Golazo is Europe's leading company in sports and wellbeing, behind more than 1,000 events annually across Europe and Africa. Founded by former Olympic athlete Bob Verbeeck, the company has grown from Belgian roots into a movement for a healthier, more connected society.
The Nelson Mandela Marathon is their most ambitious project to date, and the first time Momkai designed the complete experience of a Golazo event from strategic foundation to finish line in close collaboration with Bob Verbeeck, Eva Verbeeck and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Already 9,000 runners signed up for the inaugural marathon two weeks after launch.
Design starts with the right questions
Mandela spent twenty-seven years in a cell on Robben Island for the values he refused to abandon. That is the standard this marathon had to meet. For Bob Verbeeck, the Nelson Mandela Marathon is a way to keep the legacy of Nelson Mandela alive. Verbeeck sees the potential to build a world-class event that puts purpose over performance, reminding a global audience that the values Mandela fought for are still under pressure today.
Before a single colour was chosen, Momkai and Golazo set the critical conditions for a marathon of this level to succeed. From the first conversation, one condition was non-negotiable: all profits flow directly to the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Building a brand that puts purpose over performance
The rallying call Rise. Remember. Run. is three words that do the work of a manifesto. They work on a homepage, on a race bib, at the finish line, and in the closing line of every email.
Based on the archives of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, we mapped 42 Mandela quotes to five core themes: forgiveness, freedom, unity, courage, and kindness. These quotes are placed at every kilometer of the course, turning the race into the story. The visual identity draws from the colors of the South African flag. And because this story belongs to South Africa before it belongs to anyone else, every major creative decision was validated with people from the South African community.
A Consistent Brand System
The design system covers the full surface area of a major international sporting event. We created the guidelines and set the examples for the Golazo team to build out the experience without losing brand consistency.
Since this is the first edition, we established the major touchpoints: a teaser page, launch animation, medal, t-shirt and communication flows. Based on those touchpoints, we designed a foundation the Golazo team can expand on and grow from in the years ahead, setting the standard for other Golazo events to follow.
A website that earns the registration
The website is both a manifesto as it is a conversion-driven page. A dedicated ‘Why We Run’-page moves visitors through apartheid, imprisonment, reconciliation, and the unfinished business of freedom before it asks them to sign up. That sequence was a deliberate choice: to run for something bigger than yourself.
The route does the same work. The 21K Slave Route Challenge passes through District Six, the Bo-Kaap, and the Castle of Good Hope, finishing on the Grand Parade where Mandela gave his first public speech after twenty-seven years behind bars.
Every logistical detail was treated as a storytelling opportunity. Runners collect their race bibs at Cape Town City Hall, from the same balcony where Madiba addressed the world on the day of his release.
9,000 sign-ups in the first two weeks
Before a single runner crossed the starting line, the marathon was covered across global running channels and South African national news; with journalists focusing on the values and story behind the race as much as the race itself.
Mandela moved society forward by refusing to stop moving. This marathon asks the same of everyone who runs it. And the ambition doesn't stop in Cape Town. This event marks the start of a global running series, uniting people across the world to join one of their local events and continue the long walk to freedom.
Golazo & Momkai
Golazo is Europe's biggest sports and wellbeing company focused on building a happier and healthier society, touching millions via events, apps, media and brand activations. Founded by former Olympic athlete Bob Verbeeck, Golazo is driven by the belief that movement can bring us together, whatever our shape, age or background.
Over the years, Momkai has grown into Golazo's strategic sparring partner. We shaped the overarching brand narrative and identity, designed the Golazo Energy Sportslab, and built the complete experience of their most ambitious event to date. Each step has been about turning Golazo's ambition into experiences people can recognize, trust and remember.
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