Decathlon Canada Hijacks Global Computer Outage to Get People Outside and Active

As you may know, there was a global tech outage in the early hours of Friday morning. 

But amidst this chaos and confusion, Decathlon is inviting affected workers to go outside to play and enjoy a screen-free afternoon. Launched just a few hours into the work day, Decathlon – whose brand colours live in a similar palette to the Microsoft error page - is perfectly poised to join and hijack the conversation, leveraging the sea of blue screens that greeted millions of Canadians this morning but providing a healthy call to action: to get outside. 

In fact, Decathlon is offering up to 50% off products off outdoor goods to help you get 'Ready to Play' – the brand’s global signature rallying cry.

“We know Canadians are struggling to find time to exercise or just get outside,” says Marie-Lou Blais, director of marketing at Decathlon Canada. “When we saw the news, we took it as a sign and moment to encourage all of us to unplug and unwind.” 

“We’re always keen to help our clients participate in conversations happening in real-time and in the real world,” says Alex Lefebvre, director and national managing partner at Rethink. “The stars aligned: by leaning into the juxtaposition of a tech outage and getting people outside, this fits perfectly with Decathlon’s mission to empower Canadians to pursue a more active lifestyle.”

The initiative was developed by Rethink and executed with the help of both Rethink and Cossette Media. It will be running in English and French across owned social and DOOH. While reactive campaign assets drive to Decathlon’s clearance website, the brand is passionate about its main goal to get people to go outside and enjoy the wonders of summer sports.