DTC Archive: The Art of Brand Storytelling with Niclas Bornling from Craft Sportswear

Refuse to use the word 'content' — el storytelling no es filling a void, es building meaning; users > consumers

Niclas: 'I refuse to use the word content when it comes to valuable brand storytelling I think that as soon as you use the word content you've gone wrong because the definition of content is something that fills a void right it just fills an empty space and and I when you look at the stories that a brand is putting out there it should never be viewed as filling a void in any company that I have ever worked for any…

word content when it comes to valuable brand storytelling I think that as soon as you use the word content you've gone wrong because the definition of content is something that fills a void right it just fills an empty space and and I when you look at the stories that a brand is putting out there it should never be viewed as filling a void in any company that I have ever worked for any brand that I've ever worked with one of the few things that I hold sacred is to never look at anything that we do for marketing as [Music] content ready to expand your marketing strategy into CTV ads Roku yes…

Escúchalo en el minuto 1:30

Anti-overconsumption como brand purpose: Houdini 'compra 3 shirts para 10 años' — la counterculture vende más que el fast fashion

Niclas: 'I look at Houdini specifically and there's there's there sort of countercultural sort of theme running through them. I think it was on I was on their LinkedIn page and it was like whether you're getting together for an outdoor event or to start a revolution it's better to go with people. And so and and they sort of have this like countercultural you know mentality of of being against overc consump all their…

everyone gets into or that it and I I look at Houdini specifically and there's there's there sort of countercultural sort of theme running through them I think it was on I was on their LinkedIn page and it was like whether you're getting together for an outdoor event or to start a revolution it's better to go with people and so and and they sort of have this like countercultural you know mentality of of being against overc consump all their products are meant to last for you know for Generations they're all you were explaining to me a little bit about the Fabrics about how I I didn't even…

Escúchalo en el minuto 25:07

Salomon TV: ser un media company sin intent — own the channel, own the connection; 'ahead of the curve' antes que YouTube fuera mainstream

Niclas: 'you could say that we didn't set off to become a media company that was never the intent the intent was to to tell great athlete driven stories in the space of of free skiing and within a few years that inspired Salomon running TV that came to fre all of a sudden we had two channels I think those two have been fused since years back now to Salomon TV where the whole sort of span of the brand uh comes into…

um that became uh a discipline in the X Games and and if it wasn't for solon's commitment to the sport it it would never have become an Olympic sport which it is today Solon um invested heavily into adventure racing at the time it was also called multiports the this big races you would go from point A to point Z over The span of a week and you would you would use you know your feet or biking or um white water or whatever it may be huge areas that you would cover today right it's a long long time it's I mean it's coming up on 20 years soon I can't believe that's that's not is that even…

Escúchalo en el minuto 10:48

Trail running: Salomon + On + Hoka crearon una categoría que 'no room for another brand' — el incumbente siempre subestima la disruption

Niclas: 'you have to go back 10 or maybe even 15 years for that matter and I mean I remember at Salomon we were looking at the running space with um like I wouldn't say fear but a lot of respect could we actually be a running brand right you know these discussions were going on all the time. And then we entered into to trail running and and sort of you know were a part of building the trail running Community to what…

save some time to dive into the running shoe space this is this is something I've been I'm a bit of a shoe head myself I do like to run got a different set of Runners for different things I bought a pair of hokas which I just love and I've you know been a huge fan of the incumbents for years whether it's Nike or Adidas and they they've just had a real strangle hold on the running industry or on the on the Footwear industry for so many years but to see just in the last you know five years or as far as I'm concerned probably maybe a little bit before there's been this explosion of these…

Escúchalo en el minuto 30:09

Athlete-driven storytelling: descubre athletes que viven tu brand thesis, documenta sus FKTs — Salomon descubrió trail running via Kilian Jornet

Niclas: 'stories that we were telling um were either athlete driven Sports Marketing as Solon refers to it uh which is both athletes and events uh and Innovation stories product Innovation stories um it was all hinging on a an umbrella uh that I that I mentioned a little bit earlier about Mountain Sports Innovation for Mountain Sports athletes. And from there we drew inspiration for our storytelling and some of the…

space well I mean once again when I was there right which is now a long time ago I left 10 years ago um so lots have happened but uh I mean stories that we were telling um were either athlete driven Sports Marketing as Solon refers to it uh which is both athletes and events uh and Innovation stories product Innovation stories um it was all hinging on a an umbrella uh that I that I mentioned a little bit earlier about Mountain Sports Innovation for Mountain Sports athletes and from there we drew inspiration for our storytelling and some of the best examples of that is you know athletes like…

