Amidst the media saturation of the world's largest trail gathering, UTMB, the agency SPK took a contrarian approach to its brand activation. By turning a downtown Chamonix laundromat into an editorial and networking hub, La Laverie by runpack sought to foster genuine dialogue far from the commercial hustle and bustle. Hailed for its ingenuity and impact, this initiative is nominated in the Communication Campaign of the Year category at the Trail Running Awards.
The challenge: Restoring genuine dialogue around gear
The founding idea behind La Laverie stemmed from a simple observation: UTMB lacked a free, accessible space for open discussion where gear could be talked about outside of a commercial showcase format. SPK and its media outlet runpack. decided to bring equipment back to its core essence: an everyday tool.
The decision to turn a real downtown laundromat into a vibrant, participatory space symbolizes a sport deeply rooted in real life. The setup was designed to champion proximity, sharing, and authenticity—staying true to the DNA of trail running.
An agile editorial and scenographic innovation
The activation stood out for its ability to merge the physical experience with content production, all within a minimalist yet impactful design.
The multi-brand hub: For five days, La Laverie hosted an evolving multi-brand format. Each day, a guest brand (ASICS, ON, X-BIONIC, Valone, etc.) took over the space for authentic talks, networking, and direct exchanges with runners. The Golden Machine, co-created with Tonton Outdoor, added a playful dimension to discovering the partners.
The integrated editorial studio: La Laverie served as a production studio for runpack.. Numerous interviews, reports, and discussions were filmed and broadcast daily across the media's channels, significantly extending the experience to a broader online audience.
Simplicity and Authenticity: SPK opted for a minimalist scenography, keeping the original washing machines and highlighting the venue's authenticity, which created a striking contrast with traditional event booths.
Impact: A rallying point endorsed by the ecosystem
The initiative exceeded initial expectations, establishing itself as a true rallying point for the trail community in Chamonix.
Attendance and Engagement: High on-site attendance was marked by a continuous flow of visitors throughout the activation week. Digitally, the campaign generated significant digital visibility (several million impressions) and strong engagement across the media channels.
B2B Consensus: Feedback from partners and industry figures confirmed the relevance of the concept. Key figures such as Julien Chorier (UTMB Sports Director) praised an initiative that "breaks the mold," while other brands acknowledged the originality of the venue for discussing equipment and its effectiveness in "activating athletes and gear in an unprecedented setting."
Quality of Dialogue: La Laverie successfully created a lasting meeting space between runners, elite athletes, and brands, free from commercial filters.
This simple, sincere, and agile initiative made it possible to test a replicable, low-footprint format, confirming the relevance of communication centered on product culture and authenticity.
