Main Facts Mental health charity Sport in Mind has officially launched its landmark "Saving Lives Through Sport" campaign, arriving on World Mental Health Day (October 10). Supported by energy brand Berocca, the campaign is anchored by an ambitious, mixed-media animated short film titled Any Run & Everyone. The film—a staggering two-year labor of love—was conceived, written, and directed by creative director Paul Jordan. Jordan penned the poignant spoken-word poem and song that serves as the narrative heartbeat of the project, which is performed with immense emotional depth by recording artist Genesis Elijah. Rather than relying on a single visual style, Any Run & Everyone is a collaborative triumph that unites 18 acclaimed animators and 11 top-tier production studios. The project weaves together an eclectic tapestry of animation techniques, including traditional 2D drawing, 3D CGI, stop-frame, model-making, paper collage, fuzzy felt, AI-assisted animation, and live-action sequences. The campaign’s core message challenges conventional fitness stereotypes. It promotes the idea that running—and physical movement in general—is radically accessible, requiring no expensive gear or elite physical build. More importantly, the film asserts that people ultimately run for psychological and emotional release rather than physical gains. Alongside the film, Sport in Mind has launched the "100K Your Way" challenge, encouraging participants to complete 100 kilometers over 10 days through walking, running, cycling, swimming, or a combination of activities, either solo or within a community. Chronology: The Evolution of Any Run & Everyone The journey to bringing Any Run & Everyone to the screen spans decades of lived experience, intense lockdown realizations, and an unprecedented collaborative creative marathon. Phase One: A Lifetime of Unconscious Self-Regulation For Paul Jordan, running had been a constant companion throughout his life. Like many lifelong runners, he engaged in the routine without deeply analyzing why. However, whenever life grew stressful or professional demands became overwhelming, Jordan noticed that a run provided an immediate, reliable anchor. He ran to clear his head, though the underlying neurological mechanics remained a mystery to him for years. Phase Two: The Lockdown Revelation The turning point arrived during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. While isolated and navigating the altered rhythms of daily life, Jordan received a formal diagnosis for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). "The penny dropped," Jordan reflects. He realized that he had unconsciously weaponized running his entire life as an organic, self-directed tool to manage his undiagnosed neurodivergence. This realization sparked a profound sense of gratitude and obligation. "I felt I owed running a kind of ‘life debt’ and I wanted to repay that debt the best way I knew. So I started this project… I wanted others to understand the benefits of running that I have received." Phase Three: Two Years of Collaborative Crafting Jordan embarked on a massive undertaking that would take nearly two years to complete. Moving past conventional advertising production pipelines, he relied on the goodwill, shared vision, and generosity of an expansive creative community. Editors, sound designers, post-production houses, music supervisors, and an army of 18 distinct animators signed on, given the creative freedom to experiment. The resulting narrative was deliberately structured into three distinct acts to deconstruct public perceptions of fitness. Act One introduces the archetypal runner: the hyper-fit, ultra-focused athlete often spotlighted in commercial sportswear advertisements. Act Two shatters this mold, introducing a diverse array of runners of all ages, backgrounds, and physical builds who do not conform to traditional clichés. Act Three reveals that these distinctions ultimately do not matter. Whether elite marathoner or hesitant beginner, what truly unites all runners is the psychological landscape—the internal drive to run "for their heads." Phase Four: Launch Day and the Wider Movement On October 10—World Mental Health Day—Any Run & Everyone made its public debut as the centerpiece of Sport in Mind’s Saving Lives Through Sport campaign. The launch introduced not only the film and its musical track, produced with contributions from Christian Nardecchia and Genesis Elijah, but also practical public engagement initiatives like the 100K Your Way challenge. Supporting Data and Creative Credits The scale of Any Run & Everyone is underscored by the impressive roster of creative talent and the structural reach of the campaign. Production