LONDON – Monday 27th April – Experiential event specialists Nteractive announced their continued partnership with New Balance for the 2026 London Marathon, marking over a decade of collaboration. Beginning Wednesday, April 22nd, Nteractive deployed a multi-site activation designed to transform the marathon journey from a sporting event into a premier cultural moment.
As the lead athletic sponsor, New Balance’s presence began at the Running Show at ExCeL London. Nteractive designed and managed the initial brand experience for the 170,000 visitors who passed through the arrival space to collect their race packs. This year’s activation featured pinnacle product displays, high-impact video, lighting, and audio, anchored by an elevated DJ position which set the cultural tone for the week.
A Multi-Touchpoint Marathon Journey
The comprehensive delivery extended far beyond the expo. It hosted a diverse audience of community running clubs from across the UK and Europe, international media, and senior brand ambassadors. Key locations included:
- Running Show (ExCeL London): Immersive design, build, and brand expression.
- Premium Hospitality (1 Hotel Mayfair): Full-scale hospitality, registration, housing, and logistics management.
- Race Evening (Heddon Street Kitchen): Curated celebration and F&B management.
- Startline Hospitality (Greenwich Park): Strategic branding and logistics executed on the morning of the race.
Scaling Excellence Through Intelligence
Drawing inspiration from global races in New York, Berlin, Valencia, and Mont Blanc, the 2026 strategy marked a significant shift in guest communication. By introducing RainFocus registration platform, a cloud-based event marketing and management platform, Nteractive enabled tailored, real-time interactions to create more meaningful moments. This infrastructure not only supports immediate results but provides a scalable framework for future global activations.
“Our ambition was to elevate the experience year-on-year by demonstrating that running is more than a sport; it is a global culture,” said Stuart Gingell of Nteractive. “By integrating expert logistics with innovative technology like RainFocus, we are ensuring that the brief delivers both high-impact brand expression and memorable moments.”
Nteractive has been a proud partner of New Balance since 2011, supporting their Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) and wholesale teams through a wider delivery of global events throughout the year.
About Nteractive
Nteractive is an experiential event agency specializing in high-stakes brand activations and global logistics. With a focus on “Global to Local” strategies, Nteractive helps world-leading brands infiltrate key audiences and stakeholders through human-sized immersive experiences. https://www.nteractive.com/