Community is a massive buzzword these days but the hype is warranted. The impact a community has on defining your brand can’t be understated. Francisco and I discuss community in trail running specifically. This was a wildly insightful conversation. Here’s the summary with just some of the interesting points discussed.

* Community Building in Trail Running:

* Challenges of building a global trail running community due to its scattered and local nature.

* Importance of brands going beyond product sales to create a lifestyle and mindset.

* The difference between building community and marketing to an audience is the shift from a one-way (brand to audience) to a two-way (brand and community) communication model.

* The role of brands is enabling community interaction rather than controlling it.

* The change in business mindset needed to value community beyond a marketing tool.

* Brand-Led vs. Endemic Communities:

* The effectiveness and authenticity of brand-led run clubs and crews.

* The differences in feedback loops between brand-led and community-based run crews.

* The role of partnerships between brands, and existing run crews.

* The difference between media led communities, and product led communities.

* Regional Community Dynamics:

* The nuances of community interactions in different European countries.

* The importance of language and cultural sensitivity in community management.

* The use of tools like ChatGPT to facilitate communication across language barriers.

* Future of Community:

* The increasing value of in-person interactions in a digital world.

* The potential of creator-led brands.

* The "keep it real" strategy in an AI-driven world.

* Community becomes a business strategy, not just a marketing tool.

* The idea of a commitment curve, and the onboarding process.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amatterofbrand.substack.com/subscribe

Scroll down for the info to win a subscription to the run coaching app Coopah.

Pete joins me and picks back up from his previous episode before Gareth takes it from there. We chat about his background at Strava and why he is excited for the opportunity at Coopah. These guys are both so excited and knowledgable about the running industry, we could have talked for days. Enjoy!

Here’s a summary:

Coopah's Beginnings:

* Pete Cooper started the run coaching app, Coopah, to solve for a lack of personalized and engaging run training. He noticed people needed more accountability than just entering events.

* Early on they tried to get businesses to pay for run clubs and the app, but found organic B2C growth was strongest.

Key Growth Factors:

* A pivotal moment was Pete's connection with Gareth Nettleton, a marketing expert with a background at Strava. Gareth's validation and expertise were instrumental.

* Word-of-mouth and organic growth were crucial.

* The ability to provide personalized training and make running more enjoyable through gamification and varied workouts resonated with users.

* The focus on community and the "medicine of running" created a strong brand connection.

Strategic Partnerships:

* Partnerships with event organizers, like the London Marathon, and charities have been highly successful.

* Charities found that runners using Coopah raised 16% more funds, demonstrating the app's ability to increase confidence and commitment.

* Coopah helps event organizers improve the participant experience.

Key Insights:

* The distinction between a "feature" and a "product" is crucial. Coopah proved to be a valuable stand-alone product.

* The app addresses the need for structured training beyond simply running races to make running a habit.

* The mental health benefit of running is a key element of the Coopah brand.

Challenges:

* Early on, when Pete was featured on the BBC, the app was a minimum viable product, and they were caught off guard by the large influx of users.

* Creating a subscription based product, in a very specific niche.

PRIZE GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a one year subscription to Coopah and a pair of the new Hoka Bondi 9. To enter, subscribe to MoB and comment COOPAH on Substack or on Instagram before the end of March 2025. The giveaway is open from the time this post drops until Monday 3/31 at 11:59pm MST. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted through DMs on Tuesday April 1. Please have your Substack and Instagram DMs open! No purchase necessary.

Guest Pace is a new series on MoB that explores a brand, business or topic in the running industry with a special guest.

This post is a paid partnership with Coopah.Learn more about Coopah at coopah.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amatterofbrand.substack.com/subscribe

As a designer Brent has an emphasis on storytelling and wants products to contribute to the whole brand experience - something I greatly identify with. We chat about:

* Balancing an attention to product details with a broader strategic view.

* The concept of "hitting crescendos" in product launches, similar to creating a film or musical piece.

* The importance of building community and connecting with customers.

* The value of pushing boundaries in design while understanding best practices.

* The challenges and rewards of transitioning from design to product management.

* The complexities of developing sustainable footwear.

