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Marathon No One Wants to Run
Project type
πΊπ¦ National Awareness & Social Impact Campaign
Role
π©π»βπ» PR Manager
Period
π Oct 2021 β Jan 2022
Location
πGlobal (launched from Ukraine)
Target Audience
π₯ Runners, activists, media, international Ukrainians, Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian embassies, and global citizens invested in Ukraine's fate
Recognition
π Golden Effie Award (Ukraine)
Situation
Nova Poshta, Ukraineβs leading delivery company, created NewRun to promote running as a symbol of strength and movement. Ahead of the 2021 New York Marathon, we at Gres Todorchuk saw a powerful contrast: while everyone dreams of running in NYC, Ukrainians had been forced to run a different kind of marathon β seven years of war they never chose.
We turned that idea into a symbolic campaign.
On November 7, the day of the New York Marathon, we launched a video featuring a military medic, volunteer, and displaced teacher running through another New York β a small frontline village in Ukraineβs Donetsk region.
We invited people worldwide to register on a website, receive a marathon kit with a sticker showing a war-related number (like kilometers of occupied territory), run wherever they were, and post in solidarity. Some even wore the sticker at the real NYC Marathon.
Nova Poshta delivered these kits globally β transforming every run into a call for awareness, reminding the world that Ukraine had already been at war for seven years.
Task
As PR Manager, my role was to:
ππ» Spark nationwide and global conversation around the campaign
ππ» Motivate thousands of people to register, run, and post their support
ππ» Generate broad media attention and emotional engagement
ππ» Ensure the projectβs messaging reached both Ukrainians and the world
ACTION
β
Launched the campaign on the day of the New York Marathon, publishing the video alongside the official press release and coordinating media outreach across online, TV, and radio channels
β
Personally negotiated coverage:
ππ» Secured special articles, interviews, TV segments, and radio broadcasts about the campaign
ππ» Worked with key journalists and editors to ensure meaningful storytelling
β
Engaged the global Ukrainian community:
ππ» Reached out to Ukrainian embassies, encouraging them to share the initiative and invite local diaspora communities to join
ππ» Posted in local chats, Facebook groups, and Ukrainian expat networks to drive participation and registration
β
Supported the team with operational and creative tasks:
ππ» Helped coordinate packing and delivery of marathon kits, which included custom stickers with war-related stats
ππ» The stickers mimicked real race bibs, turning every participant into a mobile message about Ukraine
β
Worked with runners in the real New York Marathon, who wore the stickers live during the race, helping spread the message in real time
RESULT
βοΈ 55,000,000+ contacts through Ukrainian and international media coverage
βοΈ 50,000+ registered runners from over 60 countries
βοΈ 245+ publications in leading national, regional, and international online media
βοΈ 30+ TV reports, 10 radio broadcasts, and 5 newspaper articles (Ukrainian and international)
βοΈ 1,800,000+ views of the campaignβs launch video
βοΈ 10,000+ social media posts from participants and influencers around the world
βοΈ 60% of all mentions included Nova Poshta branding
βοΈ Participation from embassies, Antarctic polar explorers, the Ukrainian military, and global running communities
βοΈ Featured participation in the official New York Marathon
βοΈ π Winner of a Golden Effie Award for marketing effectiveness
