Adidas has launched a new campaign titled “The Ridiculous Run” to address the safety concerns faced by women while running. The campaign challenges the lengths women have to go to feel safe while running, highlighting the alarming statistics regarding harassment and fear of physical attack among women.
With the campaign, Adidas has taken a clever approach to address the backlash around a controversial Samsung ad from last year that was criticized for failing to reflect the dangers women face when exercising outdoors. The sportswear brand launched “The Ridiculous Run,” an iteration of its “Impossible Is Nothing” campaign, to highlight the reality of women taking measures like wearing loose clothing or running with male companions just to feel safe.
According to a study conducted by Adidas involving 9,000 women across nine countries, 69% have taken precautions to feel secure while running—yet many of these seem absurd. The findings are part of the company’s With Women We Run initiative exploring women’s experiences in sports. Other data points to high rates of harassment, with over a third of women experiencing physical or verbal abuse and more than half receiving sexist remarks or unwanted sexual attention while running.
Women’s Mental and Physical Side Effects
The study also found that women were significantly more likely than men to suffer mental and physical side effects as a result of harassment, with over half of women experiencing anxiety compared to over a third of men. Interestingly, the data also showed that 46% of women reported a loss of interest in running following being harassed.
The Ridiculous Run Campaign
Based on the data, Adidas launched “The Ridiculous Run” campaign to encourage men to educate themselves on the issue and learn more about allyship. The campaign aims to drive greater awareness of the realities women face every time they go for a run, highlighting all the little things women have to do in order to feel safe.
Adidas Takes on Samsung’s ‘Night Owls’
The ad is a clear parody of Samsung‘s controversial “Night Owls” campaign last April, which received a lot of backlash and was eventually put under investigation with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK. Adidas’ ad now aims to help make sports more equal and to drive inclusivity by enabling access, equity, and safety for marginalized communities. The campaign builds on the brand’s ongoing partnership with the White Ribbon charity, which focuses on preventing violence against women and girls by educating men and boys.
The Big Picture
Adidas’ ‘The Ridiculous Run’ campaign is a powerful statement against the dangers that women face when exercising outdoors. The campaign challenges the notion that women must take extreme measures to feel safe and encourages women to feel confident and empowered when running. While it may not solve the problem overnight, it can encourage more men to understand their role as allies and create progress towards a safer environment for women. As companies like Grab find themselves in hot water over women-centric advertisements, it’s crucial to focus on creating a culture of safety and inclusivity for all.
