When Nissan and the creative minds at Dark Horses set out to inspire real change around diversity and inclusion in sport, they didn’t just create another campaign—they sparked a movement. Over two and a half years of collaboration and dedication culminated in a groundbreaking documentary and the “Run to the Future,” dubbed the most inclusive race ever.
In this exclusive interview, Dark Horses Executive Creative Director Steve Howell takes us behind the scenes of Nissan’s latest project, revealing how a simple desire to welcome runners from all walks of life turned into a worldwide call to action for a fairer, more empathetic future.
What was the brief?
For a number of years, we’d told the stories behind a lot of the Diversity, Equity & inclusion work Nissan GB were doing, through their ‘Possibilities Project’ platform. The evolution of that project and the profound impact those stories had had on people including ourselves, inspired us to dream about telling a wider narrative around inclusion in sport.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
It’s been nearly two and half years since we first had discussions about creating a long-form documentary, and while everyone was on-board with the notion of the idea from the beginning, it was still a long collaborative process to get to the final blueprint for the series, then to get the green light and move into production.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
At the heart of the idea was creating the ‘Run to the Future’, which became the culmination of the series. Having competed in many running races myself, I knew how one-dimensional they so often were in terms of diversity and inclusion. I’d seen it with my own eyes and wondered if there could be a fresher approach that would welcome more people from different backgrounds and communities.
Then through working with Richard Whitehead and Adele Roberts, the idea began to emerge of creating what we dubbed ‘the most inclusive race ever’. That became the idea in the centre of the piece of paper with which all the other narratives would lead up to.
Then it was a case of looking at some of the partnerships Nissan had, like Manchester City and the Nissan Formula E team, and seeing if there was a natural way they could not just be part of the story, but enhance it.
What was the production process like?
From the get-go, we felt like a single team working with the production company, Electric Robin. As advertisers, we’ve probably all created edits that might be 8 or 10 minutes long and called it a ‘documentary’. But now I was suddenly at the coalface of creating a genuine long-form documentary and the complexities that come with it.
Electric Robin brought a vision to the work that really took it to the levels we were hoping for, from restructuring the overall narrative, the introduction of characters and subplots, to then seeing it all come together. They taught me a lot about how to create engaging long-form work that we just don’t get to experience in day-to-day adland.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
My lasting memory for this whole project was taking part in the Run to the Future race at the Olympic Stadium in east London, then watching people cross the finish line. There were so many individual stories of courage and a realisation of self-belief that played out in those couple of steps it took for people to complete the race. People who had never believed they could be part of something like that event, but were.
People who had been told they couldn’t be, but did. People whose lives changed inextricably as they crossed the finish line and received a medal. It was quite emotional to witness the change that event had on people, and a huge swell of pride that we were part of the team that made it happen.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
That ultimately one day, inclusion should be something that just happens, and not something we have to signpost. Why that matters is obvious for anyone with an ounce of empathy.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
It took around 2 and half years from the initial conception of creating something on this scale, to actually having it go live on Prime Video.
Can you describe the creative spark or inspiration behind the initial concept?
There was a moment around three years ago when we were putting together a little rip film of various running events from around the country, that really stuck with me.
As all advertising should do, we wanted to ensure we showcased a diverse range of people taking part, but it proved to be really difficult because seemingly everyone in the footage we had was predominantly white and male. That moment in an edit suite probably became the inception for the whole series.
How did you ensure that the concept aligned with the brand's values, goals, and target audience?
We’ve worked with the brand for many many years now, and have a fantastic relationship with the clients and so keeping things aligned with the brand’s values and goals became a seamless enactment of a shared vision and understanding.
Were there any alternative concepts or ideas considered during the ideation phase? If so, what led to the selection of the final concept?
There were a lot of iterations of the narrative, and they all served a purpose of getting us to the final blueprint for the storyline. The colour then came in what naturally unfolded throughout the filming process.
Can you discuss any collaborative or interdisciplinary aspects of the ideation process, such as working with other departments or external partners?
It felt like it didn’t just take a village to make this series, but a whole city of people. We had weekly calls with nearly 20 people, from up to 8 different companies, all coming together to try and make everything happen. One of the most important collaborations though, was working with the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People).
They helped us ensure the braille written on the race medal was proper and correct. What transpired was that we were the first race organisation to actually speak with them to get their expertise, and in fact, some very high-profile race organisers were using braille incorrectly on their medals and had never contacted the RNIB.
It was an important lesson that even if your approach and outlook is promoting inclusivity, if you’re not speaking with the right people it’s very easy to get things wrong which can undermine all your efforts.
How did you ensure that the concept remained innovative and stood out in a crowded marketplace?
From the nature of the stories we were telling and the culmination of the series in a running race like no other, we believed it would stand out. And in particular, when it comes to the topic of inclusion, this wasn’t about having all the answers, or proving how inclusive the brand was, it was about being authentic to the subject from the people it impacts the most.
Credit list for the work?
Brand: Nissan Leonie Tapley John Parslow Sophia Villamizar Fiona Mackay Agency: Dark Horses Executive Creative Director: Steve Howell Chief Strategy Officer: Matt Readman Client Partner / Executive Producer: Max Arkell Executive Producer: Mike Warren Designers: Jordan Dicks, Yuriko Ui, Harry Gibson. Partner Management: Fuse International Senior Account Manager: Mark De St Croix Senior Account Manager: Bethany Hushon Account Manager: Eilish Convery Production Company: Electric Robin Director: Kazeem Manzur Production Company Producer: Exec Producers– Chris Jones, Ross Brandon,Kevin Batchelor. Series Producer: Sam Bendel Editors: Kazeem Manzur, Tom Middleton, Jack Scott Post-production: The Ark Dubbing Mixer: Steve Shaw Graphics: AJ Moger Live action producer: N/A Dop: Matt Perry Colourist: Vinny Payne Sound engineer: Mark Skilton Photographer: Ian Gavan