Smile-Focused Running Campaigns : smile 20

Goody’s® Pain Relief has launched an innovative campaign called Smile 20. The initiative combines scientific research with experiential marketing to demonstrate how smiling can help runners push through pain during marathons.

Smile 20 is based on a newly published white paper, titled ‘The Science of Smiling & Benefits to Pain Relief,’ which compiles over two decades of research showing that smiling triggers the release of pain-reducing neurotransmitters like endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. To put this concept into practice, Goody’s® set up an interactive activation at mile 20 of the Knoxville Marathon — a critical point where runners often ‘hit the wall’ due to glycogen depletion. Participants were photographed as they approached, then surprised with AI-generated images of themselves smiling on a large digital display. The unexpected visual prompted genuine smiles, which, according to pace tracking, correlated with increased speed post-activation.

Image Credit: Goody’s® Pain Relief