Last week I know you guys fired off a lot of letters to PI, and I wanted to post something I saw on someone's blog today. His letter to PI, and their response back....:
Letter to PI:
Dear Sirs,
I was going to let the ad sit and not bother you with my opinion regarding your latest marketing campaign attempting to inspire 'runners' and marginalize 'joggers'. But seeing this ad for triathlon gear sitting in my inbox this morning reminded me that I will no longer be purchasing your gear and I wanted to let you know why.
I have read many comments by 'runners' and 'joggers' across the Internet taking offense at your latest campaign for one reason or another. Either it's the pace that you list that makes someone a 'runner' or calling people who run with iPods 'joggers' or the actual division that you make between the two groups. I can see all of their points and I can agree with them all on some level or another. At the same time, I read through your entire marketing spiel on the wearenotjoggers website and I have to admit, while at one time I did fall into your 'jogger' category, by your definition I fall into your 'runner' category and from a 'runner' perspective, the ad motivated me to get out and hit the trails hard. The issues of iPod wearing and your defining line between 'running' and 'jogging' are of no concern to me.
That excited me and I liked the though of your gear being specifically engineered to support the type of 'running' that I do. But that is me. I'm just a small minority of the people that will see your ad. While I like to be motivated by things that make me feel powerful and alive, there's another issue that I think you're completely missing and as a result you've wronged the sport of 'running'. This ad, since it was run in an American publication and hosted on the Internet, is obviously viewable by Americans. This country is currently battling with several health related issues due to obesity and lack of physical activity. Getting Americans off their couches, away from their computers and televisions, is like pulling teeth. Any excuse they have to not be active is something that they cling on to. Attacks like this on slower 'joggers', however sarcastic or cleverly worded the ad may be, will be taken literally by those readers and rather than encourage them to become 'runners', can discourage them and place them back on their couches.
Back when I first started 'jogging', I walked into a Foot Zone running store in Issaquah, Washington and bought my first pair of running shorts. They were bright yellow and made me feel fast. I bought them because I recognized the PI logo on them and knew that you made good gear. If I had known then that those shorts were made for 'runners' and not 'joggers' like I was then, I'd have put them back on the rack and picked a pair of Brooks or Asics shorts. Neither of those companies are ignorant to the battle of the bulge going on in this country. And neither of them made me feel small or marginalized.
Jeff Smith
The response from PI:
On behalf of [pi] and myself I wanted to take the opportunity to comment directly to Jeffs letter to [pi] in a hope to provide a bit of perspective from our end. First, I would like to express that from our viewpoint running is not about how fast a person is but rather about a passion, appreciation and reverence for the sport.
For what its worth Im a soon to be 40, lifelong cyclist turned runner who is going to attempt to run up Mt Evans this weekend. I guarantee that even if I run the race of my life Ill be the back of the pack. Regardless of how fast I manage to get to the top, I sure as heck believe that Im a runner even thought Ill be crushed by many who are faster (after seeing Jeffs PBs, I am also kind of hoping hes not going to be in Colorado tomorrow).
Becoming a runner has been an amazing experience for me. As a cyclist I always wondered how runners did (and enjoyed) the sport. I would read about 80+ year old people and cancer survivors running marathons in wonder. Then I started running and began to love the simplicity, the freedom, the purity of purpose, and the commitment required. Ill even admit that I often referred to myself as jogger. Then I realized that everyone that road a bike fast or slow, short or far was a cyclist so why would running be any different.
Running - far, short, fast, slow, up or down - is a formidable and meaningful endeavor. Its a unique and wonderful part of being human and something that we at Pearl Izumi believe should be celebrated, valued and revered. We launched Run Like an Animal to challenge what we believe is a trend of running being watered down and marginalized while simultaneously being over- complicated by shoes with chips and excessive tecno mumbo jumbo. One of the upcoming creative elements we're working on even states If you werent a great runner, you never would have been born! People as a species are wonderful runners. we can do with two legs what others do with four and over ultra long distances many argue only the horse is better.
At [pi], I fell very fortunate to be part of a company filled with passionate runners and cyclist who work very hard to make the best products we possibly we can. What I hope to reiterate is that we are not saying that the line between running and the fictitious jogging we irreverently refer to is about speed (we'll leave that debate up to the forums) but rather about emotion, passion and a sense of purpose. Our Director of Run Footwear is an amazing ultra distance runner but not as fast in a 10k or 5k as others in our company. Regardless, were all still runners and have a very competitive but healthy, fun and friendly rivalry.
Unfortunately, its difficult to create any single thing that every loves and praises. In our effort to create marketing communications that are meaningful and relevant to readers and convey our commitment to and passion for the sport; were probably not always create ads that every loves. I truly wish we could and apologize that we are not always successful. However, please be assured that while we take our customers, products, and brand very seriously, we have a sense of humor and that We Are Not Joggers was developed with the intention of being tongue and cheek.
If anyway would like to contact myself or [pi] directly just drop us an email at
info@pearlizumi.com. Believe it or not we love to hear from our customers whether its good or bad and I would like to thank Jeff for giving us the opportunity to express our views.
Best Regards,
Cache Mundy
VP Marketing (and a slow but proud runner)
[pi]