency Forsman & Bodenfors, launched a 10-week print campaign highlighting how quickly the body responds to a new running routine.
The experiment, featuring Swedish student Emelie Svensson, demonstrated the immediate benefits of running, from reduced stress to improved physical health.
Over the course of the campaign, Svensson ran once a week, tracking her progress with a Garmin Fenix 6 watch.
Each run was followed by a photo and a data update, which were published as print ads in one of Sweden's largest newspapers.
The result shows measurable improvements in Svensson’s health and performance.
What a brilliant idea! A 10-week sequential print ad campaign!!
— Karthik 🇮🇳 (@beastoftraal) January 16, 2025
Craft Sportswear and agency Forsman & Bodenfors tracked runner Emelie Svensson’s progress on her 5 kms run over 10 weeks using a Garmin watch. Using data from the Garmin watch (distance, time, pace, heart rate,… pic.twitter.com/LsQqVVQl1N
In a statement, Craft Sportswear Head of Brand Niklas Moberg shared his excitement over the campaign:
“It’s not every day you launch a print campaign over 10 weeks, and we were immediately charmed by the idea, which is a unique way to use the print medium.”
Meanwhile, Svensson recounted how empowering the campaign has been for her:
“The changes were clear, and they happened faster than I ever expected. This experience has shown me how running can truly shift both your body and mindset, even in just 10 weeks.”
Run for Your Fitness
While the long-term benefits of running are well-known, the campaign is unique in that it aims to emphasize the near-instant changes that can occur when starting a new fitness routine.
In line with promoting accessible health routines, the ads demonstrated that even small steps, such as running once a week, can greatly improve physical and mental well-being.
The timing of the campaigns is also crucial, as aligning them with a key moment — just when people are embarking on their New Year’s fitness resolutions — maximizes its relevance and impact.
This innovative campaign underscores how fitness brands can use authentic storytelling and data to connect with consumers
Last year, sports brand Decathlon announced a similar campaign, partnering with creative agencies to promote exercise over online shopping.