Scale & Medium Diversity Development Timeline: Nearly 2 years of production. Animation Techniques Used: 2D drawing, 3D CGI, stop-frame animation, model-making, paper collage, fuzzy felt, AI-assisted animation, and live-action sequences. Animation Talent (18 Artists): Anthony Farquhar-Smith, Hannah Lau Walker, HouHou, Jack Brown, Kristian Andrews, Dan Woodger, Victor Haegelin, Clement Morin, Alex Jenkins, Danny Boyle, Ingi Erlingsson, Andy Baker Studio, Honor Price, Alva Skog, MegaComputeur, Santiago Carrasquilla, Ewan Jones Morris, and Chris Ullens. Production Studio Collaborators (11 Companies): Sweetshop Films, Coffee & TV, Not To Scale, Nexus Studios, Partizan Films, Blinkink, Studio AKA, This Is Jelly, All Of Us Here, Strange Beast, and Passion Pictures. Full Campaign Credits Writer / Director: Paul Jordan Producer: Megan Sutton Strategy: Stuart Williams Editor: Jules Bayer-Crier (Ten Three) Sound Design: Ben Gulvin Lyrics: Paul Jordan, Christian Nardecchia, and Genesis Elijah Vocals: Genesis Elijah Music Supervisor: Dave Bass (Wake the Town Ltd) Official Responses The intersection of mental health awareness, grassroots physical activity, and creative storytelling has drawn high praise from leadership and key architects of the project. Neil Harris, Founder and CEO of Sport In Mind, emphasized the transformative power of physical activity beyond standard wellness metrics: "Sport has the power to change much more than our physical health. It can give people confidence, connection, routine and a sense of belonging, and that is the message we wanted to bring to life through Saving Lives Through Sport. The new film is a brilliant celebration of what movement can mean to different people and shows that there is no one way to move and no one reason to do it. We hope it inspires people to find their own way to move." Paul Jordan reflected on why the project resonated so deeply with the creative industry, enabling such a massive, multi-studio collaboration: "They all seemed to get the emotional thrust of what we were trying to achieve and it just resonated with them. That, and the freedom that they had to experiment a little, is how I think we managed to get such a great array of talent involved." Jordan also highlighted the accessibility of the sport, which sits at the core of the film’s philosophical message: "Running is so accessible, you don’t need any special equipment, or an expensive gym membership, just step outside your door and you’re away. I noticed that many people rejected running because they think they don’t have the right physical build etc. So this film aims to show that not only do runners come in all shapes and sizes but all runners, whether elite or beginner, are really running for their heads. Mostly we all run for the mental more than the physical gains." Implications: Redefining Fitness for Mental Health The launch of Any Run & Everyone and the Saving Lives Through Sport campaign arrives at a critical juncture in public health discourse. By tying physical movement directly to neurodiversity management, emotional regulation, and psychological resilience, the campaign challenges traditional fitness narratives that prioritize aesthetics, speed, and endurance above all else. 1. Democratizing Physical Activity For individuals intimidated by fitness culture, the barrier to entry has historically been psychological as much as financial. By spotlighting runners of diverse body types, ages, and backgrounds, Jordan’s film dismantles the intimidation factor. Emphasizing that running requires nothing more than stepping out your front door reinforces that movement belongs to everyone. 2. Neurodiversity and Self-Care Paul Jordan’s personal revelation regarding his lockdown ADHD diagnosis sheds light on a frequently overlooked coping mechanism: somatic self-regulation. By framing running as an intuitive neurological management tool rather than a grueling chore, the campaign offers validation to neurodivergent individuals seeking natural, accessible methods to manage overwhelm, anxiety, and stress. 3. Cross-Sector Creative Collaboration The production model of Any Run & Everyone proves that purpose-driven art can successfully harness commercial creative networks. By granting 18 animators and 11 production houses creative autonomy under a unified emotional banner, the project sets a new benchmark for how charities and brands can collaborate to produce culturally resonant work that moves audiences to action—whether through viewing a film, sharing a story, or taking on the 100K Your Way challenge for mental health. Post navigation The Great Agency Realignment: How Publicis, Omnicom, and WPP are Redefining the Pitch Economy
