Why Run Wild Matters

Since the launch of our Run Wild 2020 campaign with adidas Runtastic, curious and critical thinkers have asked us why a campaign like Run Wild matters, and what it will do for wildlife. This is actually a question I ask myself, as I have from the inception of the idea many years ago, even as we crossed the 800,000 runners mark on day 7 of the campaign.

There are four short-term reasons, most of which satisfy only a little, and one big long-term goal that we think could really move the dial for conservation. 

So: “Why does this matter?  What difference does it really make if 800,000 runners are measuring their runs against wild animals?”

Short term reason #1: public advocacy

The official campaign answer to the ‘why’ question is that the results of the campaign will be presented at an upcoming UN Assembly to show “1 million runners in support of 1 million species”, in reference to the million species that are at risk of extinction. But I’ll be honest, no one can predict whether this type of public pressure will have any effect on UN policymakers, and if it does, whether those policies will have any effect.

Short term reason #2: donations

I’m also pretty realistic about the amount of donations to the conservation partners involved. It will not nearly be enough to make a substantial difference. Run Wild is not set up as a donation campaign: to raise money, you should build a far more direct donation mechanism.

Short term reason #3: awareness

Surely we can say ‘raising awareness’ is a reason RW matters - the stories and information the campaign highlights are probably known by very few people and it never hurts if 800,000 more people learn more about nature and wildlife and the threats they face. But awareness is very hard to measure and feels like a bit of a fall back for when you can’t measure anything else.

Short term reason #4: attracting a new audience to conservation partners

With my short-term hat on, looking at Run Wild only as an isolated campaign, the main reason we do this is to expose all these runners directly to our conservation partners, who most likely the runners would never have heard of.  This is no small thing given how hard it is for any organization to get eyeballs, let alone for an organization like the Pangolin Project, which is essentially a less than 3 person operation focused entirely on research, not finding followers.

But thinking about Run Wild solely in terms of short term campaign outcomes would be missing the real power of what it can accomplish. 

Ultimately, what Internet of Elephants wants to do is to create a world where following wildlife becomes as commonplace as following sports, TV, music, or politics. Where the consumers of the world demand, through their attention and their actions, more sustainable marketplaces, more environmentally friendly policy, and more financing available for nature.

One route to making this happen is through brands and the power they have to influence those that follow them. If major brands are convinced that wildlife content and stories can sell their products, engage their customers, and create brand loyalty, then wildlife and nature may become more pervasive in people’s everyday lives. 

If adidas sees that campaigns about wildlife are the most engaging for their target audience, then campaigns about wildlife are what they will use. Not just because it’s good CSR, but because it is good business. If adidas is doing it, then associated brands may as well (we’re already seeing posts from companies like Polar and Suunto).

I have no doubt that compelling wildlife content, delivered in engaging ways like Run Wild, can create a shift in how popular brands think about interacting with their customers. So, Run Wild, and its massive following are a catalyst not just for more involvement from adidas, but hundreds of brands around the world.

My plan, admittedly not yet bought into by adidas, is that Run Wild moves from a once-a-year campaign to a persistent wildlife storytelling platform - daily stories on dozens of animals, delivered through a fitness app to millions of people. And that we do something similar with Starbucks, Patagonia, Peloton, etc.

So while I love almost everything about Run Wild in its current incarnation, I know that it is just the beginning of something far more impactful, possibly game-changing in terms of the way that brands and the people that follow them get involved with wildlife and its conservation. And that is why it matters.