Same Start Line.
Different Stories.
I created a three minute speculative campaign titled Meet Me at the Start Line.
Explore the research, strategy, and meaning behind the work below.
The meaning behind the work:
Meet Me at the Start Line is a speculative advertising campaign created for Brooks Running that challenges traditional performance driven sports marketing. Inspired by audience research, interviews with runners, and personal experience, the campaign centers on the idea that success in running is not defined solely by speed, placement, or achievement, but by the courage to continue showing up. Through authentic storytelling and community centered visuals, the advertisement celebrates participation, connection, and the diverse emotional experiences that often exist within the sport. Inspired by the message “Here’s to Showing Up,” the campaign reimagines how athletic brands can foster a more welcoming, compassionate, and supportive running culture.The title, Meet Me at the Start Line, also carries a subtle juxtaposition within the campaign. Traditionally, a “start line” is associated with competition, pressure, performance, and the pursuit of results. However, throughout the video, the meaning gradually shifts into something more personal and human centered. Rather than focusing exclusively on outcomes, the campaign highlights the relationships, conversations, vulnerabilities, and moments of support that surround the sport itself.I was drawn to the phrase because I have never seen a quote before that rewards taking care of oneself to get to the start line within sports advertising, which allowed the campaign to establish a distinct identity while remaining approachable and emotionally grounded. By the final scene, viewers are literally brought to a start line, but by that point, the meaning behind it has transformed. The start line no longer exists solely as a symbol of competition. Instead, it becomes a representation of community, resilience, encouragement, and the collective act of showing up together.
At its core, the campaign is also rooted in a difficult but important issue that often remains unspoken within distance running culture: the prevalence of disordered eating, body image struggles, and the pressure many athletes experience surrounding performance and self worth. Rather than portraying these experiences in an explicit or sensationalized manner, the campaign approaches the topic with care, empathy, and intentional subtlety. The goal was not to define runners through struggle, but instead to create space for a more compassionate and supportive understanding of wellbeing within sport.Throughout the film, themes of nourishment, friendship, and emotional support are quietly woven into the narrative through scenes of shared meals, laughter, conversation, and community. These moments intentionally redirect attention away from harmful ideas surrounding restriction, perfection, or achievement at any cost. Instead, the campaign emphasizes the importance of fueling the body, supporting one another, and recognizing that strength can exist in vulnerability, connection, and balance.By centering humanity over performance, Meet Me at the Start Line encourages audiences to reconsider what success in running can look like. The campaign advocates for a culture in which athletes feel supported not only for how they perform, but for who they are as people. Ultimately, the film serves as a reminder that many runners carry invisible struggles and that no one should have to navigate those experiences alone.Thank you to everyone who helped bring Meet Me at the Start Line to life. This project was incredibly personal to me because it explores a topic that I care deeply about and one that I know impacts so many people within the running community. Your willingness to share your time, stories, energy, and trust made this campaign possible.
Getting the opportunity to create a speculative campaign for Brooks Running, a brand that has meant so much to me throughout my own running journey, truly meant the world. I am deeply grateful to every person who showed up, believed in the vision, and helped create something rooted in honesty, compassion, and community.
I hope this project encourages more open conversations surrounding wellbeing within sport and reminds people that they are never alone in their experiences. More than anything, I hope it reflects the power of showing up for one another.
Thank you to everyone who showed up for me. Words don’t express how much people like you mean to me.
ADALYN