Sportswear and fashion retailer Lacoste leverage the Paralympics by bringing together Olympic and Paralympic athletes for a unique race in an exceptional setting for its ‘The 9th Lane Project’ which saw French Para swimmer Laurent Chardard take on eight Olympic swimmers.
The campaign, created by agency BETC for the French company founded in 1933 by tennis players René Lacoste and André Gillier, saw Lacoste host a 50m freestyle final bringing together nine participants on 1 August – one physically present and the others swimming virtually.
Lacoste, which sells clothing, footwear, sportswear, eyewear, leather goods, perfume, towels and watches, held the epic race in a pool dedicated to the event in which Chardard swam physically in lane 9 against some of the world’s best swimmers whose progress in the water was tracked by beams of light in real time.
This innovative and technically original swimming race saw Lacoste seek to convey a message of inclusiveness and equality and it was promoted through an integrated campaign spanning PR, social and digital channels led by online video and streamed in a love broadcast on Lacoste’s Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to the hashtags #L9, #Lacoste and #UneSeuleEquipe.
The live event saw sports journalist France Pierron and Chardard’s coach Tugdual Guéguin commentate during the social broadcast, while a video of the event and a portrait of Laurent Chardard and his preparations for competition with the world’s best swimmers were also made available afterwards on the brand’s channels.
Comment:
Chardard, a native of Réunion Island, lost his right arm and leg in a shark attack in 2016, yet has shown commitment, resilience and tenaciousness to become the European champion and a double medallist at the world championships.
This initiative sees Lacoste seek to celebrate all athletes regardless of difference and support them in their quest for the Olympic and Paralympic heights.
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