The footwear and apparel brand founded in 1914, Brooks Sports, narrowed its marketing focus to just running shoes in 2000 and the marketing strategy has paid off.
The company has been reporting an annual growth of 5-10 percent over the last three years, and the reported revenue totaled approximately $200 million in 2009.
From NYtimes.com:
Dave Larson, vice president of marketing at Brooks, said that brands generally either take a “big shoe” approach, where technical features of shoes are highlighted, or a “big sweat” approach, where “running is a chore,” but there is “redemption” for those who exert.
“Companies are imaging running the same way by just talking about shoes’ features and benefits and not connecting with why people are out there,” Mr. Larson said. “We’re taking the tack of having more fun with it.”
Women, who accounted for 10 percent of marathon runners in 1980, represent 41 percent today, while women currently represent 47 percent of casual runners who run fewer than 50 times a year, according to Running USA. David Willey, editor of Runner’s World, said popular charity runs for causes like breast cancer, leukemia and autism, have drawn many new runners, with women being a “vast majority.”
According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association, 43.9 million people ran at least once as compared to 31.4 million in 2000 that means a staggering growth of nearly 40 percent.