IFBH Limited (IF), in partnership with global social transformation company 1000heads, has turned two letters into a rallying cry at the Sydney Marathon. Tapping into the event’s famous supporter-sign culture to create a community-led activation that gave runners and spectators a new way to cheer each other on.
While marathon weekend has become as much a cultural and social moment as a sporting event, IF Coconut Water spotted an opportunity in one of its most recognisable traditions, the supporter signs that line the course with funny, heartfelt and motivational messages.
The brand’s answer was simple: ‘IF…’
With ‘IF’ already embedded in its name, IF Coconut Water invited Sydney’s running community to complete the sentence, turning the two-letter brand asset into the starting point for messages created by the community themselves.
The idea came to life across marathon weekend in partnership with Unofficial Run Club, a community built around movement, connection and its “Never Run Alone” ethos.
The partnership kicked off on Friday 28 August with a pre-marathon community run, where runners could grab a cold IF Coconut Water, pick up giveaways and create their own “IF…” supporter signs ahead of race day.
Then, on Sunday 30 August, the idea moved to the marathon course with the IF Coconut Water Cheer Zone, giving supporters a place to bring their signs, cheer on runners and keep the crowd, and themselves, hydrated with IF Coconut Water.
“The supporter signs are such an iconic part of marathon culture, and we saw a connection with the IF name. The Sydney Marathon brings everyone together through a shared sense of energy, encouragement and achievement, and we wanted IF to be part of that spirit. By turning our name into something the community could make their own, IF became more than a logo. It became part of the experience. That’s how we want our brand to show up: not just seen, but felt, shared and remembered,” said Vipada Kanchanasorn, chief operating officer , IFBH Limited.
“We didn’t invent this as ‘IF’ was already turning up on signs along the course before we got involved. That’s the real insight here: the brand name was already part of the culture, we just had to be paying enough attention to see it, back it properly and own it,” added Michelle Braslin, client services director, 1000heads.
Credits:
1000HEADS
Michelle Braslin – Client Services Director
Daniella Brenner – Social Strategy Director
Lena Habkouk – Director of Brand Experience
Wendy Huynh – Art Director
Simran Lala – Account Manager
Maia Lee – Senior Account Executive
Freya Rowe – Account Executive
Alyssa Yap – Designer
IF Family
Pimchanok Chatchavalnon – Senior Communication Marketing Manager
