Merrell puts its barefoot forward
‘B
arefoot’ seems to be the buzz word in the marketplace at the moment, and as a brand we seem to be on the cusp of the next game changer in the footwear market.
Chris McDougall’s book ‘Born To Run’ challenged the way we run, proclaiming that going back to running ‘barefoot’ and allowing your body to follow it’s natural gait will help reduce the risk of injury. But running barefoot isn’t really an option for most of us as we still need a degree of protection from hard uneven and unpredictable ground. It was that demand which created the current market opportunities.
And while the trend was born out of running, we see the opportunity much wider. The barefoot concept can transcend into any type of footwear, whether that’s lifestyle/casual, watersports, trail running or sandals.
How big the market becomes is difficult to predict but we are seeing very encouraging signs. We are a few weeks into the consumer phase of our launch in the UK and the reaction has been very positive and we are excited to see it progress.
What has been interesting has been the take up from the press, especially the national and lifestyle media who have really taken to the growing trend. The UK market is at a much more embryonic stage than the US market, which is much further developed. History tells us that the European market follows a lot of trends in terms of footwear from the US. You just have to look at the running boom in the 1970s, the basketball boom in the 1990s or the recent health and well being trend to see how we follow the US. If this is anything to go by barefoot will be huge in the UK and Europe, with Merrell having had a
phenomenal first season in the US.
The barefoot movement is also often referred to as ‘minimalist
footwear’, with shoes
offering reduced
heel-to-toe drop compared to
Trail Glove
traditional running shoes. The Merrell barefoot collection is what we call ‘pure barefoot’ which means it has zero heel-to-toe drop – the distance between the heel and toe level. While some brands are doing minimalist with 2mm or 4mm drop, we wanted to launch with true barefoot, where there is no drop. This focused approach to what ‘barefoot’ is allows us to establish a strong position and credibility within
Pace Glove
Selling: Running
Merrell has moved into the barefoot running market at a time when the world is going crazy for these types of shoe, so its UK marketing manager Jonathan Pennington tells SGB Sports.
the core market and create a platform for growth.
Merrell’s barefoot collection lets your feet find their own landing pads and makes your stride more efficient. By encouraging forward momentum, by a subtle shift from your heels to midfoot landing, it allows for a more efficient and aligned lower impact gait.
Common form runners typically demonstrate heel strike first landing on a straight knee with their foot well in front of their hips. This is usually a low cadence of around 140 steps per minute and with very little lean. Bareform runners typically demonstrate a midfoot strike, landing on a bent knee with the foot closer to being under their hips. They have a higher cadence; around 180 steps per minute with a slight lean forward from the ankle.
This all helps Merrell communicate the brand to a much wider audience. The top priority for the brand is to grow our awareness and barefoot we see as a huge opportunity to help us achieve this.
barefoot tips
1. Start with the barefoot basics and build up from there
2. Practice correct technique
3. Barefoot builds muscles, so take it slow and steady to start
4. Listen to your body when first starting out with barefoot training
5. Stick to familiar terrain for ease when you first start barefoot training 6. Set achievable goals
7. As barefoot training develops your strength, agility and balance, raise your game 8. Be smart – don’t overstretch yourself
www.sgb-sports.com 27 Merrell’s
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