Pedaling Toward Freedom From Inside the Walls / DECATHLON "THE BREAKAWAY"

The problem

During the 2020 lockdowns, everyone got a taste of what it feels like to be a prisoner. Sport in prison is said to have a good effect on inmates' mental health and their ability to return to society, but behind the walls, contact with the outside world is limited. DECATHLON's vision is "sport for everyone" — and that "everyone" includes people cut off from society.

The insight

The virtual cycling platform Zwift has already become a place where millions of people ride together. DECATHLON turned it into a tool to reconnect inmates with society. Riding side by side with people from the outside world, not as a prisoner, but as an anonymous athlete — that single idea holds everything.

The idea

At Oudenaarde maximum-security prison, they formed the first eCycling team made up of inmates, called THE BREAKAWAY. Six men were given bikes and equipment and set loose inside Zwift. Every one of their avatars was named "John Doe" — the name law enforcement uses for an anonymous person. At the end, they live-streamed a race on Facebook against judges, lawyers, prison guards, and Belgium's Minister of Justice.

What happened

The campaign was picked up by media in Belgium and abroad, generating major reach. After the live race, the Minister of Justice decided to roll out THE BREAKAWAY to all prisons. It won multiple awards at Cannes Lions 2022, including the Grand Prix.

Afterthought

Sport is freedom, even behind walls. This campaign took that phrase and made it literally true — that's what makes it so great. And above all, this wasn't a one-off stunt; it actually changed how prisons themselves are seen. This is the kind of work I want to make.

Awards

• Cannes Lions Grand Prix 2022

Featured in

• Alone, You Can't Reach ItAn ad that isn't finished until one more person shows up.

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