Running Away With an Experience

Every October, the annual Chicago Marathon wound its way through the city I’m proud to call home.  Last year over 30,000 runners ran the 26.2 miles, spanning North to South, and crossing 29 distinct, authentic Chicago communities.

I’m a veteran Marathon fan.  Whether I’m one of the racers or part of the 1.5 million-person crowd, each year, I spend the day with goose bumps - amazed at just how awesome it is to witness…

• 29 neighborhoods
• 25 countries
• 31,341 runners
• Women
• Men
• Young
• Old
• Handicapped
• Elite

We all come together for one common purpose, and physically define what a community is.  It’s this atmosphere, fostering huge crowds, excitement and purpose that is also the ideal atmosphere for…experiential marketing.

So what’s even cooler than just the race is when your job is to help these neighborhoods, countries and wide span of people connect even further.  Taking the marathon experience to another level, Marketing Werks’ Verizon Wireless mobile marketing street teams were on site at both the marathon health expo, teaching runners to track their pace using the latest cell phone technology and the 26.2 mile marker, letting racers and spectators call loved ones to reunite.  And that’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it?  Using client’s brands, our genius ideas and pretty cool personalities to create and enhance the experience of consumers.

Lucky for us, when it comes to Marketing Werks, community doesn’t stop at the finish line.  We are always looking for the next big thing to get our hands (or feet) on.