The Run Wild Campaign Results are in

In October 2019, Internet of Elephants, adidas Runtastic, the Snow Leopard Trust, and the United Nations Environment Programme teamed up to activate millions of runners worldwide to take action for the snow leopard. Run Wild, a digital running challenge, enabled users of the adidas Running app to compete for steps with Uuliin, a real wild snow leopard living in Mongolia. We’re incredibly excited to share the results of the campaign.

WHAT IS RUNWILD?

During 12 days, users of the adidas Running app signed up to track their runs and compete with Uuliin. IoE delivered daily updates of Uuliin’s distance and activities in the user’s newsfeed. Written in an unconventional, tongue-in-cheek first-person narrative and photographs taken from Uuliin’s point of view, based on his real movement data, it’s as close to a snow leopard as most of us will ever get. Uuliin posted updates on his athletic performance, daily activities, and challenges in finding food and surviving poaching, and asked users to contribute to the conservation work that keeps him safe. 

Runners from all over the world joined the challenge, sharing their performances and cheering Uuliin on along the way.

THE RESULTS

We’re incredibly excited to share that the challenge was joined by almost five hundred-thousand runners who ran a total of 5,3 million kilometers, following Uuliin’s daily adventures along the way. Read more about this unconventional partnership between adidas Runtastic, IoE, UNEP, and Snow Leopard Trust on the RunWild project page.

WHAT’S NEXT?

RunWild is just the first edition of a hopefully long series of campaigns that support other critically endangered species. The University of Cambridge is conducting a conservation impact study on this first campaign, which we hope will unearth a wealth of insights into the ways concepts like RunWild can create broader support for conservation. Keep your eye out for IoE news!