The Breakaway
Decathlon Belgium
Issue 59 | June 2021
Agency
BBDO Belgium
Creative Team
Creative Directors Arnaud Pitz, Sebastien De Valck, Jan Dejonghe, Frederik Clarysse Creative Frederik Clarysse, Tom Jacobs
Production Team
Production company film Fledge & BBDO productions Creative Partner Diederik Jeangout Agency Producer Loes Fierens Design Wim Esteban De Dobbeleer Digital design Elena Haniotakis, Jorrit Michiels
Other Credits
Account Team Bram De Vidts, Evelyn Savels Strategy & Media Kim Leunen Chief Commercial Officer Eva De Gendt Partners Gevangenis Oudenaarde, Rode Antraciet, Cellmade, Belgian Justice Department Partner contacts Heather Loontjens, Pieter Van Caeneghem, Kathleen Van De Vijver Clients Thomas Lejeune Debarre, Julie Nevejan, Michael D’hooge
Date
March 2021
Background
Decathlon’s mission is to make sport accessible for all because it has many benefits. Not only on a health level but on a social and mental level. They wanted to show how sport can help people rediscover the joy of life.
Idea
The Breakaway was the first eCycling team for prisoners. Using Zwift, a virtual cycling platform, prisoners were enabled to ride and race with people from the outside world.
This is the first time that convicted felons have been able to cycle online and interact with others, thus allowing them not only to participate in sport but to feel part of the society they will return to one day, a key factor for a successful reintegration.
The campaign was launched with a film and a website, decathlonbreakaway.be, where the anonymous riders can be followed.
A podcast followed events as the prisoners prepared to race against a team of judges, prison guards and police officers, recording the impact of sport on their lives.
Results
Though only recently launched, the campaign has already generated national and international PR. Other prisons have contacted Decathlon to start cycling teams as well.
Our Thoughts
Belgium’s prisons seem similar to those of the UK. In fact, as of 2020, Belgian prisons were the most overcrowded in the EU. There has been violence and with the pandemic prisoners’ frustrations have become even worse.
In the UK, two out of three prisoners reoffend after release and I imagine the same must be true in Belgium. This brilliant initiative looks like a massive idea to help cons release all their pent-up energy and get them used to real people in the real world again.
Most prisons have gyms. Connecting exercise bikes to zwift is relatively simple.
It looks like genius to me if Decathlon can extend the programme and create more races for more prison inmates. Hard work, yes, but exactly the sort of endeavour that can turn this family-owned company into one of the world’s most admired brands.