United Kingdom
1,600
finisher photos delivered
1,222
Supporter Wall triggers
160%
Pink Carpet KPI achieved
640
marketing emails captured
Overview
Making Moments Last
Tommy’s charity sponsorship of a major London running event called for activations that went beyond presence, creating genuine emotional moments for runners and their supporters.
IUF delivered full concept, technology build, and on-site execution of two activations at the 12.5-mile mark, a high-emotion point in any half marathon. The Pink Carpet gave every finisher a branded photo memory with their chip time. The Supporter Wall brought messages from home to the course in real time, triggered by the runner’s own chip as they approached.
Both activations were delivered on the same day, with no on-site WiFi or mobile signal, and the Supporter Wall was launched as a brand-new IUF product at this event.
Journey & Experience
Activation 1 – Pink Carpet: Finisher Photo
A branded finisher experience at the race finish area. Runners received a personalised photo with their chip time, delivered to their inbox the same evening.
- 6 stations operating simultaneously
- 60-second average user journey per participant
- Finisher tells brand ambassador their chip time
- Ambassador photographs finisher holding branded board
- Time positioned on the photo in real time
- Finisher enters email address, photo delivered that evening
Activation 2 – Supporter Wall: LED Display
A first-ever IUF product deployment. Supporters submitted messages and photos pre-race via a dedicated Tommy’s landing page, linked to their runner’s bib number. As each runner crossed a proximity sensor 20 metres from the LED wall, their personalised supporter content triggered live on screen.
- Tommy’s promotes dedicated landing page to runners and supporters pre-race
- Supporter submits message and optional photo, linked to runner’s bib number
- Content saved and associated with the runner’s chip ID in the system
- Runner crosses proximity sensor 20m from the LED wall
- Application matches bib ID and triggers personalised content to the LED wall in real time
- Runners see their message as they pass, crowd cheers
Technology Architecture
Two activations. Two distinct technology challenges. One delivery team.
Core Infrastructure
- Tommy’s website integration for pre-race supporter message and photo submission, linked to runner bib ID
- Real-time chip-to-LED triggering — proximity sensor fires personalised supporter content
- Real-time chip time overlay applied to every finisher photo at point of capture
Hardware Ecosystem
- MYLAPS EasyMat timing strip with EasyMat decoder + BibTag Portable Decoder
- Large-format LED wall for personalised supporter content playback
- 6 simultaneous Pink Carpet photo capture stations across the finish area
Support Model
- Fully offline-resilient architecture — no on-site WiFi or mobile signal required
- Same-evening email delivery with marketing consent flowing into Tommy’s CRM
- First IUF deployment of the Supporter Wall product, integrated end-to-end with Tommy’s
Implementation
Single morning setup on event day. A local base was rented in advance due to road closures preventing direct vehicle access.
Phase 1 – On-Site Team
- 12 brand ambassadors across both activations
- 2 event managers overseeing full-day delivery
- Coordinated setup completed within a single morning window
Phase 2 – Challenges Overcome
- No on-site WiFi or mobile signal — fully offline system design
- Road closure logistics requiring a pre-rented local base
- Real-time chip-to-LED triggering built and deployed as new technology
Phase 3 – New Product Launch
- Supporter Wall deployed as a brand-new IUF product at this event
- Full Tommy’s website integration built for the activation
- Offline constraint turned into a deliberate, considered experience design
Outcomes
Finisher enagement
1,600 branded finisher photos delivered, 160% of KPI target. Around 9% of all race participants engaged at the Pink Carpet across a 4-hour window.
Supporter connection
1,222 runner profiles triggered live on the LED wall. 627 supporters submitted a photo and message. 595 submitted a message only.
Marketing value
640 marketing emails captured with consent, 128% of target, at a 40% consent rate, delivered directly into Tommy’s CRM.
