Mid September saw the doors open on a unique Dutch pop-up shop, created by Björn Borg, where the customers could swap drugs for sportswear.
The ‘Chase the Exerhighs’ concept used the clothing retailer aims to drive home the message that you don’t need drugs to get high: similar feel-good substances are released in your brain when you exercise.
The joyful endorphin release and hypnotic euphoria that comes with exercise.
The Swedish sports fashion brand teamed up with agency Nord DDB to set up the store in central Amsterdam to inspire people to work out more.
As well as an in-person shopping experience, the initiative was designed to generate PR and it was amplified digitally and socially with a campaign led by video and connected by the #Exerhighs hashtag.
Last week we opened a pop-up shop in central Amsterdam, where people could swap drugs for sportswear. Why? Because you don’t need drugs to get high – the same feel-good substances are released in your brain when you work out.https://t.co/QgGXM4lpdk
— Björn Borg (@bjornborg) September 20, 2018
“We opened up a pop up store in central Amsterdam where people could swap one high for another, and trade drugs for sportswear,” said a brand statement.
“Training does brilliant things with our bodies, that’s no news. What’s more fascinating is what it does to our brains, and how exercise can put the mind in a euphoric state when the substances released by training enters your brain. Free and completely legal. All you have to do is put in the work.”
The NORD DDB Copenhagen and Björn Borg team creating the project included director Matilda Callenbo, chief creative officer Andreas Dahlqvist, art directors Clara Uddman and Petter Swanberg, producer Stefan Wikström, senior copywriter Martin Lundgren and DoPs Natan Gullström and Olle Lindholm.
The designers were Tor Westerlund and Jesper Hellzén, the PR director was Susanne Johansson, the planning director was Johan Rynell, while social media was run by Jonas Eriksson, the account director was Hanna Ternström and the producers were Matilda Callenbo and Erik Hagström. Pos production was handled by Tomas Wall, the production manager was Christine Norberg, grade was by Natan Gullström and the set designers were Linda Björkman and Johan Ryman.
Comment:
Unique and brave – this initiative ‘does’ rather than ‘says’ and continues to position the Björn Borg as a values-led innovator.
The work dovetails well with some of the company’s other campaigns such as last year’s ‘Tennis Across Borders’ (see case study) and July’s Marriage Unblocked’ (see case study).
Perhaps this is the kind of eclectic and inventive thinking you get when you combine a Swedish brand, a Danish agency and a Dutch setting?
Links:
Björn Borg
https://www.youtube.com/user/insideratbjornborg
https://www.facebook.com/bjornborg
https://www.instagram.com/bjornborg
NORD DDB, Copenhagen
