adidas: Liquid Billboard
adidas launched its first inclusive swimwear collection in the Middle East, where 88 percent of women felt uncomfortable swimming in public. Havas Middle East was tasked with breaking these cultural barriers and building confidence. The campaign needed to drive brand affinity among diverse women while positioning adidas as a leader in sports inclusivity, ultimately converting awareness into sales for the new range.
Creative Idea
Converted a billboard into a transparent swimming pool to turn everyday women into brand ambassadors.
adidas created the world's first swimmable billboard in Dubai, inviting women to dive in and become campaign stars. By transforming a passive medium into a participatory stage, it empowered women to overcome public swimming anxieties through visible, collective action.
Turning 11500 Gallons of Water into a Global Stage
163 Bathtubs of Inclusion
To bring the "Liquid Billboard" to life on Dubai’s Kite Beach, a team of 32 people worked 24/7 for three weeks. The structure was engineered from reinforced transparent acrylic to hold 11,500 gallons of water - the equivalent weight of 3,319 adidas shoe boxes. This was not just a static stunt; it featured integrated underwater cameras that captured every participant. This footage was edited in real-time and live-streamed to the largest digital screen in the world at the Dubai Mall, amplifying a local activation into a city-wide event.
From 12 Percent to 36 Percent
The campaign addressed a stark cultural reality: a YouGov survey revealed that 88% of women in the region felt uncomfortable swimming in public. The impact was measurable and immediate. Post-campaign data showed that the number of women feeling comfortable swimming in public tripled, rising from 12% to 36%. Every woman who took the "leap of faith" received a personalized digital poster of her dive, turning participants into the faces of the brand.
Beyond the Surface Talent
The activation featured high-profile trailblazers including Dareen Barbar, an amputee triathlete and Guinness World Record holder, and Raha Moharrak, the first Saudi woman to scale Mount Everest. Spoken word poet Asma Elbadawi provided the narrative voice for the accompanying film. This strategic casting, combined with the "Brand Act" approach, drove 350 million people in reach across 60 countries. Commercially, the impact was undeniable: 70% of the inclusive collection sold out within the first month, supported by a 28% share of search in the category.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
A brand philosophy centered on 'Impossible is Nothing' and a new range of inclusive, full-cover swimwear.
Category
Swimwear advertising traditionally relies on idealized models in private settings, reinforcing public swimming anxieties for many women.
Customer
Women in the Middle East who felt culturally or physically uncomfortable swimming in public due to lack of representation.
Culture
A growing global demand for authentic representation and brand accountability in solving real-world social and cultural barriers.
Company
A brand philosophy centered on 'Impossible is Nothing' and a new range of inclusive, full-cover swimwear.
Category
Swimwear advertising traditionally relies on idealized models in private settings, reinforcing public swimming anxieties for many women.
Strategy:
Subvert a traditional advertising medium to create a participatory experience that validates brand values through action.
Customer
Women in the Middle East who felt culturally or physically uncomfortable swimming in public due to lack of representation.
Culture
A growing global demand for authentic representation and brand accountability in solving real-world social and cultural barriers.
Strategy:
Subvert a traditional advertising medium to create a participatory experience that validates brand values through action.
Results
The campaign achieved a total reach of 295M, earned media valued at $1.35M, and was featured in major publications across 50+ countries and 6 continents including Forbes, Vogue, and Mashable. It successfully turned everyday women into ambassadors for the inclusive swimwear line, generating significant social media engagement and positive sentiment globally.
295M
total reach
$1.35M
earned media
50+
countries reached
Strategy Technique
Turn Brand Values Into Action
Rather than just claiming inclusivity, adidas built a physical stage that invited women to participate. This move turned the brand's 'Impossible is Nothing' value into a tangible experience that addressed real-world cultural barriers through action.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Hijack the Medium
The campaign subverted the traditional purpose of a billboard by transforming it into a functional swimming pool. This unexpected use of the medium forced public engagement and turned a static advertisement into a live, participatory event.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The campaign's brilliance lies in its physical engineering and the strategic use of media to turn a local activation into a global conversation.
The creation of a fully functional, 5-meter high swimmable pool as a billboard is a feat of engineering that perfectly embodies the brand message.
The integration of live-streaming the billboard content to the city's largest digital screen ensured the hyper-local stunt achieved massive scale.
The underwater photography captures the grace and diversity of the swimmers with a serene, high-fashion quality.
The tagline 'Beyond the Surface' works on multiple levels, referencing both the water and the deeper societal issues being addressed.
The synergy between the physical installation (Experiential) and the digital amplification (Media Planning) turned a single beach location into a global media event.
