Anyone else bothered by this:

[gsu1988]

I am not sure if anyone has mentioned this on the WISH board. If they have sorry to bring it up again. If not here is my beef.

Has anyone seen the Pearl Izumi ads in the running magazines? If not here is the text of the ad:

"It's ironic, but in a world of 30 million "runners", running is in deep trouble. Need proof? Take a look at any marathon. With the number of entries increasing, you would think everything is fine. But in the last thirty years, the average time has slowed by one whole hour. If this trend continues, what type of legacy will running leave behind? Will our children sashay in a 26.2 mile parade or will they compete and push the very boundaries of human evolution? To ensure the future of running, we're asking runners, well, to do other runners. Sure this may be a little forward but when you're trying to save running from the genetic shuffle of mediocrity, there's no time for politeness. Breed like an animal. Run like an animal."

To me this ad is highly offensive. I am a FORMER competitive who now runs only for fitness and fun. I am one of those who probably accounts for the slowing of marathon times but, even though I am not breaking any records I am trying to stay active and healthy.

What do you think?

 

[WDWFAN9]

There was a thread quite awhile ago about similar ads they had. I find their whole take on running offensive. Of course they have to do something to set themselves apart from other shoe/apparel companies, but positioning themselves as the company for only competitive runners seems elitist and limiting. Actually I never like it when someone tries to build themselves up by putting someone else down. Not nice. Now I am a walker, but I sure do spend a lot of money on this "free" sport, and I will never spend any of it with PI.

 

[TnTsParty]

I was turned of by their ads last year that everyone was in an uproar over so I have never purchased anything of theira. I was appalled by the ad that you described above when I saw it in the Women Running magazine. If they think that turning off a good majority of runners/walkers that might have bought their product had they not had this kind of attitude towards those of us who might not be Boston qualifiers. They crossed the line by saying that only runners should "do" other runners. At least we have the courage to get off the couch and do something in a society that is highly imobile

 

[Honeibee]

Yes. Apparently I am not supposed to reproduce with my husband since he has a much faster average pace than I do.

I've never seen such an assinine ad campaign.

I too will not be buying anymore PI products. Which is really too bad because I have a pair of their running tights I got a long time ago and I really like them. Oh well. There are other manufacturers who want this slow pokes money.

 

[wtpclc]

Yes, their advertising is highly offensive. They know it. they don't care. Bums me out that they are one of the biggest brands in tri. I avoid them at all costs. Of course, bought some stuff last year and received an e-mail that they were out of stock in what I bought and sent PI wear instead. Grrrr.....

 

[RunningGirl]

I really wish Runner's World would not accept these ads. They have to know that a large percentage of their readers are being dissed in them - after all, they're always printing articles about getting started and feature John Bingham with a column. Perhaps we need to let RW know our feelings. And I will NEVER buy a PI product.

 

[TnTsParty]

The ads are also in the Women's Running magazine which I think would have a high number of subscribers that fall in the category that PI is dissing. I would think that companies and the magazines (especially in these economic times) would not want to turn customers off but like someone mentioned before PI doesn't care if they offend people with their ads. If the magazine refuse to run them then they might start to care a little bit - probably not though.

 

[FireDancer]

I wouldn't call it offensive, I look at it a bit tongue in cheek. I think it was Asics that used to have the add that said basically "Jogging is just running without any heart". I don't let ad campaigns sway me one way or another, if the product is good I will use it.

There are marathons that have liberal minimum times for slower people and some with higher standards for the competitive, there is room for everyone regardless of what PI wants.

 

[ironz]

I wouldn't call it offensive, I look at it a bit tongue in cheek. I think it was Asics that used to have the add that said basically "Jogging is just running without any heart". I don't let ad campaigns sway me one way or another, if the product is good I will use it.

There are marathons that have liberal minimum times for slower people and some with higher standards for the competitive, there is room for everyone regardless of what PI wants.

I agree. I don't think it is really meant to be taken all that seriously.
Besides...nothing wrong with wanting to be competitive! I have a shirt that says "Not sure if you're running or jogging? Run faster!" By all means...I am not a fast runner, struggling still to get under 10 min miles. But that shirt makes me want to try. and it pokes a little fun, which in my case, is aimed at myself.

Anyway..I use very few PI products...maybe have a bike jersey or a pair of bike shorts from them. Most of my tri stuff is from DeSoto or Zoot or Sugoi. Don't care for the PI running shoe....I like my Avias!

 

[lenshanem]

Yep, I find it offensive and now probably wouldn't want to buy their products. I'm not fast enough for them and don't want to hurt their image by wearing something by them.

