With the world’s attention turning to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games, Foot Locker is celebrating by bringing together influencers, immersive experiences, big-name brands and in-store events to the French capital.
From basketball hubs with Jordan Brand to 10 augmented reality (AR) in-store experiences, and from street food to TikTok stars, Foot Locker’s “Summer of Sports” campaign aims to complement the sporting and cultural festivities when the Olympics kick off on July 26th.
“In celebration of the Summer of Sports, we’re proud to be leading the way in creating extraordinary experiences for customers and visitors to Paris,” says Tomas Peterson, senior vice president and general manager of Foot Locker in Europe.
Influenced: meeting the talent
Foot Locker’s campaign, set to launch on 15th July, will be fronted by Italian and French talents from across fashion and culture.
YouTuber and artist, Theodort, who has more than 2.3 million TikTok followers, will be taking part in a meet-and-greet event in partnership with adidas at Foot Locker’s Le Marais store on July 30th. Anyone taking a bus or taxi, or using the Paris metro, will be treated to eye-catching images from Italian streetwear trendsetter Ghost Rich, who blends popular sneakers with fashion trends.
Theodort and Ghost Rich will be joined by French content creator, Safya as well as hypebeast artist, Farid.
Immersed: Taking HeART
The Olympic opening ceremony will break new ground, with the event taking place throughout the city rather than inside the stadium. More than 10,000 athletes will travel 6km by boat on the Seine, crossing through the centre of Paris. To celebrate, on the same day, Foot Locker launches “The HeART Experience”, which brings the city to life through the use of AR.
With 10 immersive AR experiences across nine stores, visitors and locals will be able to scan QR codes near Foot Locker outlets to unlock exclusive offers. Using an interactive “HeART Experience” map, participants can earn XPoints – Foot Locker’s free-to-join loyalty programme – and rewards along the way.
“The XPoints up for grabs through the virtual experience mean that our customers can save big on top brands like adidas, Nike, Salomon, and Converse both in-store and online,” says Peterson.
In July, Foot Locker is introducing FLX Cash in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain. The new feature of the loyalty program, which launched in the UK in 2023, allows members to turn their XPoints into tangible cash rewards. You can earn up to 60,000 XPoints and turn it into €20 Cash back on your next purchase. It works both online and in our stores. This is a brand new way for Foot Locker to reward the most loyal customers and give them cash back on their purchases.
Activated: getting involved
A series of in-store activations will feature brands such as Nike, Asics, New Balance, Jordan and adidas. From July 26th, Foot Locker’s Le Marais store in the heart of Paris’s most fashionable district will host a series of immersive events focusing on sneaker culture. They include DJs, gamification experiences, meet-and-greets, and ice cream and coffee stations.
On the weekend of August 3rd and 4th, Foot Locker’s Champ-Élysées store will have a special Nike activation. For every pair of Nike Air Max Dn purchased, customers will also receive a free shoe label, which they can customise themselves. Foot Locker and Nike will also be heading into a local neighbourhood to serve up street food for the launch of the Foot Locker Exclusive Dn.
Community is at the heart of these activations, including a series of basketball events in partnership with Jordan Brand’s District 23 initiative. A celebration of District 23's diversity, the initiative features a community and sports hub that provides access to basketball courts, sports coaching, and art exhibitions from diasporic communities. In addition, Foot Locker’s Barbès store will be the destination for all things Jordan Brand, stocking all of its latest footwear and apparel.
“We’re excited to exclusively partner with Jordan for a series of basketball-focused events as part of their District 23 Initiative, as well as unveiling a series of activations across our key stores in Paris,” says Peterson. “We hope [this] will offer a memorable experience for sneaker lovers visiting the Olympic host city this summer.”