CLIENT CHALLENGE

Pig Works, the nonprofit organization behind Cincinnati’s iconic Flying Pig Marathon, set out to engage the next generation of runners and spark new growth across its race portfolio. Participation rates were leveling off, and younger audiences were looking for something different—race experiences that reflect how Gen Z defines fitness, fun, and connection.

The challenge was clear: traditional race formats no longer held the same appeal. Pig Works needed to design events that felt culturally relevant and inspiring, blending physical challenge with the kind of creativity, community, and shareability that Gen Z values most. The team also faced a tight timeline, with new race concepts slated for launch in late 2026.

OUR APPROACH

We partnered with Pig Works to explore how Gen Z thinks about wellness, competition, and community—and to reimagine what a running event could be. We began by combining foundational research with AI-powered trend analysis, scraping Gen Z lifestyle and fitness conversations to identify five key innovation platforms.

From there, we used a mix of human creativity and tailored AI ideation to generate 50 initial “idea nuggets.” These early sparks were quickly screened through agile quantitative research to identify the most promising directions. In an Idea-Building Workshop, our team and Pig Works co-developed four fully formed race concepts, complete with event identities and poster mock-ups designed to resonate with Gen Z’s aesthetic and values.

Next, we engaged Gen Z runners directly through an online bulletin board, co-creating and refining each idea in real time. Feedback from this collaboration informed final optimizations before two lead concepts were quantitatively validated to determine the winning race direction.

THE OUTCOME

In just eight weeks, our teams developed a validated, Gen Z–targeted race event that generated strong excitement and registration intent. The concept captured what young runners truly want—an experience that feels social, expressive, and rooted in community.

Pig Works is now bringing this new event to life, with the inaugural race slated to launch next year. Together, we helped transform the future of running for a new generation, blending human insight with AI innovation to keep one of America’s most beloved race brands at the forefront of culture.

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