See Hoka’s first campaign from Anomaly

One year to the day after rolling out a new tagline and first global campaign, Hoka is out with a new iteration on the same “Fly Human Fly” push—but this time with a different creative agency behind the effort. Today, the Deckers Brands-owned footwear marketer is debuting a series of ads, beginning with a 60-second commercial from Anomaly Los Angeles. After working with FCB on last year’s campaign—the result of nearly a yearlong partnership that included FCB as global agency—Hoka issued an RFP for a new creative agency and tapped Anomaly for the job last summer. Anomaly had been part of the original RFP process two years ago, but had to step out due to a conflict, according to Erika Brakken Gabrielli, senior director of global integrated marketing and acting VP of global marketing at Hoka. “We wanted to find a strategic agency that continued to help us push the idea of ‘Fly Human Fly’ creatively, bring deeper meaning to it and elevate the entire creative execution,” she said. Called “Murmuration,” the new ad showcases runners, hikers and walkers of all types, ages and ethnicities in a whimsical trip through the sky that concludes with a configuration into the Hoka bird logo. The song “Big Bird” by Eddie Floyd plays throughout the 60-second spot. Two additional product-focused videos will air later this summer. The campaign, airing in more than 30 countries, will include a mix of media such as connected TV, digital video and paid social. In addition, the push will include national key city out-of-home takeovers with 3D elements. Hoka worked with Jellyfish on media duties. Gabrielli declined to share the budget for the latest media buy, but said “this will be our largest integrated brand campaign to date.” Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs The new push comes as Hoka, which was founded 14 years ago and acquired by Deckers in 2012, continues to grow its brand on a global level. The brand’s fastest-growing cohort is Gen Z, according to Gabrielli. Look back: Hoka is racing ahead of its sneaker rivals Last month, Hoka, which last year crossed the $1 billion brand threshold, reported a 40% increase in quarterly sales to $397.7 million. The brand is expected to top $2 billion in sales soon, according to remarks made by Deckers President Dave Powers on a call with analysts. Even still, he said, there is an awareness opportunity for Hoka. “When we look at how many people still haven’t heard of the brand and what we know about people who do hear about the brand and try it, what that means from a lifetime value perspective, it’s a numbers game,” he said on the call, noting category expansion into trail running, hiking, outdoor lifestyle athletics and apparel, “this is certainly a multi-billion-dollar opportunity.”

See Hoka’s first campaign from Anomaly

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