The New York City Marathon set a new record this year, with more than 55,600 athletes competing in a five-borough race on Nov. 3. In the days leading up to the event, runners and their families stopped by the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon Expo that took place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to pick up their race numbers, get insights on the track and stock up on the latest in gear. Brands took the opportunity to connect with this highly motivated crowd on the show floor and themed stages.
EM wasn’t about to take on the 26.2 miles but was still on hand to soak in the excitement and scout out the most popular photo ops to capture the runners’ proud moment.
New Balance
The title sponsor of the expo and the official gear provider, New Balance rolled out a massive pop-up that also served as an entrance to the expo. Runners and their families walked through a portal entrance flanked by mirrored showcase displays, past the wall that presented the evolution of running gear, and onto the newest offerings. A well-organized retail experience allowed athletes to make their purchases relatively quickly and be on to multiple branded photo ops for their first official pictures. Partner: Impact XM
Mastercard X REI
Mastercard partnered with REI on a 40-by-40-square-foot activation designed to “put the outside inside.” Tapping into the runners’ love of accomplishment, the brands invited them to “Summit the City,” and, yes, celebrate with a photo op at the top of a park trail overlooking the iconic New York skyline. REI products and Mastercard small business tools could be explored through a variety of touchpoints, including a park-like kiosk that drew connections between wild ideas and bringing them to life. A VW bus added a whimsical touch, providing another natural photo op, as did a sprawling mural across the back wall of the booth. Partner: Octagon
Mastercard x REI photos: Courtesy of Octagon
Citizens
A relative newcomer to the New York market, Citizens celebrated the special experience of the marathon with a “You’re made of this moment” tagline and an environment that felt both festive and supportive. Attendees lined up to design a personalized message to cheer on the runners that was displayed on the massive backdrop wall of the exhibit as well as on the course during the race. Citizen employees were on hand to also help with the touch screens and take the photos, adding a friendly touch for this global audience. An overhead graphic map of race glowed over the 40-by-40-square-foot, serving both as a cool architectural element and a visual representation of the connection to all the boroughs of New York City. Partner: Miller Zell
Purina Pro Plan
The pet food manufacturer invited attendees to create a message of support to runners on behalf of their pets at home. They could scan a QR code to upload a photo of their pet and add a short text that was then printed on poster-sized paper and placed in a branded cardboard frame, making it a heartfelt and personalized keepsake. In a booth that hardly had any elements beyond a backdrop and several printers, Purina managed to create one of the most exciting and popular activations on the expo floor, because when your bulldog says, “Running is ruff! You rock!” or your cat says, “I’m watching from the couch,” it’s hard not to feel the love.
Maybelline
Maybelline became the first and only cosmetic sponsor of the New York City Marathon, promoting the idea that beauty can exist in an athletic space with products that are user-friendly and last the whole race. The brand brought the activation that has been touring college campuses and invited attendees to discover new products, find a perfect shade match, and get styling advice from professional makeup artists in a double-decker pop-up. The full experience took about 20 minutes, with attendees receiving a pouch with makeup they could wear on race day. There was also a shorter experience available for a newsletter signup. The photo zone up front was a perfect backdrop for content creation and an opportunity for additional swag. More than 1,500 visitors per day participated in this activation. Partner: Youth Marketing Connection
Photo credit: Anna Huddleston
EXPERIENCES AROUND THE CITY
Beyond the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon Expo, brands hit the pavement around the Big Apple with running-themed experiences.
Nike
Nike served up the extra boost of energy marathoners needed starting in the wee hours of the morning, and all the way through to the Mile 21 Cheer Zone. There were larger-than-life motivational banners urging them on, cheer squads and a partnership with Joe Coffee Company, which took over cafés across New York with custom branded menus (hello, “Swoosh”-shaped croissant) and store graphics. Agency: CNC Agency.
Allbirds x Zappos
The marathon is a grueling 26.2-mile route for the athletes, but it’s also taxing for the spectators who cheer them on along the sidelines. So to celebrate a new partnership and provide some relief specifically to the bystanders who cheer on the underdogs of the marathon—and spend many hours on their feet to do so—Allbirds and Zappos teamed up to produce their first-ever pop-up, the Comfort Zone.
The Comfort Zone, located along the marathon route, offered spectators a chance to swap their own shoes for a pair of Allbirds’ Wool Runner Go, which are designed for all-day support, for the duration of the race. Consumers could additionally donate the shoes they were wearing to Soles4Souls, a partner organization to both Allbirds and Zappos that also received the shoes left over from the pop-up event. (Agency: Small Girls PR)
AG1
AG1 brought the spirit of the marathon to life outside its storefront, serving up refreshing beverages for marathon runners and New Yorkers alike, while its AG1 truck in Brooklyn dished out energizing drinks during the shakeout run. Rounding things out was the AG1 marathon cheer station, where the brand supported athletes as they wrapped the race. Agency: CNC Agency.
Photos (Nike, AG1): Courtesy of CNC Agency
