The Why:

Athletic brand HOKA had three goals for Q1 of 2020: distinguish themselves from competitors like Nike and Adidas, grow awareness beyond their core runner audience, and launch their first apparel line. They had just begun to champion their new brand mantra “Time To Fly”—intended to empower a world of athletes to fly over the earth—but they weren’t sure how to deliver the story, and needed a solution that married their goals with the new narrative.

The Articulation:

As their editorial consultant, I partnered with a creative director to conceptualize and write the vehicle to accomplish these goals while bringing their mantra to life: their first-ever catalog that told the story of a very atypical athletic brand. To differentiate from the adrenaline-pumping approach of most athletic brands, we hit less on pure athleticism and emphasized the joy of movement—what it meant to “fly” over the earth. That emotional benefit drove the editorial strategy, which was executed through bold, empowering language and human-centric storytelling meant to motivate and inspire. 

Emotion opens the book with a cover that captures that exhilarating moment after a run, already flipping the script on the assumptions of athleticism—it’s not all pain and misery. The opening message invites the reader into the unique world of HOKA, one where we defy expectations, pursue limitless possibilities, and delight in adventure—all to run like the wind and touch the sky. 

From there, the book is organized by HOKA’s three primary shoe collections—Glide, Sky, and Fly—presenting each through the experience of the shoe. Apparel is merchandised throughout as added performance value. Editorial features create pacing between sections and spotlight “humans of Hoka”—real people who faced adversity to reach their truest potential, showing new consumers that they, too, can chase their wildest dreams and soar above and beyond. Touchpoints to the brand heritage are seen in callouts throughout to further contextualize the HOKA brand.

The Response:

The book became the strategic impetus for global storytelling across all of HOKA’s channels, beginning the evolution of HOKA as a less-known athletic brand to a leader in the category—helping to increase both consumer acquisition and purchase frequency across all categories.