Mizuno Running is unveiling its first-ever TV spot on Monday, timed to the Boston Marathon. The 30-second commercial is part of the sportswear brand's $2 million "What if Everybody Ran?" campaign, which began last month.

The ad is slated to air locally in Boston and nationally on ESPN. Ahmet Abaci, VP-brand marketing and management at Mizuno, said the brand has a bigger presence at this year's event than it did a year ago, when bombings at the finish line abruptly halted the race.

"We're there with everything we've got," Mr. Abaci said.

For now, the ad, which will air only on Monday, is not part of a bigger TV push. Mr. Abaci said the brand prefers to deliver its message in more interactive ways and through grassroots efforts. "We try to avoid one-way communication like TV, but it was the right time and place to deliver this message to a larger audience," he explained.

Mizuno's budget is up by one-third this year, given the TV investment, Mr. Abaci said. "The primary reason we are going on air this year is we believe we have a very powerful message," he said. "We believe running can make the world a much better place, and we want to bring that message to as many people as we can within our budget."

The campaign is based on a study conducted with the University of North Carolina about what would happen if everybody ran. The study came up with $130 billion in health care savings, 2 billion pounds of total weight loss and even a 10% increase in household earning potential.

North Carolina-based McKinney is Mizuno's agency.