EVENTS, EXPERIENTIAL & LIVE

CREATIVE DESIGN & VISUAL SYSTEMS

CONTENT PRODUCTION

DIGITAL, SOCIAL & PERFORMANCE MARKETING

BRAND STRATEGY

PR, MEDIA & INFLUENCER COMMUNICATIONS

EVENTS, EXPERIENTIAL & LIVE

CONTENT PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DESIGN & VISUAL SYSTEMS

BRAND STRATEGY

DIGITAL, SOCIAL & PERFORMANCE MARKETING

PR, MEDIA & INFLUENCER COMMUNICATIONS

IGNITE YOUR SOLE

Where movement met culture

THE CHALLENGE

By 2023, On had firmly established itself within the performance running space across the GCC. The brand had built strong credibility amongst runners, endurance athletes, and specialist communities, but there was still an opportunity to grow cultural relevance beyond sport.

As On expanded globally into fashion, lifestyle, and everyday wear, the challenge became clear: how could the brand authentically enter more lifestyle-led conversations without losing the technical credibility that made it successful in the first place? F31 identified Sole DXB as the ideal platform to bridge that gap.

As one of the region’s most influential cultural festivals spanning fashion, music, art, and contemporary street culture, Sole DXB presented an opportunity to reposition On within a wider lifestyle landscape while still staying true to its movement roots. The challenge was not simply to show up at the festival. It was to create a presence that felt culturally native to the Sole DXB audience, allowing On to exist naturally within conversations around style, creativity, and culture, not just performance sport.

OUR APPROACH

F31 developed a culturally-led activation strategy designed to position On at the intersection of movement, fashion, music, and community.

Rather than approaching Sole DXB as a traditional partner or retail pop-up, we built an experience around participation and cultural integration, creating an environment designed to attract runners, creatives, fashion audiences, and wider lifestyle communities alike.

Our role spanned creative direction, event programming, partnerships, talent management, retail design & build, community integration, content production, and activation rollout, ensuring every touchpoint felt aligned to both On’s global positioning and the cultural language of Sole DXB.

The result: An activation that helped expand perception of the brand beyond technical running, positioning On within a more progressive and lifestyle-driven cultural space across the region.

JUMEIRAH JOHN COMMUNITY RUN

F31 curated a community-led run experience designed to bring movement culture directly into the Sole DXB environment, creating a more human and participatory connection to the brand.
Hosted alongside Jumeirah Johns with a special appearance from Zak, part of On’s global influencer program, the run connected local runners, creators, and festival attendees through a shared movement experience that extended beyond the exhibition floor.

SILENT DISCO

To bring energy and social interaction into the space, F31 programmed a silent disco experience featuring Omami alongside resident DJs throughout the weekend.
The activation transformed the stand from a traditional retail environment into a live cultural space, encouraging visitors to spend time within the brand world while naturally connecting music, movement, and community.

ON STYLE LAB

To bridge performance with fashion and lifestyle culture, F31 developed the On Style Lab with creative Ermi, flown in from the United States specifically for the activation.
The workshop invited guests and influencers to style complete On looks from head to toe before taking part in editorial-style one-on-one photoshoots, positioning the brand within a more fashion-forward and culturally relevant conversation during Sole DXB.

The experience helped shift perception of On beyond technical sportswear and into contemporary lifestyle culture.

YEAR OF HIP HOP

In response to Sole DXB’s “Year of Hip Hop” theme, F31 programmed a hip-hop movement session that connected the brand more authentically to the wider cultural language of the festival.
Rather than simply sponsoring the event, the goal was to ensure On actively participated within the energy, creativity, and movement culture surrounding Sole DXB itself.

CUSTOM TOTE

To close the experience, F31 collaborated with a local artist to reinterpret On’s iconic wordmarks into custom sticker graphics inspired by the festival environment.
Visitors were invited to personalise their own Sole DXB tote bags on-site, creating a final layer of creativity, participation, and take-home brand interaction that extended the experience beyond the event weekend itself.