Longtime Zenni brand ambassador, Chase Stokes, stars in the brand’s latest campaign for its prescription-ready sports sunglasses collection, Zunnies. Called “I Run For,” the campaign is timed to Mental Health Awareness Month and takes a look at the important connection between movement and mindfulness.
While highlighting the brand’s product innovation used in Zunnies as a collection built for performance and personal expression, the campaign encourages people to reflect on the movement’s role in mental health. The digital-first campaign’s messaging asks “why they run,” acknowledging that for some it can be for clarity, for connection or for joy.
You May Also Like
Related Articles
The campaign will further come to life at the NYCRuns Summer Loving Fest on Governors Island in person for two days starting Saturday. As the official sponsor of the event, Zenni will give attendees the opportunity to try Zunnies in action and encourage them to join in on the run. Zenni will also host giveaways and activities on-site, including sharing personal stories of why the Zunnies team runs during a community-led conversation around mental health.
“At Zenni, we believe that vision goes beyond eyewear — it’s about helping people express the best version of themselves,” said Veronica Alcaro, vice president of brand at Zenni Optical. “With ‘I Run For,’ we’re proud to merge performance, purpose and personal expression, empowering people to move for their mental health while feeling confident and supported in the right frames.”
Importantly, the “I Run For” campaign will also have a give-back component with a partnership with the nonprofit Bring Change to Mind. Throughout May, Zenni will donate 1 percent of Zunnies’ proceeds to the organization. The Bring Change to Mind organization, Stokes told WWD, is “very near and dear to [his] heart.”
Stokes, who has been working with the Zenni team in an ongoing partnership, said that collaborating with the brand on the “I Run For” campaign with Change to Mind has been “especially meaningful as it combines things [he] cares deeply about: eye protection, mental health advocacy and the power of movement.”
Stokes said that he wears his go-to Zunnies while he moves, calling out the Pace Setter in particular.
The campaign builds on what Stokes described as a “really collaborative partnership that has been an organic and natural relationship.” He added that the company has been very supportive of giving him the space to create and offer what feels authentic.
“It’s super important to me to work with brands at the intersection of health and wellness,” Stokes said. “The fact that this campaign also focuses on movement as a means of mental clarity is just another seamless connection for me and my daily lifestyle. Running and daily movement in general are extremely important for my mental health — it gives me a chance to really get in touch with myself in a way that also lets me exert energy. I think in a busy lifestyle, it’s super important to find that balance to have time to give just to you.”
Stokes noted he appreciates everyone being asked to share their own “why” in this campaign.
“I’m excited to get out there and run with some awesome people,” he said. “It’s been a newer joy of mine, which I honestly never thought I’d get into. It’s important to keep breaking the stigmas against mental health, and I’m super proud to be aligned with a company that believes in the work that they’re doing and supports the younger generation.”