Submitted by EssenceMediacom

An Original Outdoor take-over for adidas

Influencer Marketing

EssenceMediacom flew 200 drones over Copenhagen for adidas Originals with 40+ fashion and sneaker creators on the ground, reporting over 1,2 million impressions through organic shares alone.

1,2Mimpressions through organic shares
200drones sent into the night sky
2large scale projections in the city
2fashion and sneaker creators

Case in 60 seconds

adidas was marking the arrival of a new era for adidas Originals and a new global platform, and wanted to pay homage to the people who have carried the Trefoil to the forefront of culture.

The campaign appears to turn on the exclusive side of sneaker and fashion culture, because the drone show was kept secret until the last minute so that the invited creators were surprised alongside the public.

The organizing thesis was to use technology in the physical world so that digital natives would capture the content themselves, which made a night in the city the route into digital spaces rather than a bought placement.

EssenceMediacom, together with sister agency Wavemaker, sent 200 drones into the night sky over Copenhagen carrying brand symbols and well known emojis, supported by 2 large scale projections in the city. An event at Mikkeller Baghuset on Refshaleøen gathered 40+ fashion and sneaker creators, who captured and shared content in their own style so that it reached the intended audience.

EssenceMediacom reports over 1,2 million impressions through organic shares alone, which the agency sets against the reach of a two-week outdoor placement at Nørreport Station, and describes the drone show as the first of its kind in the Nordics.

Strategy Breakdown

The primary strategy-learning section — interpretation, not a press-release summary.

The page describes the intended audience as digital natives and the exclusive side of sneaker and fashion culture in Copenhagen, reached through creators posting in their own style so the content read as authentic and relevant.
The page treats sneaker and fashion culture as having an exclusive side, and the work played to it by keeping the drone show secret until the last minute, so being present on the night was itself the privilege.
The Trefoil has been in circulation for decades and has passed from athletes to cultural pioneers, so restating its place in culture called for an occasion rather than another printing of the mark.
adidas took the role of host for a one night city takeover that gave creators something worth documenting, which placed the brand behind the event rather than inside their feeds as an advertiser.
Creators posting in their own style suggests the campaign treated audience trust as something held by the individual poster, because the page ties the content reaching its audience to being authentic and relevant rather than to distribution weight.

Creative & Execution System

Partners

  • EssenceMediacom (lead_agency), Wavemaker (unspecified)

Participation mechanic

  • Invited creators took part by capturing the drone show and projections and sharing that content in their own style, while the wider public in Copenhagen watched a show the page gives them no stated way of joining.

Results & Evidence

MetricValueResult type
impressions through organic sharesThe results were over 1,2 million impressions, through organic shares alone, much more than we would have been able to reach with a two-week outdoor at Nørreport Station.impressions
drones sent into the night skyThis resulted in us sending 200 drones into the night sky to celebrate Adidas - and showcase the heritage of originality with iconic brand symbols and well known emojis.scope
large scale projections in the cityThe drone show was supported by 2 large scale projections in the city and an event at Mikkeller Baghuset on Refshaleøen for 40+ fashion and sneaker creators to complete the city takeover for one night.creators_count
fashion and sneaker creatorsThe drone show was supported by 2 large scale projections in the city and an event at Mikkeller Baghuset on Refshaleøen for 40+ fashion and sneaker creators to complete the city takeover for one night.creators_count

Why EssenceMediacom's strategy worked

  1. 1

    Withholding the moment from the public and from the invited creators alike appears to turn a placement into news, because a surprise gives creators something to document rather than a scheduled asset to post.

  2. 2

    Building a spectacle that has to be filmed in person suggests a way to earn distribution from the people present rather than buying it, since the reported impressions came through organic shares alone.

  3. 3

    Gathering 40+ creators from fashion and sneaker culture at a single venue reads as casting for cultural fit rather than follower scale, because the page counts creators and never counts their audiences.

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