MANILA – The country’s first The Music Run just happened in Santa Maria, Bulacan last Saturday, attracting runners not just for thrill of reaching the Finish Line but primarily to have fun.
Close to 10,000 people ran the 5 kilometer course around the Philippine Arena with a one-of-kind twist. Instead of just dragging yourself from point A to point B, The Music Run encourages you to literally dance throughout the aptly named “Sound Track” lined with concert quality speakers blasting songs from Spotify, their Official Digital Music Partner.
The Music Run also did away with the run-off-the-mill warm-up routine. A live performance by popular Rock band SpongeCola, presented by Globe Telecom, got the crowd’s hearts pumping, followed by a Zumba session led by Gold’s Gym.
It’s a one-of-a kind fun run concept brought in the region mainly by Hong Kong-based insurance group AIA. Its sister company Philam Life, hosted the The Music Run Manila, with a healthy roster of sponsors including Petron, Citi and Saucony.
What’s noteworthy about The Music Run is how unique its audience is. Philam Life CEO Axel Bromley, who went up the stage to join the Zumba sessions, was greeted by a sea of millennials, taking videos and pictures with selfie sticks in hand. There were hardly any solo runners around, too. Most were families or groupies, snapping photos and sharing them online all the way to the finish line.
Speaking with adobo, Bromley (center with red hat) said that it’s these kinds of events that allows Philam Life to connect with a younger audience who are not just mobile and online savvy but increasingly becoming health consciously as well.
The brand has set up booths educating the runners about Philam Life such as financial health check and needs analysis at the Real Life Planner, a new app currently in beta that will be launched next year, adobo confirmed. The highlight of the activation was Philam Vitality, a new product launched last October, a unique science-backed wellness programme that rewards users when they take steps to be healthy.
“We understand that health has become a primary life goal among Filipinos. We want to help them achieve this by encouraging them to embrace a healthier lifestyle and live longer, more active lives, through health campaigns and wellness activities such as The Music Run,” said Bromley.
