• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, March 6, 2017

Reebok is tiptoeing back into the elite running market with the launch of its new FloatRide Run, relying this time on a network of influencers rather than broader media efforts.

Because this $150 shoe is for serious runners, Reebok says it needed to invest in credibility, rather than the splashy advertising approach it used in launching the ZPump several years ago.

“We’re not an established running brand,” says James Woolard, brand director at Reebok. “Frankly, a brand saying it’s done all its research to create this fantastic shoe doesn’t have much impact. But using influencers to tell others about how our shoes compare is really powerful.”

The shoe, built on the principle of advanced cushioning, has been in the hands of some 1,150 running experts corralled by Experticity, a Salt Lake City-based platform of influencers with more than 1 million category experts. 

“The crux of this initiative was a need to show consumers what these independent advocates think, and let them tell this incredible cushioning story with this shoe,” he tells Marketing Daily. “That’s especially important, “since we may continue to invest in this cushioning platform for the next 2, 3, 5 or even 10 years.”

Kevin Knight, Experticity’s CMO, says the group, called the Reebok Elite, will create reviews and other content that Reebok can use to reach out to others. “These influencers are serious runners. They’re high school track coaches, for instance, and marathoners and ultra-marathoners. Their posts and content will have an impact on the end consumer, who is the mainstream runner.”

Reebok, based in Canton, Mass., is no stranger to the use of influencers and has carved a strong niche for itself with the CrossFit community, including CrossFit branded products and sponsoring competitions.

But it’s a difficult time to break into the already-tough running category. While sales of “lifestyle” running shoes are up about 40%, according to the NPD Group, performance running—representing about 80% of the category—are down in the high-single digits. “Most of the major brands in performance running have struggled,” writes Matt Powell, NPD’s analyst, in a report last year, “with Adidas being a standout exception.” Adidas is Reebok’s parent company.

Woolard says follow-up marketing will be “an extension of this credibility push,” with ads in magazines like Runner’s World and a presence at running events.