The chapter delves into how ON, a Swiss Sports Shoe Company, achieved global expansion and financial success by collaborating with top athletes like Helena Beery, resulting in the development of high-performance carbon plate racing shoes, known as super shoes. This collaboration and innovation have not only enhanced product design but also played a significant role in improving athlete performance and breaking world records.
The running shoe industry is worth around $50bn across the world, with more and more of us taking part in the sport.
With more popularity comes more competition, so what are brands doing to keep consumers interested? We ask the chief marketing officer at Swiss sportswear company, ON, and find out how it helps sales when a top athlete wears their shoes.
And as the debate around 'super shoes' rumbles on, are they really worth the expensive price tag? US marathon winner Kellyn Taylor tells us about the pros and cons of carbon plated shoes - which played a big role in marathon records being smashed in 2023.
Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield.
(This programme was first broadcast in January 2024. Picture: Runners on a race track. Credit: Getty Images)