How running communities ushered in a new era of brands
Plus: NikeSKIMS, new Graza launch, and more 🏃
Hello and welcome back to Brandscape!
I hope your week is off to a great start.
As an ex-cross country runner and someone looking to get back into running, I’ve found the hype around new running brands in recent years to be exciting. Brands like On, Bandit, and Tracksmith have blended functionality with fashion to create shoes and garments that truly serve the needs of runners.
To go with this apparel, we’ve also seen the rapid growth of run clubs. Today, I’ll be diving into world of running, exploring running communities and the brand worlds built around them.
Watch This Space is a series exploring the intersection of consumer insights + emerging brands. Today, I’ll be covering:
How brands are keeping pace with runners 🏃
While the concept of running/jogging recreationally has been around for a while (since the 1970s), the activity has gained increased attention in recent years. Amidst isolation during the pandemic, runners found communities within run clubs, leading to their rise in cities worldwide. Data from Strava showed that 84% of users noted social connection as their primary reason for exercising. Additionally, more people than ever are running marathons. The 2024 NYC Marathon saw a record number of runners.
Businesses have capitalized on running as a social and lifestyle-centric hobby, blending community and design to craft remarkable brands. Rather than emphasizing the “be stronger, faster, better than the competition” messaging that dominated the early 2010s, these brands emphasize community, design, and lifestyle. Centering these aspects has allowed brands to gain traction in the roughly $13 billion global running apparel market.
Here are some brands in the running space that catch my eye:
Bandit Running
Their membership program offers a ton of benefits tailored to runners.
Steady State, their new core collection provides a curated selection of basics.
ON
Their recent campaign with Elmo emphasizes “soft wins” and “running for fun.”
Their collaboration with Loewe shows that running gear can be high fashion.
HOKA
The Bondi 9, which has the infamous HOKA look, launched recently.
They recently opened a "Run Stop Corner Shop" in London.
Endure
Their post-run recovery Ace bars include 13-14 grams of protein and 10%+ DV iron.
They plan to launch a mid-workout energy gel later this year.
What brands in the running space do you have your eye on? Let me know in the comments!
Read my past Watch This Space about the patch-ification of supplements. 💊
Headlines of the week 🗞️
Speaking of athleisure, NikeSKIMS, a new brand, launches this Spring. I think it’s bound to be a success. Skims has an extremely loyal consumer base that Nike can tap into. The companies’ announcement of the new brand generated $6.1 million in media exposure. I really enjoyed this post by
:ICYMI: TheRealReal joined Substack under the alias TheRealGirl. This is the largest company I’ve seen join Substack thus far. As everyone’s been saying, it’s going to be a big year for businesses on the platform.
Olipop was recently valued at $1.85 billion. This comes as the functional beverage space continues to experience considerable growth. In terms of dollar sales and unit growth, Olipop is the top nonalcoholic beverage brand in the U.S. The company also found that one in four Gen Z consumers drink Olipop. 🤯
Graza’s new high heat olive oil spray, Fizzle, launches today. I enjoyed this teaser video:
Slow Ventures, an early-stage VC firm, is investing in the creator economy. Through a $60 million seed fund, they plan to support creators that have cultivated engaged, niche communities. See this breakdown by Sammi Cohen.
Thanks for reading!
- Henry
Brandscape is a weekly newsletter covering marketing, brand, consumer insights, and design — all through the lens of a college student.
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