Escúchalo en el minuto 15:54

Selling in vs selling through: la mayoría de brands enfocan selling in (buyer) y olvidan selling through (educación de staff + customer)

Niclas: 'the real difficulty is to sell through and I think that way too many brands in this space and and many other brands um pay too much attention to selling in and and too little attention to selling through. And then is it literally just about educating is it about going in and wind is it is it like is it like far is it like Pharmaceuticals where you're like whining and dining these these people how do you get…

this space is the shoe store because I it's like any time I've bought a pair like I've bought a pair of Runners it's quite often you're going to these shoe stores and it's like the these the people who sell shoes at Shoe stores like really know their stuff they have the stuff they sell I imagine getting on shelf and getting into their into their what they're recommending is one of the biggest challenges in the shoe space yes absolutely and the thing is that selling in is different it's difficult no question about it but it's possible Right the there's always going to be the store or the shop…

Escúchalo en el minuto 35:09

Hybrid product positioning: el 'in-between' space (road-trail, work-play, fitness-lifestyle) es tu opportunity de niche — most users son multi-context

Niclas: 'most Runners will will not be a pure Road Runner or a pure Trail Runner they'll run on multiple surfaces right the most runs will include a little bit of gravel a little bit of you know easy trails and there'll definitely be a road component to your run as well so having a shoe that delivers really well for that in between sort of hybrid position uh could could be that point of difference that could carve…

has existed for five years only so it's still a very young uh category for craft but it's already aesthetically really pleasing it looks good uh it's driven by a Scandinavian design uh sensitive ity of minimalism and only the necessary components the functional aspect to it everything that you know about Scandinavian design comes to life uh in the shoes itself uh and then comes okay so but what makes it different from a uh from a practice standpoint from a feature benefit standpoint and I think what craft is sort of like really honing into is this hybrid space between trail running and Road…

Escúchalo en el minuto 40:10

Brand es bigger than the product: brand is an idea que la gente quiere ser parte — exclusivity crea desirability

Niclas: 'my thoughts are very often sort of circulating around the idea that a brand is is bigger than the product that it sells. That a brand is an idea that uh that people want to be part of of um and the more secret that is uh the more you're not allowed to be a part of it uh the more you want to be a part of it that the exclusivity right'. La insight filosófica de brand: la gente no compra products, compra ideas…

time to reflect and I think that brands have a role to play in that one there's an aspect of responsibility that comes in being a brand um I know we all want to we all want to sell more and make more money um which is which is great but I think there's actually room for brands that are respecting uh people people's time and I think brands are responsible for um telling great stories that we want to connect with um because as human beings uh we want to connect and we want to believe and we want to be part of something bigger and that may be the simplest way of defining a brand at the end of…

Escúchalo en el minuto 5:01

$100K marketing budget allocation: running specialty ambassadors + local community programs > paid ads — invertí en retail prescriptores, no display

Niclas: 'I would put it in um in gaining recommendation from running specialty in programs that enable um us to have a a direct connection to shops that are that is carrying craft footwork today that would be where I put it. I would put it in ambassadors that are working closely with those stores and the local running communities that surround those stores as well. I would aim as a as a short term objective um to…

here if I were to give you uh $100,000 Grant uh for craft to use in your in your marketing budget how would you how would you think about using that would you be putting it into stories or would you put be putting it into what would you be putting that into if that money had to be spent immediately uh I would put it in um in gaining recommendation from running specialty in programs that enable um us to have a direct connection to shops that are that is carrying craft footwork today that would be where I put it in I would put it in ambassadors that are working closely with those stores and the…

Escúchalo en el minuto 46:00

Listen to athletes + small market signals: Salomon pivotó a trail running porque los adventure race winners pedían 'zapatillas runnable on trails'

