Hi! my name is Adalyn and I am a Masters in Advertising graduate from the University of Oregon.

Meet Me at the Start Line was inspired by my own lived experiences as a collegiate distance runner and the experiences I witnessed in those around me. Through years of competing, I saw first-hand the pressures many runners, including myself, face surrounding performance, identity, body image, and self-worth. These observations motivated me to create a campaign that highlights authenticity, community, and the diverse stories that exist behind every start line.

Meet Me at the Start Line is a speculative advertising campaign created for Brooks Running as part of my Master's terminal project in Advertising and Brand Responsibility at the University of Oregon.

Inspired by my own experiences as a collegiate distance runner and informed by interviews with female athletes, this project explores the relationship between running culture, athletic identity, body image, and wellbeing. While running can provide community, confidence, and purpose, many athletes also face pressures surrounding performance, comparison, self-worth, and appearance. These experiences often remain overlooked within traditional sports marketing conversations.

Grounded in phenomenological research, Meet Me at the Start Line centers the lived experiences of runners and examines how brand communication can contribute to a healthier and more inclusive understanding of success in sport. The project was developed through qualitative interviews, a focus group, academic research, and creative strategy work exploring the role advertising can play in shaping athletic culture.

The campaign consists of a commercial film, documentary-style interview series, photography collection, and microsite experience. Together, these elements highlight the stories that exist beyond race results and personal records. Rather than focusing solely on achievement, the campaign emphasizes community, authenticity, balance, and the many different ways people show up for themselves and one another.

At its core, Meet Me at the Start Line encourages conversations surrounding body image, mental health, fueling, recovery, and belonging within the running community. Through storytelling and real athlete perspectives, the project aims to create space for reflection, connection, and a broader definition of what it means to be a runner.

Because every runner arrives at the start line with a different story.