Adidas champions athletes with Down’s syndrome at Boston Marathon with 321 bib branding
The Drum’s Ad of the Day highlights the work that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Today’s winner is Adidas’s ‘Runner321’ by FCB Canada.
The campaign is fronted by Chris Nikic, an Adidas-sponsored runner with Down Syndrome
Getting a space at a marathon can be difficult, with demand often far outstripping supply. Adidas is leaning on its sponsorship of the Boston Marathon to ensure neurodivergent athletes get their place at the race.
Runner321 refers to Trisomy 21 (tri-21), the medical name for Down Syndrome. Adidas has ensured that the 321 spot is secured each year for people with the condition, to ensure they too are represented.
The campaign is fronted by Chris Nikic, an Adidas-sponsored runner with Down Syndrome. He is set to compete at the marathon on April 18.
In an emotional voiceover, Nikic said: “When I was a kid, I rarely saw anyone who looks like me in mainstream sports ... And now, we’re changing that.”
The work was launched on World Down Syndrome Day (March 21) and is calling for other marathons to adopt the spot for neurodivergent runners.
It’s part of Adidas I’mPossible series, which is uplifting athletes from all underrepresented groups.
