Sticks And Stones: Nike Creates Unique Ads For Toronto Race

Ads for RUNTO, a 10K race on Toronto Island on May 29 sponsored by Nike, consist of “one Toronto neighbourhood snapping on another for being too fat, vain, greedy, lethargic or ethnic,” according to Jose Lourenco of the TORONTO STAR. The ads, which are bright orange and are located at bus shelters, subways and sidewalks, include over 100 sayings such as, “Hey Bay Street, 10K’s a distance, not a bonus.” Toronto Public Space Committee (TPSC) Coordinator Dave Meslin called the ads “patronizing, because they claim to speak for a neighbourhood. But it’s Nike speaking to its target market, not Cabbagetown speaking to Parkdale.” Lourenco notes the TPSC, with a C$10,000-12,000 annual budget, launched a RunAwayTO campaign on its Web site and is “calling attention to the larger issue of corporate erosion of our public space.” Nike stands to collect C$500,000 from participants in the race, which would be put toward the C$550,000 cost of a Nike Grand facility. But Nike Canada Dir of Corporate Communications Derek Kent said, “The goal of RUNTO is to inspire people to get up off the couch, participate in some training runs and run a 10K” (TORONTO STAR, 5/17).