* The importance of creating a relationship with the consumer beyond a transaction.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amatterofbrand.substack.com/subscribe

John Meadows is here! John started by slinging shoes in run specialty before becoming one of the first field service reps at Hoka in 2014. After contributing to 10 years of Hoka’s explosive growth he made the move to Salomon to build again. John shares the wild story that led him to Hoka in the first place and how his career almost never happened.

We also discuss:

* Hoka's Rise: The brand's journey from a niche product to a major player in the running shoe market, including the challenges and key factors contributing to its success.

* Product Differentiation: The significance of creating unique products that stand out on the shoe wall.

* The Role of Timing and External Factors: How events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the minimal shoe trend influenced consumer behavior.

* Sales and Marketing Strategies: Including word-of-mouth marketing, strategic account openings, and the interplay between field marketing and sales teams.

* The Customer Experience: Focusing on the importance of comfort and the first impression when trying on shoes.

* Salomon’s Shoe Lineup: The new AeroGlide 3, S-Lab UltraGlide and a future model coming in the gravel category.

* John’s Youtube Career: We’ll never know what could have been but John might have topped my fellow high school alumni, the Paul brothers.

Thanks for reading A Matter of Brand! This post is public so feel free to share it.

PRIZE GIVEAWAY

John and I are giving away THREE pairs of the new AeroGlide 3 from Salomon. Subscribe to MoB and comment “Salomon” here on Substack or on the Instagram post and I’ll choose one commenter at random. No purchase necessary. The giveaway is open from the time this post drops until Friday March 7th at 11:59pm MST. You’ll be notified by Substack or Instagram DM.

A Matter of Brand is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amatterofbrand.substack.com/subscribe

Pete Cooper has been through some difficult times rife with grief and anguish and at times he almost didn’t make it. Despite the risk of an underlying medical condition he discovered running was critical for his mental health and, frankly, his survival. After starting a successful run club he found proper training to be such a barrier for most runners that he was inspired to do something about it. In 2022 Pete put together the bones of a run coaching app to bring the atmosphere of his run crew to a wider audience. He went all in, gave the app to his friends to test and then things got crazy.

A viral marketing moment with 1,000 bananas earned Coopah a BBC news story and got him a call from the London Marathon where Coopah is now the official training partner. Pete had jumped on a rocket ship and is still riding the wave.

I’m so inspired by Pete’s entrepreneurial story and found his energy to be completely contagious. Coopah boasts benefits for both runners and race events that they’ve shown lead to higher finish rates and a more enjoyable experience from 5k up to 100 miles. However, the triumph and passion within Pete’s journey and his savvy marketing and storytelling are surely a secret to Coopah’s success.

PRIZE GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a one year subscription to Coopah and a pair of the new Hoka Bondi 9. To enter, subscribe to MoB and comment COOPAH with your reason for running on this post before the end of February. The giveaway is open from the time this post drops until Friday 2/28 at 11:59pm MST. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted through DMs on Monday March 3rd. Please have your Substack DMs open! No purchase necessary.

Guest Pace is a new series on MoB that explores a brand, business or topic in the running industry with a special guest. Paid MoB members can submit questions via the member chat.

This post is a paid partnership with Coopah.Learn more about Coopah at coopah.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amatterofbrand.substack.com/subscribe

Five years ago Hilary Fenet had an idea to create a tool that helps curate the event experience for participants, organizers and brand sponsors. It started out as an idea for women but, as races grew to became multi-day activations with fans, run crews, brands and athletes, the scope quickly exploded.

What is Halo and how does it help brands, races and even athletes or creators to curate an event experience for fans?

How was their first launch event a Javelina? What’s next?

What are they learning along the way as the business takes off?

What does Hilary see for the future of activations at races and events?

Guest Pace is a new series on MoB that explores a brand, business or topic in the running industry with an expert guest. Paid members can submit questions via the chat.

This post is a paid partnership with Halo.Learn more about Halo at poweredbyhalo.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amatterofbrand.substack.com/subscribe

The influencer conversation is always a hot topic because it plays such a big part in so many marketing decisions. I met Regan at TRE and we had a great conversation where I learned a ton. I wanted to make this convo more public for us all to absorb and discuss.

First a couple quick things.

LA Fires. To all of the people affected by the fires in the LA area; it is a deeply traumatic experience. The parallels to the Marshall Fire that affected my neighborhood, friends and family have been chilling. Please don’t think twice about reaching out if it might help to hear about my experience with our children, insurance, home repairs, donations, fundraisers or just persisting anxiety on windy days.

