Is “Take Mokum” a Boondoggle?

Nike’s Take Mokum app/campaign (via Amsterdam’s Boondoggle) encourages “youngsters” to make running less “boring” through the creation of graffiti-inspired “crazy city runs.” The app is supplemented by outdoor and online banners, guerrilla tactics, and a Runhouse pop-up store. http://vimeo.com/18499121 I’m a big fan of the (R/GA created) Nike+ app, and recognize that such successes are the direct result of Nike’s brave experiments. I also have to acknowledge that their marketing team likely understands things I don’t. Perhaps they will use efforts like this one to redefine running as an activity for young, urban hipsters like the ones portrayed in the campaign reel. Nevertheless, this one feels off the mark. It’s too complicated, too “cool,” and favors campaign creative over the underlying psychology of the runner. Running isn’t about creativity or “revolutionary” Facebook applications; it’s about achieving a zen-like state. I call Take Mokum a brave and well-intentioned fail. P.S. Wouldn’t it be nice if copywriters gave the term “revolutionary” a bit of a break? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNylu2kBOqM