Niclas: 'the Solon created the um the adventure racing World Cup at the time and I think that's where the discovery came from uh that that there might be something in this idea about running off the road running on Trails instead uh we could see that the teams that were winning Adventure races at that time were winning those races uh during the uh the hiking portions of it right um which became more more and more of…

may be huge areas that you would cover and um the Solon created the um the adventure racing World Cup at the time and I think that's where the discovery came from uh that that there might be something in this idea about running off the road running on Trails instead uh we could see that the teams that were winning Adventure races at that time were winning those races uh during the uh the hiking portions of it right um which became more more and more of a foot race and you know team started running and they started asking Solomon for shoes that were runnable uh on uh on trails and sort of just…

Escúchalo en el minuto 11:22

Crear un canal de medios propio propia la narrativa y la relación con la audiencia

Salomon FreeSki TV demostró que una marca puede convertirse en una compañía de medios owning su propio canal. Al crear Salomon TV, Salomon posee los medios, la conexión con el usuario y la historia completa. El ROI de un canal propio supera ampliamente el sponsoring de producciones de terceros.

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El storytelling es 90% del marketing; la amplificación es solo 10%

El buen marketing es 90% storytelling y el 10% restante es amplificación de esa historia. Sin una buena historia, no importa cuánto se amplifique: solo se amplifica el vacío.

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La palabra 'contenido' minusvalora el storytelling de marca

La palabra 'contenido' implica llenar un vacío, algo genérico y descartable. Las marcas deben tratar su storytelling como algo sagrado, no como contenido genérico de contenedor de envío. Las palabras importan y comunican el nivel de respeto que la marca tiene por su propia narrativa.

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Vender a-traves supera en dificultad y valor a vender-dentro en retail especializado

La mayoria de marcas focusean en selling-in (lograr presencia en tienda) pero descuidan selling-through (generar recomendacion del vendedor). En footwear especializado, el selling-through es el verdadero reto porque determina si el inventario se renueva.

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Historias de atletas con arco narrativo generan contenido autentico

Athletes que superan adversity (Tommy Rivs con 15% capacidad pulmonar corriendo Boston) generan narrativas memorables. La colaboracion athlete-product development crea historias genuinas que funcionan para ads y storytelling de marca sin parecer marketing.

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Reemplazar 'sostenibilidad' por 'negocio responsable' para evitar greenwashing

La palabra 'sostenibilidad' ha sido arrastrada por el lodo, se ha convertido en genérica y está asociada al greenwashing. Es preferible hablar de 'negocio responsable', que implica responsabilidad por cada aspecto del negocio: producto, cadena de suministro, fin de vida del producto, y más.

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De 'consumidor' a 'usuario': cambiar la palabra transforma la relación

En lugar de 'consumidor', usar 'usuario' transforma la relación de la marca con las personas. Los usuarios usan los productos para mejorar su vida, no los consumen. Esta Semántica afecta el diseño del producto, la estrategia de comunicación y la responsabilidad extendida de la marca (como en Houdini con la economía circular).

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El trabajo 'poco glamoroso' construye la biblioteca de historias que luego genera cultura

Salomon pasó años haciendo trabajo invisible y 'poco cool' en el fondo. Ese trabajo acumulado creó una biblioteca de historias auténticas que hoy permite a la marca sumergirse en la cultura. Las acciones-hidden construyen el capital narrativo que después se traduce en coolness cultural.

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Existes-athletes como ambassadors generan credibilidad de marca

Crear un equipo de athletes con historias autenticas (resiliencia, superacion, compromiso) genera material de storytelling y crediblidad orgnica. Los athletes funcionan como puntos de entrada a comunidades locales de running, especialmente cuando trabajan cerca de tiendas especializadas.

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Tres arquetipos de marca para entrar en retail especializado

Marcas grandes como Nike generan demanda propia y atraen trafico. Marcas como Brooks ganan por recomendacion a traves de educar al vendedor. Marcas disruptivas como Hoka entran por wow factor con productos diferenciados que redefinen la categoria.

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Presupuesto limitado va a programas de recomendacion local geograficamente concentrados

Con $100k para una marca joven de footwear, la mejor inversion es en specialty running stores con ambassadors locales conectados a esas tiendas y comunidades. En lugar de alcance broad, la concentracion geografica permite construir recomendacion profunda en areas especificas.

