Nike's new Epic React running shoes are all about comfort and performance, and to showcase this, the sportswear brand has launched its Reactland experience combining product testing and video games. Working with Wieden & Kennedy Shanghai, Nike has managed to create an immersive in-store experience that allows users to control a video-game avatar through jogging on a treadmill. The experience is meant to give users a true representation of the shoe's comfort and performance in a practical application.
The Reactland experience is somewhat reminiscent of Ninentendo's Super Mario Bros as it tasks players with running and jumping through a digital 2D world. Clouds, springs, pillows and other fun elements are used in the game to metaphorically demonstrate the benefit of Nike React technology, and famous landmarks litter the game to provide a sense of cartoonish realism. Unlike the Nike+ Running Trial Zone, held at the New York Soho Store, the Reactland experience is more focused on entertainment rather than demonstration.
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