2026-05-21
HOKA turns Hackney Half into a live canvas celebrating the intersection of running and culture
HOKA partnered with Jellyfish to launch "Let's Fly Hackney," an experiential, multichannel campaign in celebration of its support of the HOKA Hackney Half Marathon. From an evolving mural and a Lime bike takeover to Citymapper activations and free recovery rides in branded black cabs, we embedded HOKA right into the fabric of Hackney culture.
The campaign created by Jellyfish included partnerships with Lime and Citymapper, OOH activations, guerilla wildposting, and two specially-commissioned murals along the course of the race, embedding the brand into Hackney’s multicultural, community-driven way of life.
The Campaign Highlights
- Two murals were installed for the event: one at 455 Hackney Road to build anticipation along the race route, and a "Living Mural" at 100 Mare Street. Painted in stages using cradles and abseiling, the Mare Street piece was completed live on race day. It evolved from the HOKA tagline "Let’s Fly" to feature a rotating list of local athletes and running clubs, before concluding with "Let's Fly Hackney" as a tribute to the community.
- The Lime Bike Takeover: The Lime partnership saw 250 Lime bikes branded with HOKA creatives. To drive engagement, 50 "lucky bikes" featured QR codes allowing riders to enter a draw for a spot in next year's race.
- Citymapper & Free Rides: In-app Citymapper ads directed users to HOKA hubs and its Covent Garden store. On race day, the app promoted the "Ride and Fly" activation, a fleet of branded black cabs offering free recovery rides to race finishers.
- Street-Level & Social Blitz: Guerrilla wildposting blocks were deployed across Hackney to create a high-frequency, street-level presence, engaging runners in the lead-up to and throughout the Hackney Half Marathon weekend. The campaign was rounded out with a paid social campaign across Meta and TikTok to raise awareness in the run-up to the event.
The campaign reflects a broader move away from traditional sponsorship, using the city itself as a platform to create more participatory and culturally resonant brand experiences.
“This was a brilliant, wide-ranging, multichannel campaign that firmly embedded HOKA into the culture of the Hackney Half. By aligning with familiar neighbourhood cues, runner rituals and the rhythm of race weekend, the campaign creates emotionally resonant touchpoints that feel native to the area rather than imposed upon it.”
Cynthia van der Moolen, EMEA Marketing Director, HOKA.
“Our focus was on making the campaign feel part of the community during race weekend. By combining creative street-level executions with partnerships that offered real utility to runners, we were able to connect with people in a way that felt both authentic and immediate.”
Anna Moore, Client Partner, Jellyfish.