A community coffee shop energizing NYC with free coffee—inspired by the springy, energy-giving responsiveness of the Nike Pegasus 41.
The Nike Pegasus 41 combines Air Zoom and ReactX to provide runners with over 13 percent more energy return than the Pegasus 40. Nike came to us wanting to illustrate that innovation while also giving back to New Yorkers and runners, two audiences known for being energy givers themselves.
The result was Café Volt—a community coffee shop powering NYC with free coffee. Playing off the belief that the more you run in Pegasus, the more it gives you, we devised a way to hand out free coffee with a ‘the more you give, the more you get’ twist. Runners with proof of recent running miles in the Nike Run Club or Strava apps received a ticket for a free specialty coffee, while everyone else received a small coffee or espresso.
Café Volt opened to the public on Global Running Day and remained open throughout the weekend. It offered energy in the form of coffee, community runs, exclusive merch, and first access to the Pegasus 41.
SSS led the spatial design of the shop, transforming an existing retail establishment into a volted-out, energetic and elevated café. Inside the café was a product display area highlighting the Pegasus 41 benefits, inviting runners to try on the future of Nike Running.
SSS also designed the graphic identity for Café Volt, which showed up on the exterior and interior of the café, custom coffee beans made in partnership with Honey Moon Coffee, merch like mugs and tees, and outside signage, including an energetic sign spinner.
Programming included community runs with local run clubs, such as Orchard Street Runners and Old Man Run Club. Runners would start and end at the shop, receiving a free coffee and a boost of social energy. The café successfully gave energy back to the community throughout the weekend, reminding runners to get moving and inspiring others to start their running journeys.