In 2022, Brooks deployed a first-ever global brand campaign, designed to reach and inspire everyone who runs to run their (unique) path. The campaign was built off the insight that running can be hard sometimes, even for the most committed runner. So, they come up with all kinds of creative ways to achieve their best run. “It’s Your Run” champions runners to find their best run (in whatever creative ways they want) and own it with pride.
Brooks teamed up with David Harbour, best known for his role as “Hopper” on Netflix’s Stranger Things, to narrate the campaign videos. As a runner and Brooks fan prior to his work on the campaign, David brought not only his signature gravely voice, but also an authentic and candid perspective on running to the campaign.
David narrated six videos, bringing to life the creative hacks and inner thoughts of runners as they achieve their best run – or simply get their run done. As a companion to the scripted content, David created an on-the-run Reel sharing honestly about the role running plays in his mental health, and that it can feel both incredibly hard and rewarding at the same time. His message resonated powerfully with runners around the globe, many of whom shared in the comments that they felt “seen” as a runner by the campaign.
Following the launch of the campaign, Brooks, David and his team set to work on another unique opportunity: partnering to support a unique partner in the running community: Back on My Feet. Back on My Feet combats homelessness through the power of fitness, community support, and essential employment and housing resources. Members who are living in homeless shelters or addiction recovery facilities meet twice a week to walk and run, connecting with other runners who also volunteer as mentors to help members develop skills and confidence to get back into the workforce and housing independence.
David joined a Back on My Feet run in Tompkins Square Park, where he instantly connected with members by revealing that he had spent time as a teen engaging in dangerous behavior in the very same park, sharing details of his own recovery journey, and encouraging members to keep pursuing theirs.
Brooks and David used video and photos from the run to launch a holiday buy-one-give-one campaign through brooksrunning.com.
David Harbour’s involvement in the It’s Your Run campaign greatly extended the organic reach of the campaign, adding a real-life example from an admired actor and runner that running can look and feel differently for every runner. The campaign generated excitement among runners and media, resulting in 39 earned placements; and 2B impressions across the two pulses of the partnership. With runners’ and David’s help, Brooks was able to donate more than 2,000 pairs of shoes and 2,000 apparel items to Back on My Feet through the buy-one-give-one holiday campaign, providing “gear for a year” to their members (a donation value of more than $650,000).
