Lucozade teamed up with We Are Social to support runners through one of the toughest points of the 2026 London Marathon, with Jamie Laing helping cheer participants through the infamous “wall”.

Lucozade set out to energise runners at Mile 23 of the 2026 London Marathon, partnering with socially-led creative agency We Are Social for a campaign focused on the psychological and physical challenge of pushing through the final stages of the race.

The drinks brand centred its activity around the notorious marathon “wall”, using the moment as an opportunity to provide both encouragement and fuel to runners as they approached the final stretch.

The campaign began ahead of race day at the Marathon Expo, where participants shared the biggest challenges they expected to face, from self-doubt and injury recovery to chasing a personal best and overcoming the wall itself.

Runners also shared what helps them break through difficult moments, with answers ranging from a Lucozade-fuelled energy boost to support from loved ones and motivational playlists. Lucozade also launched a “Hold and Scroll” carousel on Instagram, encouraging audiences to virtually “break the wall” by scrolling through the content.

The brand extended the campaign through Strava, using its Lucozade Sport Running Club page to engage the running community in the weeks leading up to the marathon. Activity included motivational posts, advice on refuelling, explainers on the science behind hitting the wall, and content spotlighting Lucozade employees running the race in Lucozade Sport bottle costumes.

On race day, Lucozade was positioned at Mile 23, with TV personality and marathon runner Jamie Laing appearing as the brand’s “Veteran Wall Breaker”. Drawing on his own marathon experience, Laing cheered on runners and offered encouragement as they entered one of the most demanding parts of the course.

Lucozade also worked with marathon runners Craig and Chlo, known as @craigandchlo, to document their London Marathon journey. The pair reflected on Craig’s 2025 race experience, shared their training plans and explored the different challenges runners face during marathon preparation. They also shared their race day routine, powered by Lucozade Sport.

Throughout the marathon, Lucozade delivered real-time social coverage, including activity from the DJ decks and hype mic, alongside reactive assets featuring race statistics.

After the race, the brand captured “Finish Line Fables” in the St James’s Park fan zone, documenting runners’ stories of how support and energy at Mile 23 helped them reach the finish line.

Lucozade’s Jack Scanlan said: “The London Marathon is the ultimate moment in our calendar to show up for our consumers where it matters most. We Are Social’s unique ability to tap into human stories and foster genuine connections has been vital.

“This allowed us to be right there with the runners, celebrating their resilience and helping them find the energy to push through the hardest parts of the course.”

We Are Social head of sport Joe Weston added: “The wall is a legendary part of marathon folklore, and our goal was to share the genuine struggle that feels authentic to the runner’s journey.

“We wanted to lean into the actual conversations runners are having on the ground and on their feeds. It’s about moving beyond the finish line photos to show the grit in between, making sure Lucozade shows up where the community needs that extra bit of hype the most.”

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