Hoka's High Flying Ads Soar Sales and Take on Nike

“We Are All Born to Fly”

  I chose the Hoka brand because I have been looking for a new pair of walking/work shoes. I have previously purchased Adidas and Keen. Although I have enjoyed them both, the Adidas didn't last very long and the Keen style they no longer make; so I have been looking for something new. An old friend suggested Hoka because she found them to be so comfortable for a full day of work-standing. I haven't heard very much about them and so this was the perfect opportunity for me to get to know the brand! 

 

 Hoka was founded in 2009 and has soared into popularity since the pandemic. The company is owned by Decker Brands and has surpassed $1billion in sales just this last year! Hoka is turning the shoe world upside down. Hoka is noted as the troublemaker to Nike who has seen some of its auspiciousness among runners slide. Nike felt their revenue slip 2% in the latest quarter alone. They are feeling the heat. Scrambling, Nike is working their hardest to come up with a new shoe for the Olympic season, which is called the Pegasus 41 sneaker and they are doubling down on their marketing to try and reconnect with their running community.

                                                                                

   Hoka used, "Fly human Fly" as its first global brand platform in 2022. For the upcoming Olympic Season Hoka has a campaign theme, "We Are All Born to Fly" depicting a raptor flying over the French Alps, a nod to Hoka's roots in Annecy, France. While in the air, the bird watches runners of all levels making their way through intense high-altitude trails to people jogging through the streets of an unnamed hilltop village. The ad makes me want to join in the fun the runners are having. The way the ad portrays the runners running makes it look like they are taking flight - for short distances - therefore, flying together, in their Hokas. This is the perfect fit with their mission which is to "empower all athletes to feel like they can fly." 

  Hoka is launching a new performance running shoe and an eco-conscious hiking boot. The Hoka marketer has pulled out all the stops and hit the gas on brand-building initiatives by signing on Zendaya as a brand partner for a multi-year deal called "Dream Together". I'm sure the ads will be stunning, appealing, and have me procuring my second pair. I believe the Hoka brand is trying to take its spot as one of the leaders in performance athletic shoe wear and they are doing a great job at it. Their marketing approach makes you soar with the runners...it all looks so athletically effortless, smooth, and easy....I just love it. I would like to see people of all shapes and ages wearing their colorful shoes. 

  What I learned in this assignment is that the marketing of a brand and its product is "what gets the job done." It is the #1 selling point. The advertisement and the word-of-mouth recommendations I've heard are enough to get me to try on a pair and I pretty much know, I'm going to buy them.

https://www.marketingdive.com/news/hoka-sports-marketing-running-club-Nike/720440/

https://www.wsj.com/business/nike-running-sneakers-competition-1d735fc8