Moscow Metro, in partnership with Visa, have launched a potentially transformative new Sochi 2014 promotion in subway stations across the Russian capital – A ‘30-Squat Challenge’ Ticket Machine.
The payments brand is backing a fitness focused initiative, which links to next year’s Winter Olympics, which offers subway users a free ticket if they perform 30 squats in two minutes via one of the system’s new exercise incentivisation ticket machines.
The fitness facility saves each subway user 30 rubles (about US$0.90) for each ride.
The machine, which can even tell if a commuter is cheating, is part of a Russian campaign aiming to leverage hosting the Olympic Games by incentivising citizens to live healthier lifestyles.
While only a relatively small number of Russians will interact with the machines, the initiative is amplified via a seeded online video of travellers using the machine (and being watched by curious bystanders) in busy Vystavochaya station.
The machines are merely one small part of a wider health-led initiative that sees Russia Olympic Committee aim to use its host nation status to transform its citizens lifestyle.
Other elements of the wider campaign offering further opportunities for Russian to add elements of sport and exercise into their daily lives include exercise bikes that produce electricity to charge your cellphone and turning hand-hanging handles on buses into exercise bands.
‘We wanted to show that the Olympic Games is not just an international competition that people watch on TV, but that it is also about getting everyone involved in a sporting lifestyle,’ says Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov.
The Committee’s umbrella ‘Olympic Change’ initiative, in partnership with Visa, offers an array of transformative platforms across the country and its campaign revolves around a central online hub – www.olympicchange.ru
The website includes a nationwide challenge asking consumers to think up, design and submit their own ideas for everyday life initiatives to promote Olympic Change.
Entrants are encouraged to publish their ideas online – complete with full descriptions, objectives and schematic drawings – and all ideas gaining more than ‘100 Likes’ will go through the qualifying round, after which a jury will select the best 100 idea and a final online vote will be held in December.
The winning idea will be brought to life and the initiative is being incentivised by offering the winner a VIP trip to the Sochi 2014 Games Including flights, accommodation, opening ceremony tickets, an Olympic Park tour and accommodation.
Comment
This initiative, which blends the Wi Fit approach with an automated ticket machine, shows how organisations are trying to use their rights to actually change consumer’s lives.
The Moscow Metro is a state run organisation and its sister Russian Railway (RZD) organisation is a Sochi 2014 Tier One partner.
RZD paid a reported $150m for its deal – which will see the railway have a big presence throughout the Games,
As well as playing a major part in building the Games transport infrastructure..
The Squat Challenge initiative brand partner Visa is also a major Sochi sponsor.
Visa is the IOC’s exclusive payment card and the official payment system for the Olympic Games and it provides payment services to Organising Committees and Olympic spectators.
Visa, which has been an IOC TOP partner since 1986, is also running its own integrated activation campaign revolving around its own sponsorship program that supports talented athletes in their Games preparations and follows their performances through the Olympics.
Links
Squat Ticket Challenge YouTube Film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaPNDbGKr7k
Olympic Change Website
Visa Sochi 2014 Website
http://www.sochi2014.com/en/team/partners/8640/
Visa Corporate Website
http://corporate.visa.com/index.shtml
Moscow Metro Website
