Title	THE BREAKAWAY: THE FIRST ECYCLING TEAM FOR PRISONERS
Brand	DECATHLON
Product/Service	SPORTS GEAR
Category	C02. Brand Integration for Games
Entrant	BBDO BELGIUM Brussels, BELGIUM
Idea Creation	BBDO BELGIUM Brussels, BELGIUM
Media Placement	BBDO BELGIUM Brussels, BELGIUM
Media Placement 2	SEMETIS Brussels, BELGIUM
Media Placement 3	Decathlon Brussels, BELGIUM
Production	FLEDGE Brussels, BELGIUM
Production 2	ERACINGTV Brussels, BELGIUM

Name	Company	Position
Frederik Clarysse	BBDO Belgium	Creative
Tom Jacobs	BBDO Belgium	Creative
Debby De Ridder	BBDO Belgium	Copywriter
Loes Fierens	BBDO Belgium	Agency Producer
Bram De Vidts	BBDO Belgium	Account Director
Evelyn Savels	BBDO Belgium	Account Manager
Alexander Neesen	BBDO Belgium	Account Manager
Wim Esteban De dobbeleer	freelance	Designer
Elena Haniotakis	BBDO Belgium	Designer
Jan Dejonghe	BBDO Belgium	Creative Director
Eva De Gendt	BBDO Belgium	Chief Commercial Officer
Thomas Lejeune Debarre	Decathlon Belgium	National Marketing & Communication Director
Michael D'hooge	Decathlon Belgium	Content Leader
Julie Nevejan	Decathlon Belgium	Leader national campaigns
Heather Loontjens	De Rode Antraciet	Sports Deputy
Pieter Van Caeneghem	Oudenaarde Prison	Prison Director
Kathleen Van De Vijver	Federal Justice dept	Spokeswoman

Why is this work relevant for Entertainment?

We launched The Breakaway, the first eCycling team for prisoners on Zwift. And challenged a team of lawyers, judges and the Minister of Justice for a race: the breakaway vs. team justice. It was streamed live on Decathlon’s facebook channel. Sports and cycling lovers could watch the race live with commentary by Belgium’s most famous cycling commentator, Renaat Schotte.

Background

Sport has many benefits. Not only on a health level, but also on an emotional and mental level. Decathlon’s purpose is to make sport and its benefits accessible to all. Even when it seems impossible. During the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, we all felt a bit like prisoners. In 2021, Decathlon wanted to make “freedom” its central theme. We wanted to demonstrate how sport can liberate people and fits in the company’s vision of making sport accessible.

Describe the creative idea

In march 2021, we launched the first eCycling team for prisoners. And challenged a team of judges, lawyers, prison guards and the Minister of Justice for an epic race on september 14: the Breakaway versus Team Justice. The race was broadcast live on Decathlon Belgium’s Facebook channel. Decathlon provided the prisoners with clothes and equipment (bikes, trainers, …) to cycle on Zwift, a virtual world where 3 million cyclists race and ride together. Enabling them to ride with people from the outside world for the first time. As anonymous athletes instead of being labeled a prisoner or outcast. In a podcast, we documented how the project changed the prisoners’ lives.

Describe the strategy

We wanted regular sporters to have an emotional connection with the Decathlon brand. Instead of telling people sport changes lives, we actually changed the life of six people through sport. In Oudenaarde, the heart of international cycling, we used the Zwift platform, allowing six prisoners to ride online with other cyclists for the very first time. In an environment that only judged them on their performance on the bike, not on their past. And we gave them an ultimate goal: a race against the Justice system, featuring lawyers, judges, and the Minister of Justice himself. The project is permanent and ongoing. To show the outside world how sport changes lives, we an emotional launch film where the prisoners tell about their connection to cycling. We let them tell their side of the story in a podcast, and broadcast their ultimate race live on Facebook.

Describe the execution

Special permission was given by the Federal department of Justice and Oudenaarde prison, to allow the prisoners to go online for the first time in history. Decathlon provided the equipment needed to ride on Zwift. To guarantee anonymity the prisoners’ Zwift avatars were named John Doe 1-6, the term for a defendant who remains anonymous in legal dossiers. The faces and identity of the prisoners were not shown in any way. The Breakaway was launched on march 31, 2021. From that moment, the prisoners started training and participating in races, preparing for a challenge on September 14, 2021: a race against a team of lawyers, prison guards, judges and the Minister of Justice. Between march and september, a podcast documented how the project changed their lives. The race was streamed live on Decathlon’s Facebook channel in a broadcast with commentary by the country’s most famous cycling commentator, Renaat Schotte.

Describe the outcome

The Breakaway project showed the real power of a virtual sport. It was discussed by all mainstream media in Belgium, and the international cycling press. In combination with the social reach by Decathlon, this reached over 15 million people and earned around 1.3 million in free media attention. After racing them live on Facebook on September 14, the Minister of Justice decided to expand the Breakaway project to all Belgian prisons. In collaboration with Decathlon, all prisons will be equipped with eCycling in the coming years.