Saucony’s 4-Minute Ad Celebrates the Community in Solo Running

“I didn’t make a four-minute film as an indulgence—it felt like the right length,” he said. “There’s a simplicity to it but also something incredibly captivating about watching people move throughout the world.”

Duo Hot Icarus directed the film, and Stept Studios is the production company. Saucony’s parent company Wolverine Worldwide shot the photography through in-house production team “The Den,” and the photographer is James Lacroix.

The campaign is running across digital, streaming TV, social, and out-of-home. Outdoor placements will also appear in Philadelphia for the Love Philly Run on March 29—a half marathon sponsored by Saucony.

Saucony premiered the film during an event at New York’s Metrograph.

Moving from performance to emotion

“The Runners” is the latest work to come out of Saucony’s ongoing, year-old “Run as One” initiative. The goal is to evolve the brand’s positioning from performance to lifestyle with emotion-driven marketing. Saucony’s recent holiday campaign similarly highlighted running as an emotional activity as opposed to a solo activity.

“What we’ve worked hard at is democratizing the brand and taking running to a larger audience,” said Rob Griffiths, brand president of Saucony. “Sometimes it might not manifest as running—it might manifest as movement, walking, and being active.”

Wolverine Worldwide’s fourth-quarter revenue hit $517.5 million, up 4.6% year-over-year. Alongside Merrell, Saucony remains one of the company’s growth brands—net sales were $125.9 million during the fourth quarter, representing a 26.4% year-over-year gain.