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Back in October, Saucony’s chief marketing officer (CMO) Joy Allen-Altimare told ADWEEK she wanted to bridge the gap between performance and lifestyle. Now, five months on, the exec is spearheading a campaign that does just that: “Run as One.”
The new initiative debuts with a fast-paced, 30-second campaign film highlighting running as a communal experience. It was shot in two of the brand’s key markets, New York City and Mexico City, and features Saucony athlete Vanessa Fraser and creative collaborator Jae Tips.
“We have a long history in running and running culture, and as we start to shift and pivot to this idea of running and lifestyle, we wanted a campaign that demonstrated that,” Allen-Altimare told ADWEEK.
Saucony’s new strategy follows an 18% sales year-over-year sales decrease in 2024. The sneaker and sportswear market is becoming increasingly crowded, driven by less discretionary spending and newer running brands like On and Hoka carving their own lanes to snag market share from legacy brands like Nike.
Music-video-esque, “Run as One” was fully shot on film and intersperses quick-changing scenes of traditional runners with frames showing doing ordinary things, like a young man on a coffee run. The ad underscores running as a sport as well as a “cultural connector,” Gus Johnston, Saucony’s creative director told ADWEEK.
The brand turned to a film aesthetic and cityscapes to lean into the increasing use of analog and point-and-shoot cameras among millennials and Gen Z customers.
“From athleticism and competition to fundamentally, running is about living [and] how we move through the world together,” Johnston said.
“Run as One” was created by The Agency, the in-house creative shop owned by Saucony’s parent company Wolverine Worldwide.
The ad was produced by The Den, its in-house production company, along with director Cam Hicks of creative studio Happy Place and photographer Will Reid.
It will launch with a media mix featuring out-of-home (OOH) elements as well as connected TV, online video, and social and display channels.
![Where competitors like Asics and New Balance have found success in striking a balance between their performance wear and streetwear offerings, Saucony is finding its footing with the latter, under […]](https://bunny-wp-pullzone-ybnxlnqh92.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/saucony-shifts-strategy-to-focus-on-community-and-connection.jpg)