Nate DeMercurio Portfolio

Photo: Edward Reed/NYC Mayor's Office Citi recently announced a $41 Million partnership with New York City's bike share program, to be called " Citi Bike ," as well as a campaign to activate their sponsorship of the US Olympic and Paralympic Team called " Every Step of the Way ." They are promoting both through Facebook ( Citi Bike , Citi Every Step ) and Twitter ( @CitiBikeNYC , @CitiEveryStep ), and have released viral videos and advertising spots for Every Step, including featuring Team USA marathon runner Meb Keflezighi: Another Every Step viral video features Team USA triathlete Gwen Jorgensen: It will be interesting to keep an eye on Citi and their increased investment in the active lifestyle space as a supplement to other sports marketing initiatives.

Now that Facebook is converting everyone to the new "Timeline" format, it's interesting to see how the endurance community is reacting - are they using the large profile photo for promotion or marketing, using dramatic photos to stir emotion, or are they letting the opportunity go by the wayside? In this case, are they appropriately leveraging their content. This is merely an image gallery (in no particular order) of updated Facebook timelines, the last in a five-part series. Some are creative, some are strategic and some could use work. It's important to remember the primary benefits of having a Facebook page in the first place - allowing a publication to reach, interact with, and learn from athletes through a comfortable medium. Today's focus is on:  endurance publications and resources .

Adidas has come out with a new star-studded ad campaign for the ClimaCool Seduction running shoe. In an article posted on  Sports One Source , an Adidas executive points out the emphasis on breathability and ventilation to keep runners cool and comfortable during the hot summer months. The shoe will hit retailers in April, but is currently available online in 10 different color choices at a $100 price point. Adidas may be seeking to compete with the  Nike Fly Knit  shoe with innovative sock-like knitted upper to decrease weight and increase comfort, however it will be priced at $150. As mentioned in Business Week's Nike Fly Knit article , lightweight shoes have seen a tremendous upswing, accounting for all of the U.S. running shoe growth last year and comprised 30% of the $6.5 billion market. On the Adidas advertisement itself, it seems more of a brand ad than a shoe ad, playing on the different situations and reasons why people run. There are plenty of shoe sh...

Images: WTC, Daniel Norton On the surface, Lance Armstrong officially returning to competitive endurance sports via Ironman triathlon is intriguing and newsworthy. The impact he could potentially have on the sport, however, may go infinitely deeper with far-reaching implications. Ironman 70.3 Panama today was the first of the series to welcome Lance and his entourage (3,279,274 Twitter followers at the time this post was written) to this type of competition. How many of his followers knew about Ironman? How many knew about the 70.3 series? How many people knew there was a race this weekend in Panama? What is currently known is Lance plans to race four 70.3 races and Ironman France in attempt to qualify for Kona. Not yet known are the answers to the many questions arising from his move back to triathlon, including: What will be the media impact on the sport? Judging by the reported circus around 70.3 Panama, and the immense amount of social media conversation since the announcement, it...