When Stealing Becomes Brand Strategy: Distance’s Rob It To Get It

In partnership with

Paris-based running store Distance pulled off one of the most audacious marketing stunts in recent memory — and made the world run with it.

Their idea, “Rob It To Get It,” sounded like something out of a heist movie: customers could grab an item from the store, and if they managed to outrun the security guard, they could keep it — no questions asked.

The twist? The guard was Méba-Mickaël Zeze, a professional French sprinter.

What followed was chaos, cheers, and countless cameras. A queue formed outside the store. Runners sprinted, stumbled, and laughed. Some made it. Most didn’t. But the campaign went viral across media platforms — earning millions of views, global coverage, and admiration from marketers everywhere.

More importantly, it redefined what Distance stood for: not just a retailer, but a brand built around pure athleticism and play.

Why It Worked

1. Authentic to the Brand.
Distance didn’t pull a random stunt; they celebrated running — the heart of their brand. By designing a campaign that required athletic skill, they turned their audience into active participants.

2. Built for Conversation.
The concept was simple enough to explain in one line — “run faster than a sprinter to win free gear.” That clarity made it instantly shareable and buzzworthy.

3. Risk = Reward.
The campaign’s audacity made it irresistible to media outlets. It wasn’t about paid ads; it was about cultural impact.

4. Real Stakes, Real Stories.
Participants weren’t passive consumers. They became the story. Their attempts — wins and fails alike — formed the campaign’s emotional core.

Lessons for Founders and Marketers

Challenge your category’s comfort zone.
Instead of another “End of Season Sale,” Distance asked, “What if you had to earn your gear?” That single reframing turned ordinary marketing into a cultural moment.

Filter through effort, not just targeting.
Only people who truly cared about running showed up. That’s real audience alignment — not a segment defined by data points, but by dedication.

Make your audience the hero.
The campaign wasn’t about Distance — it was about the runners. That shift in narrative is what gave the brand its authenticity.

Scale through storytelling.
One day, one location, one outrageous idea — and yet global coverage. Distance showed that small-scale experiences can deliver large-scale attention when rooted in truth.

Turning Your Brand Into a Challenge

Modern audiences don’t want to just hear your story — they want to live it. A campaign like Distance’s succeeded because it invited people to prove what the brand believes in.

You can replicate this power, no matter your niche, using this simple three-step playbook.

1. Define the Core Trait You Celebrate

Ask: What’s the one human behavior my brand rewards?

• For Distance: speed.

• For a SaaS product: efficiency.

• For a creative studio: originality.

Design a challenge where your audience demonstrates that behavior, not just consumes your message.

2. Make the Challenge Real, Not Theoretical

Every good challenge needs stakes. It should feel hard enough to matter, but not impossible.

Offer:

• A tangible reward for success

• A fun fallback for failure

• A way to share participation

Example: a productivity app hosting a “One-Day Deep Work Sprint” challenge — where users document their focus journey using the app.

3. Turn the Outcome Into Story Fuel

Record everything. Every reaction, every fail, every win. Those become your best marketing assets.

Plan your documentation before the event so you can create multiple waves of content — before, during, and after.

The Founder’s Framework

Ask yourself:

1. Does this challenge celebrate what my brand truly stands for?

2. Is it simple, visual, and emotionally engaging?

3. Would people share it even if they didn’t win?

If yes, you’re not running a campaign — you’re starting a movement.

The Stoic Takeaway

The brilliance of Distance’s idea wasn’t the chaos — it was the clarity. It knew exactly what it stood for and let people live it out, even if it meant risking a loss.

For founders, the lesson is timeless: creativity thrives within constraints. You don’t need millions — you just need meaning, motion, and a little madness.

Because sometimes, the best growth strategy isn’t to sell harder — it’s to make people run for it.

Until next time,

— Team Startup Stoic