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El espacio hibrido trail-carretera captura al runner real

La mayoria de runners no son puros de trail ni de carretera. Corren en superficies mixtas (asfalto, grava, senderos faciles). Posicionar un zapato como hibrido responde a este comportamiento real, creando un espacio diferenciable sin competir directamente con incumbentes puros.

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CRM y email para convertir comunidad existente a nueva categoria

Cuando una marca con historia en una categoria (apparel) expande a otra (footwear), el primer paso es activar la base de clientes existente via CRM y email marketing. Ya existe comunidad aware de la marca que necesita un puente hacia la nueva oferta.

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Una marca es una idea, no un producto

Una marca es más grande que el producto que vende. Es una idea que las personas quieren pertenecer. Cuanto más secreta y exclusiva es esa idea, más personas quieren ser parte de ella. La pertenencia a una marca es el motor del deseo.

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Las marcas contraculturales generan deseo al posicionarse contra el consumo excesivo

Houdini construye deseo siendo contracultural: contra la sobreconsumo, a favor de productos para generaciones, anti-fast fashion. Este posicionamiento anti-consumista crea pertenencia y deseo en vez de rechazarlos. La narrativa de marca se convierte en un movimiento cultural, no solo en una tienda.

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Personal branding es infrautilizado por marketers profesionales

Marketers son los peores en marketearse a si mismos. En 2024, el personal branding dentro del B2B es subestimado. La emergencia de individuos como marcas monetizables (influencers, athlete brands, celebrity brands) apenas comienza en el espacio DTC.

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Las marcas tienen responsabilidad de respetar el tiempo de las personas

En un mundo saturado de ruido y mensajes, las marcas tienen la responsabilidad de contar historias que la gente quiera escuchar. Las personas necesitan menos contenido y más tiempo para reflexionar. Una marca que respeta el tiempo de su audiencia genera conexión y pertenencia.

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Nichos insuficientes segun incumbentes siempre tienen espacio para challenger brands

Cuando los incumbentes declaran que no hay espacio para otra marca en una categoria, esa declaracion es una oportunidad para challenger brands. Hoka y On iniciaron con percepcion de mercado saturado y alcanzaron mas de mil millones en ingresos.

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DTC es un punto en el journey de compra, no un canal isolado

El viaje de compra en footwear incluye discovery en redes, consideracion en wholesale, recomendacion en tienda especializada y conversiones en canales owned. DTC debe verse como parte integral del journey donde puede ocurrir la conversion final, no como estrategia separada del retail.

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DTC es un punto en el journey de compra, no un canal isolado

El viaje de compra en footwear incluye discovery en redes, consideracion en wholesale, recomendacion en tienda especializada y conversiones en canales owned. DTC debe verse como parte integral del journey donde puede ocurrir la conversion final, no como estrategia separada del retail.

Escúchalo en el minuto 0:00

Cambiar el factor de forma del producto genera entrada categorica

Hoka revoluciono el running con su suela gruesa distintiva. Ese cambio visual radical creo una nueva categoria perceptual que facilito la entrada a retail y la conversacion con consumidores. El silencio del incumbente respecto al factor de forma es seal de que el espacio esta abierto.

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Tres pilares del storytelling en Salomon: historias de atletas, innovación de producto y un paraguas unificador

Las historias de marca en Salomon se organizan en tres niveles: marketing deportivo centrado en atletas y eventos, historias de innovación de producto, y un paraguas estratégico ('Mountain Sports Innovation') que unifica y da coherencia a toda la narrativa de marca.

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La curiosidad como motor de evolución de marca

La curiosidad interna para explorar nuevas prácticas y formas de disfrutar el outdoor ha sido el diferenciador constante de Salomon. Esta curiosidad impulsó el snowboarding, el adventure racing, el trail running y eventualmente la entrada en la cultura mainstream. Las marcas icónicas mantienen la curiosidad como valor corporativo.

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Diseño centrado en el atleta: co-crear con athletes para definir el DNA del producto

El DNA de diseño de Salomon se define junto con atletas de Mountain Sports. Este compromiso con el atleta profesional se traduce en productos genuinos que luego definen la percepción de la marca. La co-creación con atletas asegura que el producto tenga una historia real detrás y no solo decisiones de diseño corporativas.

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