HOKA and Jellyfish Run Borough Rivalry Campaign on NYC DOOH Screens
2026-09-03 · via DailyDOOH
Jellyfish, the digital marketing agency within The Brandtech Group, has launched a month-long HOKA campaign that pipes real runner data from the Strava app onto digital out-of-home screens across New York City. The campaign, called the HOKA Run Your City Challenge, runs through September and pits the city's five boroughs against each other based on miles logged.
For screen operators and DOOH sellers, this is another example of a brand using live, participant-generated data to drive ticker-style creative on outdoor boards, a format that has become more common as CMS and ad-serving platforms make data feeds easier to plug into digital displays.
According to the announcement, the ticker-inspired creative appears on DOOH screens in Times Square, Tribeca, SoHo and Williamsburg, cycling through weekly updates on miles logged, pace and other running statistics as New Yorkers log activity through Strava. HOKA already has a global partnership with Strava, and Jellyfish built the borough competition on top of that existing integration rather than launching a new data platform.
The release does not specify which media owners' screens are being used in each location, how often the ticker updates, or what network is delivering the content to the boards. Those are the operational details an industry reader would want but they are not included in the announcement.
The DOOH component sits alongside a broader campaign that includes paid social on TikTok and Meta, a creator program run through Collectively (also part of The Brandtech Group), and a publisher tie-in with Highsnobiety. Six creators, one representing each borough plus one additional, are documenting participation for use in the social activation, according to the release.
The campaign culminates October 3 with a branded event at McCarren Parkhouse in Brooklyn, with recap content planned for a follow-up social push in October aimed at runners outside New York.
What it signals for DOOH buyers
The format, turning crowdsourced app data into a public scoreboard on outdoor screens, is a low-cost way to make out-of-home feel responsive without requiring bespoke hardware or new sensor infrastructure. It relies on existing Strava data feeds rather than in-store or on-screen interaction, which lowers the technical bar for other brands wanting to try something similar.
What is notably absent from the announcement is any measurement framework: no mention of impressions, dwell time, or how HOKA and Jellyfish plan to gauge whether the borough rivalry actually drove participation or just awareness. For an industry increasingly focused on proving DOOH effectiveness, that gap is worth flagging.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from DailyDOOH for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
Jellyfish & HOKA Turn New York Running Into Citywide Competition
Jellyfish , the integrated global digital marketing company within The Brandtech Group , has launched a new campaign for HOKA that turns New Yorkers’ everyday runs into a citywide expression of the running community .
Jellyfish developed the campaign concept and is leading both creative and media planning. The month-long challenge is hosted on running app Strava, building on HOKA’s existing global partnership with the platform. Throughout September, New Yorkers can log miles for their home borough as all five compete against one another.
“At HOKA, we believe running is a powerful fuel to creating connections. We all go further when we move together,” said Allie Tsavdarides , VP of North America Marketing at HOKA. “The HOKA Run Your City Challenge is about channeling that collective energy into something beyond only miles. It’s an invitation to all runners in New York to move with purpose and celebrate the unique spirit of many different communities across the city.”
As those miles add up, ticker-inspired creative will turn the competition into a public scoreboard on digital out-of-home screens in Times Square, Tribeca, SoHo and Williamsburg, cycling through weekly updates on miles logged, pace and other running stats. The work brings HOKA’s ‘Together We Fly Higher’ brand platform to life by making runners and their activity part of the campaign itself.
Paid social drives participation and extends the borough competition beyond the streets throughout September. The campaign also includes a creator program led by Collectively, the creator marketing company within The Brandtech Group. Six creators representing the five boroughs will encourage runners to join and document their own participation throughout the month. Those assets will be part of the paid social activation on TikTok and Meta, targeting running and fitness enthusiasts across New York City.
“The creative idea is simple: make every run visible,” said Jo Wallace , Global Executive Creative Director, Jellyfish. “We’re taking something that usually lives on a runner’s phone and putting it out on the streets of New York and in social feeds. Suddenly, your miles are not just yours. They’re contributing to your borough, fueling a rivalry and becoming part of the city and community around you.”
The challenge culminates October 3 at McCarren Parkhouse in Brooklyn with a HOKA-branded daytime block party celebrating participants from across the city. The event will bring runners, creators and the broader community together for food, drinks and programming. Creative assets sharing highlights of the event will be featured in an October social media campaign that expands reach beyond New York to target runners and fitness enthusiasts around the country.
“From the very start, we set out to create work that is a true celebration of NYC’s running culture,” said Michael Walsh Kirwan , VP Creative, Jellyfish. “We want New Yorkers to see these ads and get inspired to go for a run – with every mile logged reflected back in the ads themselves. Want to see the numbers change? Lace up and go for a run.”
A publisher partnership with Highsnobiety will extend the campaign with a planned recap following the event.
Credits – Agency: Jellyfish Global Executive Creative Director: Jo Wallace VP Creative: Mike Kirwan Media: Ang Dahir, Ale Duque Production: Cailey Gribben Client Leadership: Jackie Steinberg, Meredith Aird Creator Marketing: Collectively Platform Partner: Strava
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