Matt’s UTMB Lowdown

Matt Walsh made it back to Chamonix this year and gives us the report on Trailmix from the various brands present in the valley looking for activation opportunities. Here are my highlights from his observations:

• Rumour had it that Adidas is to remove the Terrex brand next year and make it simply outdoor in a bid to simplify their branding. No one in their pop-up could confirm that.

I’m here for it as I never loved the Terrex name, but also worry that these big brands endlessly waffling with their sub-brand marketing is not doing them any favors with their fans.

• Door to trail and gravel is the next thing – Mount2Coast, Tracksmith, Salomon, Hoka, Speedland, they all have an offering. No one I spoke to about it knows who the audience is but everyone agrees that people will buy it.

Rebranding the “door to trail shoe” as gravel is actually a brilliant move. Let’s just hope the brands keep the prices reasonable and don’t feel need to upmarket these every day running shoes.

• Pop-ups were the trend du jour this year with Nike, Hoka and Kailas all taking up space to show their wares how they wanted. These shops were consistently packed.
• … I’m hoping next year brands have a little more… creativity.

I wonder if these two things are related and the results of UTMB cracking down on ambush marketing. I heard that branded paraglider weren’t allowed this year – something I thought was a brilliant move by Brooks last year. (Update: I am told both Hoka and Brooks had branded paraglider above Chamonix village this year.) The “power hiker”/meme account partnership felt pretty creative to me though.