How brands are leveraging the rapid rise of run clubs
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Since the pandemic the world has changed considerably, and people are gathering less in psychical locations. Lifestyles are busier than ever and people now have the option of trading the physical community for convenience in all aspects of their life.
People have the option to choose:
Work from home vs working in the office
Uber Eats vs cafes & restaurants
Social media vs physical catch ups
Fitness apps vs the gym
We’re more digitally connected than ever, but feeling less connected
Modern technology has expanded the possibilities for social connection through methods such as messaging, voice and video calling, gaming and social media, but studies have shown that virtual communication is no substitute for in-person interactions, and a heavy reliance on digital interaction can lead to a sense of loneliness and isolation.
The World Health Organization has declared loneliness as a pressing global health threat, and has likened its detrimental impacts to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Virtual is our new default mode, and it’s causing us to be angry, sick and alone.
Run clubs to the rescue
Humans are inherently social and people are beginning to view their health beyond the physical and on a more holistic level, incorporating “social” as a key part of their overall health regime.
With a growing number of people feeling lonely and isolated, people are turning to run clubs to get their social fix. Whether it’s simply running together or having a coffee afterwards, people are engaging with their local run clubs on a range of different levels.
Some are suggesting that run clubs are becoming the new Tinder, and many people are attempting to find love through them - skits are popping up across social media bringing light to this.
Facilitating this trend, run clubs are attracting new community members by hosting special events to help singles find a partner such as “V Day 5k”. Run clubs are becoming so central to love, that some have gone as far proposing at their local run club.
Run clubs are emerging in all shapes and sizes
Run clubs are forming due to many different motivating factors. Some are communal and organic, others are for commercial reasons. However they’re formed, they offer those who participate with a sense of community, something that many people are consistently craving more and more as society becomes chronically lonely & isolated.
The rapid growth of parkrun is a reflection of the growing appetite for community-led run clubs and connection
parkrun is a free, 5k community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate at a local event near you, every Saturday morning.
Since the first Australian parkrun launched in 2011, over 1 million people have walked, run and volunteered. This year, 14,000+ people have completed their first parkrun in Australia and their are now over 480 parkrun locations across Australia.
parkrun is highly decentralised, but its popularity has been built off the common experience its committed network of volunteers deliver across all its locations - a positive, welcoming and inclusive environment, where there’s no time limit and no one finishes last.
“Some say run club, some say social club with a bit of running on the side.”
The Coogee Run Club started in May 2022 as a small group and since then has exploded into a massive community of locals who regularly run up and down Sydney’s eastern beaches. The close-knit community meets 4 x times a week to run in rain, hail or shine.
The highly passionate founders, along with the supporting team have put their heart and soul into building a community full of enthusiastic runners, that prides itself on being social and inclusive.
The 440 Run Club
Not too far North of the Coogee Run Club is the the 440 Run Club, where every Saturday at 4:30am the two founders meet at Sydney’s Bronte Beach to host a run for a large crowd of locals who run laps of a steep hill measuring 440m in length before going for a dip and a coffee.
The 440 Run Club was originally started to solve the founders’ personal mental health issues and a lifestyle that involved “binge-drinking, cocaine and ecstacy-fuelled benders” but since then, it has organically grown into something far bigger that benefits the broader community.
What started out as a small-scale run between two close friends has ballooned into a phenomenon of about 5000+ people running across the globe under the 440 banner.
The 440 Run Club story has inspired so many locals and has attracted broader attention thanks to the media coverage its received along the journey.
Their founders have previously featured on Ted Talks, proudly promoting their personal stories and the club’s positive mission and impact on community connection.
There are hundreds, if not thousands of run clubs located around Australia and their models and motivations vary greatly
The Midnight Runners are a volunteer-led, global community who creates accessible, social workouts in major cities around the world - from Buenos Aires to Berlin, San Francisco to Sydney. Their unique runs are trademarked by late nights, boom boxes and post run events involving drinks, DJs and dancing. They boast the following:
Run clubs are successfully emerging from everywhere, and from some unexpected places:
Social media influencers - Primetrain
Digital media business - Run Clubby
Gym start-ups - The Yard Gym
There are so many benefits to sweating and socialising
Studies have shown that you're more likely to lose weight when you spend time with friends because you're more likely to enjoy the experience, and spend more time doing it. Sweating together provides benefits that go beyond the physical though, and it's the community elements that keeps people motivated.
