Hang tough experience

Nike and Sports Direct were looking for a training focused activation for the Manchester Arndale flagship store that would encourage participation and create a memorable in-store moment.

The challenge was to develop an experience rooted in training culture that would feel relevant, competitive and social, while working seamlessly within a retail environment, without requiring a member of staff to operate the experience.

Inspired by the viral ‘Hang Tough’ trend on social media, we designed an interactive challenge where shoppers were invited to hang from a pull up bar for as long as possible.

The bar was fitted with a sensor that stopped the clock the moment participants dropped, with their time displayed live on a large screen above. A digital leaderboard added a competitive edge, encouraging groups of friends to challenge one another and return to improve their ranking.

The activation combined physical installation, digital interface and real time data capture to create a simple but compelling retail experience.

The Hang Tough experience transformed a section of the Manchester Arndale flagship into an interactive training zone, drawing customers into active participation rather than passive browsing.

The leaderboard mechanic encouraged repeat attempts and group competition, increasing engagement and dwell time while reinforcing Nike’s training credentials in a highly visible and memorable way.