Captivating storytelling is an essential component of developing brand value. Adidas understands this cogently and has partnered with Amsterdam-based creative studio LORE to reinvigorate the sports giant’s running line.

The new campaign, called ‘Recode Running’, is kicking off with two short films that shift the focus away from the product itself and instead concentrate on how running can engender strong, impactful communities from a shared passion of the sport. The campaign focuses on two groups, one based in Warsaw and the other in Shanghai, that push the limitations of what running can accomplish with their unique, innovative missions.

In Warsaw, the first group decided to tackle the overwhelming goal of running 300 kilometers together. This would be an arduous task for even the most seasoned of runners, and yet, the group places an emphasis on being welcoming regardless of skill level. If you love to run, and you’re willing to make sacrifices to be a part of something greater than yourself, you’re in. Perhaps the film’s most striking quality is its honesty, as unlike myriad sporting ads in the past that have focused on the almost fantastical skills of its athletes, this film underscores the hardships of the sport by depicting runners succumbing to various factors such as fatigue and strains. Yet, they persevere together by a shared belief and bond with each other.

The film set in Shanghai focuses on an environmentally friendly running style that also transcends skill level: trash running. Pollution in China has been a looming problem, and the trash runners combat this in their own small way by collecting garbage that has amassed in the streets of the city. Their tangible work may be minor, but their intangible work, highlighting the dangers of pollution and encouraging citizens to take the future into their own hands, is invaluable. With both films, LORE and Adidas prove they are committed to the idea of using running as a platform for furthering humanity, instead of just to compete and attain physical fitness.