 

[ahoff]

What part is offensive to you, the part lamenting the slowing of the times or the part requesting that we look for other runners to do it with? Either way, I tend to look at it as an advertisement with some humor. Just entering and completing a full or half is an accomplishment in itself, why not have some fun doing it?

 

[SAHDad]

I'm fairly certain that the slowing of times is due to three main factors - a greater number of older runners running marathons (basically, anyone who fits in the "Masters" age groups), more women running, and the "Oprah effect". Once marathons were no longer almost exclusively men aged 20-34 (who were running 80+ miles per week), times were bound to decrease.

 

[WDWFAN9]

Sorry, I just don't think it is very well done tongue-in-cheek humor. I'm a walker, I have no expectations of ever being any faster than I already am (and I am so ok with that) and PI's attitude doesn't put me off because I don't really fall into their "runner" category anyway. I just hope that a real runner who's maybe just starting out doing 5Ks doesn't see this type of advertising and decide they aren't worthy of competing in a half or full.

I'm pretty sure race directors are ok with the increasing times - more competitors, even us slow ones, means more dollars for them.

 

[SAHDad]

Looking over my reply, I see that I skipped a point I ought to have made (that's what I get for trying to write while getting dinner ready) - I have nothing but respect for slower runners. It's not as though the course gets easier if you are out there longer - it's often much harder.

(I also forgot about the increase of charity runners - how many people would be willing to get rid of Team In Training if it meant that the average marathon time would become 15 minutes faster?)

 

[disneygirlinnj]

I don't find it offensive...entertaining at the least. I'm not one of the fast runners by any means so the ad is somewhat talking about me. I know a few 'real' runners that complain about the dumbing down of the sport. They love that people are getting out and running but hate all the 'newbies' that don't know what they're doing or crowding corrals, crowding courses, etc.

Even people on this board complain about the walkers hogging up the whole course and having to run around them.

PI is a running company that wants to gear themselves towards the serious runner. They're not trying to impress the masses. It works for them, so why not?

 

[VernRDH]

I too found the ad off-putting. But the newest ad is just plain stupid.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/19789449

I really hadn't heard of PI prior to this thread, but I am so not interested in any of their stuff.

I am a runner, not a fast one, but a runner. Heart matters more than speed.

 

[syko]

I do wear PI and there adds will not stop me.
I go by the quality for there cloths, if you could have seen how there tights help to protcet my legs when I crashed at 30mph, people who came to help me commented that they had saved my legs from being a lot worse.

I don't run or jogg, so they would hate me!!

To me its a ploy to get you to read it again and again so that you know the company name, rather for going for the sugar sweet advertising like Disney they go for the shock tatic.

 

[disneygirlinnj]

I too found the ad off-putting. But the newest ad is just plain stupid.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/19789449

I really hadn't heard of PI prior to this thread, but I am so not interested in any of their stuff.

I am a runner, not a fast one, but a runner. Heart matters more than speed.

I just read the article and PI's marketing campaign is doing exactly what they wanted it to. You stopped and reread the ad. I did...twice. PI is now stuck in my head. It makes me think that they are a HARD CORE running company. I want to be a hard core runner, don't I? Ok maybe I don't but I'm sure people think that way.

Since I saw this post this morning...I looked them up. Read reviews. They have some GOOD quality products like the PP mentioned. So now when I'm looking for a pair of compression shorts, I'll check them out. I'm not a name brand runner. I look for what works and works well.

hate to say it...PI has me interested.

 

[johde]

That ad reminds me of something that happened at the university I attended. I majored in accounting at 1 of my professors told me that the average grade on the CPA exam dropped during the time just after I graduated. The reason it dropped was they were encouraging more people to sit for the exam. And a large number of students decided to sit for the exam at least once to "see if they could pass".

So, to the casual observer, it looked like the University was going down hill. When in reality it was staying the same or even getting better.

The same thing is happening here. Distance running (jogging, walking) has transended beyond the from elite runner to the weekend warrior.

 

[ksoehrlein]

I guess what bothers me about the ad campaign is the implied "If you can't run a sub-6-minute mile, you shouldn't be out here and nor should you be reading this magazine for that matter" message. It makes me feel like I'm peeking in on "real" runners when I get to those ads in Runner's World, even though the rest of the issue seems like it's designed more for people like me.

But really, what impact do we mid-to-back-of-the-packers have on those "real" runners who bemoan the slower average finish times? If I were a front-of-the-pack runner, I'd like to think I'd welcome the slower runners and walkers with open arms. I mean, who wouldn't feel better about finishing 35th in a field of 35,000 rather than 35th in a field of 100? Or are they somehow threatened by the concept of "their" sport being opened up to anyone who's willing to put in the training miles, making the marathon no longer the exclusive domain of the hard-core runner?