ADIDAS SUPERNOVA — BIG STEPS IN THE CAPITAL
ADIDAS
/ OVERVIEW
Multi-sensory inflatable experience gets Berliners breathing easy and makes the urban running community rethink everything.
SOOH WHAT
Adidas faced a clear challenge: Push the new Berlin Edition of the established Supernova running shoe in the fiercely competitive running segment – right during the Berlin Half Marathon, where brands battle for the running community’s attention. As the grand finale of the global Supernova campaign, the Berlin Half Marathon campaign had to be a banger.
The message was crystal clear:
“Running is never easy. But with the Supercomfort of Supernova, it’s always nice.”
But how do you make “comfort” tangible? How do you translate a feeling into an experience that sticks and doesn’t just explain Supernova technology but emotionally charges it? Most importantly: Running newbies needed to feel the love too, because the “Supernova Rise 2” is pitched as the perfect shoe for urban running.
The Ku’damm as Berlin’s main artery was locked in – a premium location guaranteeing maximum visibility. Getting permits for a mega-installation at this hotspot was a real win for us. The timeline was athletic, but doable: 8 weeks from briefing to launch – an interesting challenge for concept, planning, and complete execution.
SOOH SPECIAL
/ STRATEGY
SOOH WHY?
Our strategy kicked in exactly where conventional shoe marketing stops: Instead of just talking about comfort, we made it physical – as a multi-sensory transformation from strain to ease.
The central insight: People can only truly appreciate comfort when contrasted with discomfort. We didn’t just want to claim this “aha moment” – we wanted to make it physically tangible for every guest.
The strategic approach: An immersive “Comfort Journey” that engages all senses – sight, sound, touch.
The eye-catching supersized inflatable shoe combined with a two-stage experience tunnel follows a clear game plan: First generate attention, then go deep. The placement at the Memorial Church guaranteed maximum visibility in Berlin’s urban running hotspot – exactly where the 2025 Berlin Half Marathon route passes and the target group moves.
SOOH SPECIAL
/ EXECUTION
SOOH HOW?
At Ku’damm/corner of Tauentzienstraße, we dropped our 12-meter-long inflatable Adidas giant right into the shoppers’ daily grind. SOOH WILD! A gigantic Supernova in exclusive Berlin colorway with the statement “HAVE A NICE RUN, BERLIN!” – impossible to miss and the perfect Insta moment for everyone.
Additionally, eye-catching floor prints led passing crowds directly to the installation and on to the nearby Adidas Flagship Store – clever wayfinding that completed the customer journey.
Inside, visitors were treated to an experience tunnel that took them on a transformative “Comfort Journey”:
Zone 1:
“The Problem”
Hard floors, cold white light, and audio-visual tension you could physically feel. The soundscape brought heavy breathing, hard footsteps, a pulsing heartbeat, and city noise straight to your ears. Spoken words like “Running is tough”, “Every step feels heavy” amplified the feeling of strain. Here, running became tangible in its most exhausting form.
Transition Zone:
“Let’s turn effort into ease”
The transition area marked the turning point – materials became softer, lighting slowly shifted from cool to warm.
Zone 2:
“The Solution”
A complete transformation: Soft, cushioned floors, warm “sunset” light, and a fluffy vibe that instantly embraces you. Plus a liberating soundscape with light, bouncy steps and a motivating inner voice: “With comfort, effort turns into ease”, “I feel confident, I feel empowered”. That’s how we made Supernova comfort physically experienceable.
SOOH SPECIAL
/ BEHIND THE SCENES
The biggest challenges? An absurdly tight schedule of just 8 weeks. And you don't exactly find the right partner for interior construction on an online Marketplace. Material and lighting concepts had to be on point – only then would the switch from strain to ease become truly palpable.
Material mix:
3D Air Mesh, acoustic foams, and special haptic surfaces
Sound design:
From urban stress to meditative calm in two zones
Timeline madness:
From final approval to opening just 3 weeks – including production, transport, and setup
Team power:
Coordinating all specialists under time pressure – business as usual, basically
SOOH SPECIAL
/ RESULTS
SOOH WOW!
The installation drew over 3,500 people in just 7 days and became an unmissable eye-catcher on Ku’damm. On Half Marathon Saturday alone, we had around 1,500 guests. The “aha moment” transitioning from Zone 1 to Zone 2 was exactly the emotional switch we were aiming for. The strategically placed floor prints connected installation and store into a perfect customer journey from experience to shopping.
With our chests puffed out with pride, we can claim we delivered: A multi-sensory brand experience that made running comfort physically tangible. So you can guess what the client feedback was. :)
