Who is the modern runner?

If you think that running is still a solitary, repetitive and tiring activity, you are definitely mistaken. Few sports or activities have been able to revolutionize their aesthetic and philosophical profile, becoming real creative hubs where a sense of belonging and spirit of sharing are the engines of change. The modern runner is therefore a performance artist, attentive to their choices in terms of style and functionality and demanding towards sports brands, in which they seek representation and loyalty. They cover the different generations equally, with the Gen X (44%) in the lead, followed by Millennials (30%) and Gen Z (15%), and it is estimated that just over 50% are women. And above all, they are more interested in the outdoor and offline aspect of sports compared to all other athletes. According to FiloBlu's analysis, 78% of runners love spending their time outdoors, but among their preferences are also cooking, socializing and traveling, demonstrating how running today has chosen a holistic approach at the center of which are communities.  

"Communities are an important source of information, many of our clients come to the store already with an idea of what to buy, but the product trial is the decisive step in the final choice," confirms Luca Podetti, Founder of Runaway Milano, one of the guests at the Outdoor Business Days event, which took place on May 24th in Riva del Garda. Running has become synonymous with living social and aggregating experiences together with other people who share the same ideals and values, thus expanding the reference groups more and more until they sometimes embrace those who do not practice sports but want to feel part of a movement. For this reason, many communities, running clubs or dedicated stores have started creating merchandise and equipment for their members or customers, thus becoming the perfect target for various sports brands that want to establish themselves with a highly informed and demanding audience.  

According to Nicholas Freddi, eCommerce Director of Game7Athletics, "the modern runner finds themselves at the intersection of trends that are transforming the world of sports and leisure. Traditional themes of wellness and performance have recently been joined by the push towards outdoor activities post-pandemic, the social propulsion of influencers and running communities, the premiumization of footwear, and the revisiting of running clothing in a fashion sense." From the rapid growth of some brands in the lifestyle sector, which were previously only used in performance contexts, to the creation of many others precisely in this intersection between fashion and sports, the aesthetics of running is the new trend in sportswear. The road has become a catwalk, the 42 kilometers a long fashion show, and marathons a Fashion Week.  

In this new scenario, the digital world plays a key role in all stages of the purchasing and experience process. Although running is an offline activity, players in the field cannot avoid having a strong online presence, both in terms of community management and promotion of individual products. The new runner, in fact, has an omnichannel relationship with brands, intertwining digital and physical channels to obtain as much information as possible before making a purchase. And once they have chosen a brand, they become attached to it for a long period, sharing its aesthetics and values. Research obtained from product analysis shows the absence of a dominant channel, highlighting the role of YouTube and TikTok as channels for research, discovery, and gathering information about brands and products, and indicates a considerable variety of brands in the running landscape. The most searched for are Hoka, Asics, and Nike, while more specific brands like On, Salomon, and Saucony are also branching out of their niche through targeted collaborations designed for lifestyle use.

The report on the evolution of the modern runner in Italy was created by FiloBlu, a strategic partner for the development of online business with services in technology, strategy, digital retail, marketplace, customer care, and marketing. You can find it here.