Dive Brief:

• Saucony is encouraging consumers to stop doom scrolling and go for a run with its new Marathumb Challenge, according to a press release. The challenge is inspired by research that found the average person scrolls the length of three marathons per year, equaling 78 miles.
• The Marathumb Challenge app compares the distance users scroll to the number of steps they take. If the participant moves farther than they scroll, they have the chance to redeem Saucony-branded merchandise.
• The first weekly challenge will launch on Jan. 22 and continue for six weeks. For Android users, the application uses screen time metrics to actively compare scrolling distance to stepping distance. For those using an iOS device, the platform compares steps to the average national distance scrolled.

Dive Insight:

With January being the month of New Year’s resolutions, Saucony is hoping people will ditch doom scrolling for fitness with a new challenge. The Marathumb Challenge was launched alongside the Ride 17 sneaker, which features the PWRRUN+ midsole from the sneaker maker.

The campaign is supported through data from a partnership with market research company HarrisX, which surveyed over 1,000 consumers on how technology impacts their relationship with the outdoors. Over 60% of Americans have indicated that their daily smartphone usage has increased year-over-year. The free app will allow users to track progress, view past wins and share completed challenges over social media, tagging the brand.

"With Americans scrolling the distance of three marathons a year on their smartphones, we've identified a fun and creative opportunity to challenge consumers to move their feet more than their feed," said Rob Griffiths, Saucony brand president, in a press release. "The launch of the Marathumb Challenge underscores Saucony's belief in the transformational power of movement, and we look forward to continuing to encourage everyone to live a better life by shifting the balance between screen time and step time."

Many brands have been looking to help consumers hit their new year's resolutions this month. Chipotle recently partnered with fitness app Strava to launch specialized routes where users can engage in friendly competitions. Walmart+ also launched a campaign, “Save Your Resolutions,” timed around Quitter’s Day, the second Friday of the new year, when many give up on their resolutions. 

The activation comes just a few days after Saucony’s parent company, Wolverine World Wide, sold the Sperry footwear brand for approximately $130 million. The brand, most notable for their boating shoes, was sold to Authentic Brands Group and the Aldo Group.