Dive Brief:
- Hoka is introducing its largest global integrated marketing campaign to date after recently surpassing $1 billion in sales, according to a news release.
- The Deckers Brands-owned sportswear shoe marketer centered the concept on murmuration, a flocking behavior seen in birds like starlings. A 60-second anthem spot uses striking visuals to reinforce the notion that distance runners and casual walkers feel like they are flying together in Hokas.
- “Murmuration” expands on a “Fly Human Fly” creative platform Hoka debuted last year and will appear across owned media, out-of-home, connected TV, digital and paid social on apps like TikTok, Meta and Snapchat.
Dive Insight:
Hoka is hoping to extend a strong run of sales by enacting its most ambitious integrated marketing play to date. The campaign was created with agency Anomaly after FCB helped develop “Fly Human Fly,” its first global marketing effort, last year. “Murmuration” still uses the #FlyHumanFly hashtag and tagline. The brand will roll out two additional ads in the months ahead to support its Mach X performance running shoe and an eco-conscious Anacapa 2 GTX hiking boot, respectively.
A 60-second anthem spot kicking off “Murmuration” offers a high-concept take on an avian behavior that has inspired awe in casual onlookers and birdwatching enthusiasts alike. The camera initially tracks a runner in the woods at the ground level before tilting up to show what seems to be a murmuration of birds overhead. Closer inspection reveals the group is actually a legion of Hoka wearers — along with some animal companions — as they run, walk and hike on air as a collective. As the ad closes out, the group arranges in the Hoka logo, shaped as a bird taking wing, complemented by the “Fly Human Fly” tagline.
Creative partners Ian Pons Jewell and Leigh Powis directed the video, which features cameos from athlete ambassadors Jan Frodeno and Adelle Tracy. Jewell and Powis are also helming a second commercial focused on the launch of the Mach X performance running shoe. A third and final spot will be directed by Autumn de Wilde and emphasize the joys of hiking with the Anacapa 2 GTX boot.
Hoka is reinforcing the motif of community togetherness by inviting regional running clubs to participate in local Hoka Fly Runs. The first such event is happening today (June 15) in Manhattan, with a starting line placed strategically at a new pop-up store location. The 3,400-square-foot space represents Hoka’s largest retail presence in the U.S. The marketer is additionally donating $100,000 to Achilles International, an organization that works on equal access to endurance events.
Known for their chunky, cushioned soles and often loud color schemes, Hokas have evolved from a niche favorite among long-distance runners to a more mainstream brand, surpassing $1 billion in sales in 2022. The company was acquired by Decker Brands, which also owns Ugg and Teva, in 2013, and has become a key growth driver for its parent company.
