History of the Brand "On Running"

Imagine how much more exhilarating running would be if you could run on clouds? Well, that's precisely what "On" thought, and it quickly became one of the most popular brands of running shoes on the planet. From meager beginnings in the quaint town of Zürich in the Swiss Alps, On was made to achieve a single goal: revolutionizing the sensation of running – and that's exactly what they have done. Based on a simple, albeit radical, idea: soft landings and hard takeoffs, or as the people behind the brand prefer to say, "running on clouds."
If you're a runner, there's no doubt that you've heard about the brand, but you may be wondering what the hype is all about. To give you some background, here's a brief introduction and overview of On.
How It Started
Established in 2010, On had one significant but straightforward ambition: changing the world of running. Over the past decade, they have become famous around the globe. More than seven million runners throughout 50 countries have embraced the On movement, and their popularity continues to soar.
It all started with the shared idea of three friends – Oliver Bernhard, David Allemann, and Caspar Coppetti – who wanted to change the shape of running and make it even more enjoyable and life-changing. Oliver, a three-time duathlon champ and the winner of several Ironman competitions, was dedicated to finding a running shoe that would allow him to experience the most enjoyable sensation while running. Eventually, his journey allowed him to cross paths with an engineer who shared a similar mission to create a new type of running shoe. The duo joined forces and began researching and designing a pair of sneakers that would become the perfect synergy of a runner's experience and engineering expertise, which enabled their first revolutionary idea to be fine-tuned.
Though the developed several prototypes, the central concept always remained a top priority: to provide a cushioned, cloud-like landing followed by a firm take-off. The unique sensation that their sneakers created is what convinced David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti, to join forces with the mission. In January of 2010, the group formally established the brand On in Zürich. Soon after, their goal was to create a pair of running shoes that were entirely made in Switzerland and featured the most advanced technology picked up at a rapid pace.
In February of 2010, just one month after On was officially established, the prototypes the brand created were awarded the ISPO BrandNew Award, one of the most notable prizes for sports innovations. The runners who tested out their products were very impressed with their experience and claimed that they felt as if they were "running on clouds." By July of that year, the first pairs of On running shoes were on stores' shelves.
Present Day
A decade after On was launched, their shoes can be purchased at more than 6,500 acclaimed retail stores in more than 50 countries. Their headquarters in Europe is, of course, located in Zürich, and they've also opened up offices worldwide. The products On makes have gone on to win several technology awards, and the future for the brand and runners alike appear to be very bright.

← Previous Post Next Post →