Saucony's Trainer 80 – From Trackstar To Tastemaker

Client: Saucony/Wolverine Worldwide

Saucony’s relaunch of the iconic Trainer 80 marked a bold cultural reset, transforming a heritage performance shoe into a symbol of modern identity. With no reliance on scale, we led with soul – reviving the brand’s community-first ethos and fusing athletic legacy with subcultural relevance. The campaign repositioned Saucony from track to street, trading personal bests for a collective best, and was hailed by Hypebeast as a true rebirth.

By targeting tastemakers over mass reach, we built credibility through authentic partnerships—Your Friendly Runners, Balamii Radio, and Uniform Display—blending fashion, music, and community. Our Soho House of 80s launch event became a cultural beacon, while content collaborations and shoppable media closed the loop from culture to commerce.

The results were extraordinary: 550% total ROAS, 892% ROAS in the UK, +140% uplift in purchase intent, and a 45% YoY increase in DTC revenue. With 100% positive sentiment and 3.3M organic impressions, we didn’t just sell a shoe—we reshaped brand perception.

This was more than a product launch. It was a brand renaissance.

As Saucony’s EMEA Brand Director put it, “This campaign rewrote our playbook.” A true collective stride forward for the brand – where soul met sole.