Auteur Sportif. I had a breakthrough this past week and my vision is becoming crystal clear. It’s a lifestyle born from running that emphasizes craft, effort and process. We embody intentional living in a digital world that wants an algorithm to decide our interests. Now it’s time to tell the story. Let’s gooo!

Get our Ultralight Lifestyle Sock for free with the purchase of another item when you subscribe to the email list. After confirming your email the code will be in the welcome email.

Newsletter Sponsor. If your brand is interested in associating itself with this niche conversation at the center of our sport please reply to this email. We’re an inch wide but a mile deep and there’s a lot of value in that. I have ideas for sponsorship within this context and would love to talk.

I’d greatly appreciate your help to grow this space by sharing or subscribing.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming . . .

Regan Cleminson is the CEO of Coastline Creatives which manages some of the most popular digital creators in the running space. She ran track & field in college but after a scare at the Boston Marathon bombing was inspired to embark on her journey from “ice cream to influencers”.

Coastline works with creators in food & lifestyle, cocktail & beverage and sport - the running industry in particular. Within running they work with Erin Azar (@immrsspacecadet), Mike Ko (@Kofuzi), Alex Hermanson (@Herm.runs), Courtney Kitchen (@court.marathon.runner), Tommie Runz (@tommie_runz), Vanessa Fraser (@nessafraser) and many others.

Regan describes the essence of her role as making connections between brand and creator stories. The magic is in that overlap/intersection and good things happen when relevant product stories are embedded within a creator’s journey to achieve their goals.

Here are my notes and takeaways:

* Collaboration across industries (16:00). Success has come from running brands pushing outside running to other areas (like food & beverage) and working with creators there. She sees the beauty & travel industries starting to reach into running for creators and is hoping for more crossovers to come about this year.

* What a successful creator strategy looks like (19:25). Kofuzi is winning because of his transparency. It creates trust and loyalty that brand marketing could never. The balance between his gear reviews and storytelling is a masterclass. His audience “comes for the specs but stays for narrative.”

* Brand/creator opportunities (23:00). Body diversity falls way short in running. Not just with shoes but apparel too. There’s an opportunity for brands to capture feedback from newer runners that don’t feel experienced enough to do so.

* Athletes as creators (31:05). Social media has made athletes into creators. The opportunity is to connect with an audience around aspects of their story beyond sport. Pursuing this opportunity is a non-negotiable for financial longevity. As a result of this athlete/creator evolution we now see hybrid agencies popping up like Be Engaged. Coastline currently doesn’t have any certified sports agents on their team . . . yet, but athletes are now being held to a standard as a creator as well. In a sign of the times Regan is now NIL certified just like other sports agents I know.

* Female athletes will lead the creator transition (33:35). Women are particularly well positioned for the athlete/creator crossover because they have always needed to be diversified to succeed within a traditional model that undervalued their athletic talents. This is driving the energy in women’s sports and will give it staying power long into the future. This is so spot on!

* The Matt Choi situation at the NYC Marathon (37:25). Influencers must remember they are representing not just themselves but their audience and brand partners too. In this case Choi’s ambition reached too far and he lost partnerships as a result. But these moments don’t define the entire industry. Mistakes happen but a creator can’t make the same mistake twice. The creators that listen and adapt will thrive going forward.

* 2025 predictions (42:30)

* This is the year of deeper more interactive engagement including in-person activations. Regan cites Burberry’s “Wrapped in Burberry” campaign using top customers like this couple from Nebraska that has been wearing nothing but Burberry for over 20 years. It’s a story of brand fanatics.

* Regan loves the surprise and delight strategy and empowering influencers to do so on behalf of the brand. Creating and amplifying these moments is a big opportunity to build loyalty.

* The rise of Instagram broadcast channels. Regan has leveraged these in brand pitches. Because people have opted into them the engagement is sky high.

* Strava could be a huge opportunity for running but they need to be less mysterious about how influencers can leverage community there. It’s hard to calculate engagement without any API integration. Tommie Runz gets 1400 kudos on a tempo run and has 20k followers.

Thank you all for reading! I’d greatly appreciate your help to grow this space by sharing or subscribing. And, as always, let’s continue the conversation in the comments and the chat.

To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amatterofbrand.substack.com/subscribe