EcoRunning
Sports/ B2C
From a traditional race to the national benchmark in relay running.
From a traditional race to the national benchmark in relay running.
1. CONTEXT
For more than 30 years, the Revezamento Volta à Ilha in Florianópolis has been Latin America’s largest relay race, with more than 30,000 runners having taken part along its course. These are trail running races that cross beaches and trails rather than asphalt, designed to let athletes experience the city as they run. Over time, the organization brought this approach to other cities in Santa Catarina, including Urubici and São Francisco do Sul.
For more than 30 years, the Revezamento Volta à Ilha in Florianópolis has been Latin America’s largest relay race, with more than 30,000 runners having taken part along its course. These are trail running races that cross beaches and trails rather than asphalt, designed to let athletes experience the city as they run. Over time, the organization brought this approach to other cities in Santa Catarina, including Urubici and São Francisco do Sul.
2. CHALLENGE
The company grew from a single race, and everything that came after lacked a brand capable of bringing the whole ecosystem together. What was missing was an architecture that could organize the events and communicate the principles that set them apart: sustainability, appreciation of place, and races that take place without closing roads or disrupting the daily lives of local communities. There was also a business challenge. Organizing the races depends on support from city governments and companies, and the organization had gone three years without a single sponsor. It needed to “explain the inexplicable” force that brings thousands of runners together, in a way that would also resonate with partners.
The company grew from a single race, and everything that came after lacked a brand capable of bringing the whole ecosystem together. What was missing was an architecture that could organize the events and communicate the principles that set them apart: sustainability, appreciation of place, and races that take place without closing roads or disrupting the daily lives of local communities. There was also a business challenge. Organizing the races depends on support from city governments and companies, and the organization had gone three years without a single sponsor. It needed to “explain the inexplicable” force that brings thousands of runners together, in a way that would also resonate with partners.
3. SOLUTION
We created Ecorunning, the master brand from which the entire race concept stems. The name combines ecological awareness with the verb ecoar (“to echo”), reflecting the idea of leaving an impact and distilled in the tagline “Every step echoes.” The strategy, co-created with the client, embraces the sense of community, awareness, and personal achievement at the heart of the races. From there, the architecture organizes the events under a shared logic, Volta à Ilha, Desafrio, and Revezamento São Chico, while creating room for smaller races built from sections of the relay courses, generating more events throughout the year. To express the energy of those who have already taken part, we also created the Hino Ecoar.
We created Ecorunning, the master brand from which the entire race concept stems. The name combines ecological awareness with the verb ecoar (“to echo”), reflecting the idea of leaving an impact and distilled in the tagline “Every step echoes.” The strategy, co-created with the client, embraces the sense of community, awareness, and personal achievement at the heart of the races. From there, the architecture organizes the events under a shared logic, Volta à Ilha, Desafrio, and Revezamento São Chico, while creating room for smaller races built from sections of the relay courses, generating more events throughout the year. To express the energy of those who have already taken part, we also created the Hino Ecoar.
4. RESULTS
One year after the rebrand, Ecorunning secured sponsorships and corporate partnerships again, after three years without any support. Olympikus became a sponsor of the Revezamento Volta à Ilha, which remains Latin America’s largest relay race, now part of an organized portfolio with room to grow.
One year after the rebrand, Ecorunning secured sponsorships and corporate partnerships again, after three years without any support. Olympikus became a sponsor of the Revezamento Volta à Ilha, which remains Latin America’s largest relay race, now part of an organized portfolio with room to grow.
