Speedo makes a splash at the London Marathon

Speedo offered London Marathon runners a playful alternative, taking to the streets with a campaign suggesting the pool might be kinder than the pavement.

As thousands of runners moved through the capital, the swimwear brand appeared at London Bridge with a cheeky poster carrying the line: “Swimmer’s knee? Never heard of it.”

The message was a light-hearted nudge towards swimming as another way to build stamina, go the distance and perhaps avoid some of running’s more familiar aches.

Carrying placards with lines including “Running, without the shin splints” and “You can keep your toenails”, the group gave spectators an unexpected poolside moment in the middle of race day.

With warm weather adding to the atmosphere, the campaign by W Communications tapped into the shared humour around marathon endurance.