Health and fitness communities provide people with a sense of purpose, accountability, motivation and a platform for social interaction. This presents a key opportunity for brands…
The opportunity for brands
With more people running, more footwear and apparel is needed.
To leverage the growing run club movement, brands are vying to put themselves at the heart of communities to form connections with runners, build their brands and generate commercials returns.
By tapping into passionate and engaged running communities, brands are able to connect with runners on an intimate level, who may feel compelled to authentically spread their brand story, encourage others to purchase their products and defend their brand from negative commentary.
To do this, brands are adopting a variety of tactics.
1. Brands are building their own run clubs
Nike have built a virtual run club community on a global scale through its Nike Run Club app
The Nike Run Club app connects users to friends and communities, and uses gamification tactics to allow users to encourage and compete against one another.
Although apps like this would cost millions to produce and maintain, and at the same time return little “direct” revenue, the increase in digital engagement that Nike has experienced has translated to more repeat buyers and a higher buying frequency.
This marketing tactic is working for Nike - they previously announced an 18% jump in annual revenue growth and attributed it to its suite of digital apps that includes Nike Run Club (and Nike Training Club).
They also recently extended their commitment to it by announcing a new partnership with Strava that enables the millions of Nike Run Club members to sync their workouts with the Strava platform.
New Balance partnered with KIC to deliver the KICRUN Club
New Balance recently partnered with virtual health and wellness start up, KIC to deliver an 8-week program designed to help KIC’s passionate community run towards their goal of 5km, 10km or 21km.
New Balance’s brand appears to be growing in strength, and brand partnerships like these no doubt contribute to this growth.
Their partnership with KIC enables them to foster relationships with the KIC audience who will feel more inclined to purchase their products.
New Balance recently posted another solid financial result for 2023 - $6.5B in annual sales (+23%) and their growth was attributed to strong growth across ALL markets.
Movember and Lululemon galvanize the Australian running community to raise money for men’s health
Movember’s “More than a run” initiative is a decentralised running event that has bought together over 4000 runners from 200+ community run clubs across Australia and New Zealand, to successfully raise $1.48 million in 2 years.
Movember are a strong brand who do impactful work and possess lots of brand equity, and this initiative is sponsored by Lululemon, a rapidly growing retail giant who have mastered the art of engaging with consumers on an intimate level through brand experiences - a key tactic which has contributed to their growth.
This brand partnership is an effective one because it delivers value for both brands, whilst supporting an impactful cause that benefits men’s health and the broader running community.
Run clubs aren’t purely beneficial for large retail brands though…
Pace Athletic are more than just a running store
Established in 2013, Pace Athletic is a retail store that has 7 x thriving locations across greater Sydney and whose journey began with a simple vision:
“create a haven for runners, where expertise, quality products, and community converge”
Their stores are unique because they not only serve as a retail store, they double as gathering places for regular group runs, workshops and events that foster a sense of belonging.
Pace Athletic’s community-driven approach has successfully enabled them to build a successful small business, one that benefits both their bottom-line and the community.
2. Brand activations
Brand activations are another way brands connect with running communities, and small, but rapidly growing brands (e.g. Hoka, Lululemon) are challenging larger ones (e.g. Nike, Adidas) using focused strategies aimed at specific target audiences.
HOKA have celebrated multiple store openings by engaging local run clubs
HOKA recently opened a new retail store at Bondi Junction and engaged the 440 Run Club community who ran from Bondi Beach to their new store to celebrate.
They also did the same thing for their store opening in Chadstone… Lululemon are also prone to activating this store-opening tactic.
HOKA are growing fast and are investing in brand experiences to deliver deep engagement - last year, they bought their international HOKA Fly Run series to Australia that featured inclusive runs, inspiring masterclasses and product trials.
