ON - тихий люкс в мире кроссовок? 💎 И почему они вдруг стали такими популярными? История бренда

Overview

On grew from a Zurich running-shoe startup founded in 2010 into a global sports and lifestyle brand. Its growth combined a distinctive product, hands-on retail selling, and carefully chosen cultural partnerships. The playbook evolved from winning over runners and specialist retailers to expanding into tennis, fashion, and everyday wear.

Business Strategy and Growth Playbook

• Differentiate through the product experience. Co-founder and former professional triathlete Olivier Bernhard wanted to create a new feeling of running. Early prototypes used pieces of garden hose attached to shoe soles; the concept evolved into CloudTec cushioning, designed to provide both a soft landing and a responsive push-off.
• Demonstrate the product directly. Rather than relying on conventional presentations to retailers, On invited buyers to run in the shoes. Experiencing the product firsthand helped retailers understand what made it different and made the sales pitch more credible.
• Use wholesale distribution to scale. Retailer relationships are described as a cornerstone of On’s success. During the COVID period, Nike reduced some wholesale relationships, leaving shelf space that On and other brands could fill. This timing helped On expand its retail presence, especially in the US.
• Build credibility in a focused niche, then broaden the market. On initially targeted runners and triathletes, supported by athletes’ results. It later expanded beyond running into tennis, hiking, fitness, and lifestyle footwear.
• Turn product credibility into brand identity. Minimalist design and premium pricing helped the brand appeal beyond athletes, including technology entrepreneurs and luxury-fashion consumers. The video characterizes this positioning as “quiet luxury.”
• Choose partnerships that reinforce the brand. Roger Federer became both a collaborator and investor. Later partnerships and endorsements—including Loewe and Zendaya—extended On’s reach into tennis, fashion, and popular culture. Limited seasonal fashion capsules and product placement in Challengers helped introduce the brand to new audiences.
• Protect strategic control while raising capital. On went public in 2021 but used a dual-class share structure. According to the video, selected shareholders’ higher-tier shares carried 10 votes each, compared with one vote for publicly traded shares.

Product and Operations

• CloudTec: Sole elements compress on impact and return to shape for cushioning and rebound. Their geometry and materials vary by model and intended use.
• Model-specific design: Some models use CloudTec elements arranged for smoother transitions, while thicker-soled models use two layers for added cushioning. The video says On removed the Speedboard from some models from 2023 onward, while retaining lightweight plates in certain racing shoes to support acceleration.
• Materials and manufacturing: The video describes lightweight foam, seamless engineered-mesh uppers, and increasing use of recycled materials. It cites one model with an upper made from 70% recycled yarn, dyed using a process said to save 90% of water, and another with 35–40% recycled content.
• LightSpray: This robotic process sprays polymer onto a shoe last to form an upper, rather than stitching multiple upper parts together. The video says a Boston Marathon winner wore a pre-release version in 2024.
• Choice by use case: The range differentiates products by fit, cushioning, speed, distance, and activity. The company’s expansion beyond running is reflected in the brand name’s shift from On Running to On.

Metrics and Milestones Cited

• 2010: On was founded in Zurich by Olivier Bernhard, David Allemann, and Caspar Coppetti.
• One month after founding: The video says On received an innovation award in Munich that helped attract its first private investors.
• 2011: A University of Zurich study reportedly found lower heart rates and blood lactate levels among runners wearing On shoes than among those wearing other brands.
• 2012: Swiss triathlete Nicola Spirig won Olympic gold in On shoes, and Belgian athlete Frederik Van Lierde won the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.
• 2019: Federer began collaborating with On and acquired a reported 3% stake.
• 2021 IPO: On raised $746 million at a reported $7.3 billion valuation.
• Growth and scale: The video states that revenue grew 70–80% annually over seven years and reached $2.8 billion in 2024. It also cites a projection that On would overtake ASICS in revenue by 2026.
• Pricing: Running shoes are described as typically costing $150–$220, above the average price of Nike performance running shoes.
• Product weight: The video emphasizes shoe weight as a performance factor and says a 50-gram increase can affect performance. It also claims the lightest competitor models can be 50–70 grams lighter than On’s lightest models.

Risks and Execution Challenges

• Intensifying competition: The video says Nike and Adidas have renewed their focus on innovation and product launches. Their scale, budgets, and established brand recognition make them difficult competitors.
• Tariff exposure: On’s shoes are described as being manufactured in Vietnam despite the company’s Swiss engineering and branding. The video warns that tariffs could increase costs and potentially be passed on to consumers.
• Product-quality and customer-service risk: A US class-action lawsuit was reportedly filed over some On shoes developing a squeak after use. The complaints also concern the company’s handling of warranty returns. The case’s outcome was unknown at the time of the video, but negative social-media coverage was already a reputational concern.
• Sustaining growth: The video frames On’s next challenge as maintaining momentum after rapid expansion while defending its premium positioning and meeting higher expectations from customers and investors.

Presenter and Sources Mentioned

• Presenter: Olga Kraisman
• Sources and people referenced: On co-founder Olivier Bernhard and On’s founding team; Roger Federer; a 2011 University of Zurich study; reporting by The Wall Street Journal, The Information, Financial Times, and Forbes.