Exclusive | A sneaker brand with more than a century of history, Saucony continues to write one of the most beautiful stories in sport. Thanks to the ever-renewed desire to innovate – especially withelite endorphin-Saucony continues to lead the race among racers. The iconic brand from the East Coast is also digging its groove with its ultra-modern sneakers. Forbes brings you an exclusive interview with Saucony’s Marketing Director Michel Choeney, W.L.L Andrea Roeg, Global Public Vice President.
Tell us about the history of Saucony, the now world-famous brand that has been around for over a century?Michael Shawnee : Saucony was founded in 1898. This year we celebrate 125 years of innovation. Our logo is inspired by Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, where our brand began and where water flows around three distinct rocks. These three rocks represent the cornerstones of our brand and what we want for runners and runners: good performance, good health and a good community.
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GOOD HEALTH: We encourage all runners with educational initiatives, inspiring stories, and programs inspired by our experiences;
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The Right Community: We put all our efforts into serving runners at all levels to be better for the runner community and beyond;
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PERFORM RIGHT: We give runners the opportunity to challenge themselves every day with our innovations, designs and products that always push the boundaries of technology
We exist to inspire and serve every human being to live their best life by giving them access to running and creating a better world.
It is our DNA to push and push the boundaries of running and trail running. Be creative, innovative, passionate and committed to the sport. This is what motivates us every day.
In the highly competitive world of sports and especially running, Saucony has carved out a special place for itself. Can you give us the main characters of the brand? What are the medium term ambitions?
Michael Shawnee : 2022 was a very good year for Sokoni And especially for France because we had a 30% increase. Our ambitions are:
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Strengthening our first position in specialized stores
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Develop our bad reputation
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Develop our distribution in general stores
And if we divide, what segment do shoes represent compared to sportswear?
Michael Shawnee : Our brand is divided into two categories, Performance with Running Exclusives and Lifestyle Originals. The weight so far is 85% for performance and 15% for assets.
Saucony is the performance brand par excellence, which has a very strong rating among experienced runners. Innovation is part of your DNA. Tell us through the leading models how did Saucony build this image?
Michael Shawnee : In 2023 we celebrate 125 years of existence and innovation!
Here are some of Saucony’s flagship models:
The latest important innovations from Sokoni back through carbon panels And with the creation of the group endorphin. This set includes 4 road models: Shift, Speed, Pro, Elite and 2 Trail models, Endorphin Edge and Endorphin Trail. All our expertise has been put at the service of this range of products.
These innovations are visible on the scale endorphin but also the highlight of all our performance products.
What can we tell you about Endorphin Elite that has just hit the market? What are his qualities? Tell us about the technological challenges of this shoe that everyone talks about at the starting gates?
Michael Shawnee : Endorphin Elite launched on February 21st. It took four years of research and development to create this shoe in collaboration with elite athletes.
This shoe is part of Saucony’s Endorphin collection: our products cut for speed and enhanced performance! Saucony’s Endorphin range: the top of the range for performance.
More products:
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NEW PWRRUN HG SUPERIOR FOAM THAT PROVIDES MORE BOOST FOAM FOR SPEED (HIGH GRADE = PWRRUN PB UPGRADED TO THE MAXIMUM)
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New next-generation carbon plate is 4-part (3-hole) split for maximum energy return
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Midfoot strap for support
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Powerful Speedroll for maximum thrust
The shoe is very light. It weighs 204 grams for the male model and 185 grams for the “female” model. Plus, it’s made from recycled materials.
From a marketing point of view, tell us what is planned in France to introduce the Endorphin group?
Michael Shawnee : We have started our “SAUCONY TAKE COURAGE TOUR” through France! Saucony meets runners all over France to give them the opportunity to discover shoes from our Endorphin range! About fifty dates were held between February 21st and April 19th, in collaboration with some of our distributors.
We have designed a custom truck for Endorphin group It has a full range of events allowing all the runners in attendance to have an exceptional experience and meet our team and some of our athletes on site.
in the program :
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Try the four shoe models from the Endorphin range: Shift 3, Speed 3, Pro 3 and Elite
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Discuss with our experts on site to benefit from tips
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Photo Booth: Leave with your personal photo
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Competition to try to win a product
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Post run: snack and discussions with the whole group
Leaving the field of sports, Saucony looks great in fashion, pulling out the models of the 80’s and 90’s. What classic models have become iconic? What are the goals? Is there a desire to develop Saucony into a lifestyle niche?
Andrea Rug: In a completely organic way, all the performance running models of the 80s and 90s have become lifestyle icons. The sneaker sector flooded decades after decades of reissues of reinterpreted OG models. With our history beginning 125 years ago, we may as well tell you that we have reissued the stock!!
1998: Saucony Originals officially debuts with the return of the ’81 OG Jazz model. This first release was accompanied by a very innovative publicity stunt for the time. Saucony has recreated the boxes of Jazz 81s to look like they “fell off the truck” in New York and Chicago. This model instantly becomes cool again.
The “super limited” editions boosted the desire to buy them and at the time, Saucony Origins Paving the way for collector’s reissues of vintage silhouettes and collaborations with artists, stores or brands.
Saucony Originals has been established in the French lifestyle market for several years with our classic models becoming iconic, the Jazz, DXN, Shadow 5000 or 6000 and most recently the Triumph 4.
Does this mean that you also open a chapter with sneakers? Do you work with stylists, tell us?
Andrea Rug: Sports shoes are an integral part of our collection. We collaborate very regularly with other brands for co-branded collaborations, with stores whose artistic direction matches our wishes, or with artists. We also have an in-house design studio that designs limited-edition pairs that we treat as collaborations.
From the point of view of environmental responsibility, what are the standards for manufacturing your shoes? What are the brand goals for the next few years?
Michael Shawnee : All of our products are made from recycled materials. This year, on the 1st of September, we will celebrate the launch of the first running shoe made with more environmentally friendly materials and less reliance on plastic. It comes to RFG victory. Road training shoe. It combines an upper made from recycled vegetable yarns, a PWRRUN BIO + 55% corn midsole, and an 80% sustainable rubber outsole.
2024 will also be a year in which we will accelerate the pace of environmental responsibility Because we’ll be running our eco-designed Peregrine (a road running shoe) during the first semester and our riding (a road training shoe) the second semester.
If we talk about the 2024 Paris Olympics, then Paris will be the largest sports stadium in the world. It is necessarily a Saucony affair, what are you preparing for us….
Michael Shawnee : The strategy is currently under study and we will discuss it when the time comes. We are currently focusing on the current year.
