Adidas embraces carb-loading in Marathon stunt

Adidas turned its attention to the rituals that define marathon preparation in an experiential activation during marathon week in Dubai. 

Rather than focusing solely on race day, the brand leaned into one of running culture’s most universal behaviours - carb-loading. The culture-first campaign, created by Havas, is rooted in recognising and responding to runners’ lived experience.

Built on the insight that every marathon runner, regardless of pace or ability, follows the same pre-race fuelling routine, adidas transformed what is typically a private, functional act into a collective experience. 

Teaming up with artisanal pasta brand Sagra Pastificio Italian, the brand launched ‘Adizero Pasta’, a limited-edition food concept designed to embed the Adizero performance ethos into the cultural moments that surround preparation, discipline, and performance.

A day ahead of race day, adidas hosted a live pre-race fuelling moment at the Adizero House of Fast at Kite Beach. Registered marathon runners were invited to collect complimentary Adizero Pasta by presenting their race bib or runner ID, creating a shared pause in the city’s marathon build-up and bringing runners together ahead of the start line.

To extend the experience beyond a single physical location, adidas partnered with the Careem app to make Adizero Pasta available across Dubai for a limited time. A partnership which successfully placed Adidas at the heart of the lived experience of running a marathon.