SUB CATEGORY :

ILLUSTRATION

ENTRANT COMPANY :

HAVAS MIDDLE EAST, DUBAI

TITLE :

DESERT RUNNER

BRAND :

ADIDAS

ADVERTISER :

ADIDAS

AGENCY :

HAVAS MIDDLE EAST, DUBAI/HAVAS PLAY, PARIS

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER :

FABRICE PLAZOLLES

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

LEONARDO BORGES

CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

ANSHUMAN BHATTACHARYA

ART DIRECTOR :

SHALISHA HIRA/SÁVIO HATHERLY/QUENTIN CLAUSSE

COPYWRITER :

RICKIE CHEYNE/NIL NIVIERE SCHOUVALOFF

AGENCY PRODUCER :

ALEX BIANCHINI

ANIMATOR SPECIAL EFFECTS :

FARAH MOHAMED/KEVIN MIBZAR SAMUEL/
ABDULHAMID BAABDE/AHMED ZAGHLOUL

DIRECTOR :

AHMED RASLAN

BUSINESS STRATEGY DIRECTOR :

ALEJANDRO FISCHER

COMMUNITY MANAGER :

REEM DERGHAM

CLIENT SERVICE DIRECTOR :

SELINA KHIROYA

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR :

MIA MOUSSA

ACCOUNT MANAGER :

DANA FTOUNI

STRATEGIC PLANNING DIRECTOR :

BRUNO ARALDI

STRATEGIC PLANNING MANAGER :

MOHAMMAD EL TAYECH

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR :

AYAH MOUNZER

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER :

DANA DAOUD/BASSAM DERGHAM

PR AGENCY :

HAVAS RED, DUBAI

PR DIRECTOR :

DANA TAHIR

PR MANAGER :

RYAN COSTA

SENIOR DIRECTOR :

RAZAN KARIM

SENIOR MANAGER :

AHMED YOUSIF

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY :

VIP FILMS, DUBAI

CAMERAMAN :

BACHIR MOUKARZEL

LINE PRODUCER :

LUCIANA BOULOS

PRODUCTION MANAGER :

GILBERT HAJJAR/ANNA KRIZIA DELASANTOS

EDITOR :

NATHALIE MOUSSA

ARTIST :

DAVID POPA

ASSISTANT ARTIST :

RYAN MUIR/UKU SAKARI

LOCATION MANAGER :

HANI KHAYYAT

ENGLISH CONTEXT EXPLANATION :

Running in the Middle East presents unique challenges, with extreme heat, humidity, and a lack of dedicated running spaces. Despite these conditions, a growing community of over one million runners continues to push forward, embracing the desert rather than avoiding it.

To celebrate and empower this resilient running culture, Adidas launched The Desert Runner, a limited-edition running shoe inspired by the region’s landscapes. The campaign was built around an extraordinary 100-meter sand artwork, created by earth artist David Popa, reflecting the grit and perseverance of Middle Eastern runners.

The campaign tapped into cultural nuances by integrating local running communities, leveraging social storytelling, and positioning Adidas as a champion of regional sports culture. With a high-impact digital rollout, influencer collaborations, and immersive content, the campaign redefined what it means to run in the desert—turning the harshest terrain into a proving ground for resilience.