You may have seen an unknown brand of shoes in your local running store recently, and if you haven't there is a good chance you will see them soon. Take note of the name Salming, because it looks like a brand that has had great success in Europe will soon be a major player in the United States as well. I first heard of Salming while looking for shoes online. Then a day later I was on Facebook and noticed the same company promoting their brand and doing a monthly give away. I had some questions about this new brand like most of you would, so I decided to go right to the source and get some more information about their brand. I was fortunate enough to be able to ask Chief Marketing Officer, David Field some basic questions in hopes we will all have a better idea of what to expect when this product is on the shelf at most of our local running stores. Hopefully this interview will make you excited as it did for me to try these new shoes.
1. Salming running shoes may be new to the US market, but they have had success in Europe, why is just recently the US is starting to see your product?
It’s important that as a company we grow the Salming brand the right way. For us that means taking a slower more personal approach. While we have been very successful in Europe (most recently being named ‘Best Debut’ by Runner’s World) the American market comes with it’s own set of challenges and rewards. In a market the size of the United States it was important that we had a team in place that could continue growing the brand the Salming way.
2. What differs your brand from the mainstream brands that are top players in the market right now?
At Salming we use the phrase ‘No Nonsense’. What that means is that we build shoes incorporating a holistic view of running, providing a lightweight organic ride leaving out useless features, gimmicks or factory add-ons. So how do we do that? We have one of the only 4D running labs in the world (16 high-speed cameras. 35 reference points. The thing is incredible). Over the years the research and development team at Salming has been able to use the information gathered from the RunLab to create a first in class product with the perfect balance of cushion, support and feel.
3. Where is the price line for your product compared to the other brands that are on the market now?
Salming is competitive with it’s pricing among other high-end running brands.
4. Say a person does buy a pair of Salming running shoes and really likes them, how often do you release an upgraded model of that shoe. It seems like most companies launch a new model at least once a year. Is this something we can expect to see from your brand as well?
Absolutely. Salming will have a spring line out next year that will include a much talked about Trail shoe.
5. Every person who runs has a different running style and different needs when it comes to buying a pair of shoes, how has your company addressed that issue with your product?
This is where the state of the art RunLab comes in again. We’ve developed a shoe that allows your foot to react naturally, promoting an ideal mid-foot strike. Our shoes have been successful with virtually every style of runner in not only improving personal bests but also in staying injury free.
6. How will distribution take place in the US? Are you already in a stores pipeline or will these be at a variety running stores?
Salming currently is available via select retailers and through our Web Shop. We will continue to grow our distribution through run specialty shops across the United States. A list of current store locations is available on our website.
7. The average running shoe is said to get 300 miles before it needs to be replaced, how can we expect your shoes to hold up for the mileage?
This isn’t an exact science. Every runner is different. But typically your average person should get between 300-500 miles with our Distance, A2 or Speed models.
8. Is there anything you would like to tell us that I may not have asked you about your brand?
Salming is headquartered in Gothenburg Sweden, with US operations based out of Raleigh, Carolina.
Please take a look at their site: www.salmingrunning.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment