Working with Hoka in its debut as technical sponsor of the renowned Stramilano has been an extraordinary adventure. We activated the city of Milan and its community of runners in a way that was both appealing and recognizable for the brand. This experience allowed us to manage a diverse array of production scenarios, requiring both a strong physical presence and the development of digital narratives to captivate the audience.

Our approach was to create a 360-degree strategy: concept and storytelling behind the journey, preparing the launch campaign and visual identity, managing the extensive creative production of the five activations, and creating a comprehensive PR and media management network to reach even more audiences and capture the attention of the entire city of Milan.

This project began, specifically, listening to understand what runners in Milan believed was missing for them. We developed a strong concept to create different activation approaches for all types of runners: a late morning run and yoga session with a healthy brunch at BAM, a challenging late-night run for the more intrepid, a talk with professional athletes for the curious, a cool and enjoyable pre-Stramilano run party for underground runners, and a cheering zone on the day of the Stramilano. Additionally, by scouting activators and media partners, Circular channeled what Hoka was preparing for Milan across digital platforms.

This mix of touchpoints resulted in an exciting journey, offering Milan’s citizens various experiences around the city. Experience and practice were tied to a strategic creative content plan.

Our main challenge was to manage cohesive storytelling across completely diverse production scenarios, operate with diverse voices including activators, retailers, and media partners, and control the content launched day after day with a coherent overall narrative. This allowed everyone to take part in this incredible journey of running and joy.