Tracksmith is running a masterclass on how to build a DTC brand from the ground up
Over the last 12 months, I’ve completely fallen in love with Tracksmith, a new kind of running brand that positions themselves as the “champion” for the non-professional yet competitive runners dedicated to the pursuit of personal excellence.
While their products are great and have become an integral part of my running wardrobe, I’ve been more impressed by how they’ve built their brand and digital presence.
I constantly find myself referencing them to clients, so thought I’d cover what they’re doing well for other DTC brands looking for inspiration.
Cohesive look and feel
The brand is consistent in its use colors and elevated typefaces to give the brand a premium aesthetic without feeling out of reach. Even more interesting is their use of the hare for their mark, reinforcing speed & movement.
As you browse through their site, it’s clear Tracksmith made a conscious decision to invest in lifestyle driven-photography to showcase their products in their natural environment.
For example, when checking out the product display page for this crew top, the brand introduces the product with a full-bleed image showing a runner wearing the product, before getting into the product’s details. On this page alone, there are 9 (!) lifestyle photos showing the product in action & highlighting specific details. You really get a sense for what you’re buying.
Photography is an investment, but one that makes sense if you’re trying to sell a lifestyle (not just a product).
Storytelling formats
When it comes to digital marketing, Tracksmith is best-in-class. They employ the concept of “Storytelling over selling,” to help their community understand how the product fits into their lives.
Their format goes something like this:
- Introduce the product through a lifestyle image and compelling headline
- Explain the “why” behind the product
- Show more lifestyle images with the product be used in its natural environment (with CTAs to purchase)
- Introduce the benefits behind key features
- Show more lifestyle images of the features/benefits (with CTAs to purchase)
What’s nice about this format is that it’s easy to implement across multiple touch points. Tracksmith repackages their content across email, social and and product pages to show runners how their products make their lives better.
Welcoming & inclusive to all runners
When you first get to Tracksmith’s site, it’s immediately clear they take accessibility seriously.
They have a tab on their site (that works on both desktop and mobile) to help customers:
- Adjust the size and readability of the font
- Adjust the colors (if they’re color blind)
- Adjust the navigation & animation of the site
It’s incredibly thoughtful, and something I haven’t seen many e-commerce or DTC brands employ. Beyond being incredibly helpful to underserved customers, it signals that they care.
Additionally, Tracksmith does a fantastic job of highlighting a diverse community through their photography. After browsing the site and their social media, it’s obvious the brand isn’t just for white men.
A mantra that moves the needle
Tracksmith’s winter mantra “No days off” is more than campaign; it’s a call to action, that’s easy to remember, and speaks to the customer’s aspiration (to stay consistent with training, even when it’s cold).
It reminds me a lot of Outdoor Voices (“Doing things”), Everlane (“100% human”), and of course Nike (“Just do it”).
While other brands see their tagline as marketing on a website, Tracksmith parlays their mantra into a new product line producing including shirts, calendars, and accessories to help runners express say something about themselves.
Community-driven loyalty program
More recently, Tracksmith launched “Hare A.C.” a membership club for racers. For $128 per year, runners get a team kit complete with the official singlet, membership number, welcome letter and first dibs on new drops.
I find two things about their program extremely compelling:
First, they start with why: “Hare A.C.” is more than a new line of revenue — it’s purpose-driven program to designed to help the brand deliver on its mission.
Secondly, it comes with an extremely lucrative P.R. bonus ($100 in store credit) for any runner who achieves a personal record while wearing Tracksmith.
This not only gets more runners racing in Tracksmith (win for the brand as it sparks virality in the perfect environment), but also makes the membership fee extremely reasonable (win for the runner — only $28 if you P.R.).
Offline events
Tracksmith has been able to win the hearts of runners by letting them experience the magic of their brand offline. They throw events at major marathons (i.e. Boston, New York, Chicago, Tokyo, etc.) with pop-ups that feature talks, warm up runs, merchandise and more.
One of my favorite activations was seeing Tracksmith create posters for runners who set a personal record commemorating their race.
Future opportunities
Tracksmith has done an impressive job creating a grassroots brand from the ground up in a short amount of time. As a runner and brand strategist, I’m a huge fan and can’t wait to see their next chapter.
Here are a few opportunities I could see them moving into to as they continue to scale:
- Training programs: I could see them partnering with famous runners to release training programs for runners of all different levels to prepare for their next milestone whether it be a 10k or a marathon.
- Coaching: Tracksmith has built up enough brand equity to offer coaching-as-a-service. I could see them hiring a set of coaches to work with runners directly to help them achieve their goals, eat right, and recover properly.
- City guides: The best part of traveling as a runner is the opportunity to explore a new city. I could see Tracksmith selling curated city guides with the best running paths to explore new places.
Tracksmith is the perfect example of a brand that innovates from a clear North Star. Everything they do is for a specific audience (“The Running Class”) with a deliberate vision to offer well-considered and authentic products for training, racing and recovery. Excited to see how they continue to innovate and inspire runners to reach their goals.