Puma partnered with Australia’s favourite running hero, Nedd Brockmann to trial their new Puma Nitro’s
A key benefit of partnering with run communities is that they can assist with product development through trialing a brand’s products and providing direct feedback.
To test their new Puma Nitro shoe, Nedd Brockmann hosted local runs around Sydney and Melbourne where hundreds of runners showed up to trial their new shoe model (and provide reviews).
3. Big brands and community partnerships
Run clubs provide a platform for retail brands to place their products directly onto the feet of potential new customers, and sports retail brands often engage community run clubs to test their products.
Run clubs can also serve as an efficient sales driver, and many brands have small-scale supply deals with local run clubs.
Saucony recently provided the Coogee Run Club with a “bajillion pairs of Endorphin Pros, Endorphin Speeds and Triumph 21s” to trial, and 2XU supply their branded singlets and t-shirts
Saucony also activated a pop-up at Bondi Beach in collaboration with the 440 Run Club founders to allow runners to trial their new Endorphin Pro 3 shoes
Mizuno partners with the Midnight Runners, and supply them with branded gear
etc.
…The list goes on.
Runners are passionate about their local clubs, so when brands show their support towards them through product trials, discounts, supplier partnerships, or general engagement, it can be a powerful way to establish relationships with consumers and build brand equity.
4. Brand campaigns celebrating the everyday runner
To build emotional connections with runners on a mass-scale, brands have activated brand campaigns that encourage the everyday person to run.
Nike’s “Find your greatness” is one of the most iconic ad campaigns - launched in 2012, it showcased everyday athletes and encouraged them to push their own boundaries to find their own unique forms of greatness, regardless of their level of athleticism or ability.
More recently, many other brands have taken a similar direction and looked to focus their marketing efforts beyond the elite, shining a light on the everyday individual.
New Balance’s “Run Your Way” campaign removes running stereotypes and welcomes everyone into the world of running
New Balance’s recent global brand campaign celebrates the individuality of all who run and encourages everyone around the world to run their own way.
Through this campaign, New Balance aim to promote an inclusive, positive, and uplifting running environment for all – no matter how you run.
Medibank presents parkrun
Taking a similar approach Medibank (naming rights partner of parkrun) have previously activated brand partnership campaigns, to help demystify the myth that you have to be an elite runner to attend parkrun.
By showcasing imagery of people walking their dogs, and parents walking with their children & pushing prams, Medibank is helping parkrun with its mission to position it as something for everyone - runners, joggers, walkers or spectators.
HOKA celebrates community through their global “Murmuration” brand campaign
HOKA introduced its largest ever global integrated marketing campaign last year, centered around the the concept on murmuration - a flocking behavior seen in birds.
This campaign launched shortly after the rapidly growing athletic footwear brand surpassed $1 billion in sales, and formed a key part of their ambition to hit $2 billion in sales “pretty soon”.
Highlighting the link between running and mental health
In addition to diversity & inclusivity and community-themed ads, mental health has been another key theme of “running” related brand campaigns.
ASICS launched a PR stunt to reiterate the mental health benefits of running
In the UK, Asics created custom shoe packaging that resembled a giant medicinal blister pack designed to look like painkillers - a symbol portraying that running can be used as mental therapy.
The stunt formed part of the launch of Asics’ Movement for Mind programme, which intends to get people moving to help with their mental wellbeing.
Run clubs are good for everyone
Run clubs benefit participants, brands and the broader community.
Due to the increasingly digitised world and the growing loneliness and mental health epidemic, health is no longer being viewed purely through a physical lens.
People are considering their health more holistically, incorporating “social” as a key element and run clubs and communities are increasingly becoming a staple in people’s health regimes.
Brands who have recongised this growing trend have created a win-win scenario - by facilitating the promotion of inclusive running environments, the mental health benefits of running, and that running is for everyone, brands are contributing to the growth of run club culture. The fuel they provide creates more runners, and more demand for footwear and apparel, that ultimately benefits their bottom line.
Not yet a subscriber? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.
Wish I’d found this article 12 months ago