Hello! We look forward to catching up with you at OR next week! To bring you up to speed with some of the latest and greatest that has been happening at Topo, we wanted to provide the following updates below that we can reference during our conversation.
As always, if you ever have any questions, want to set up a separate interview with Tony/our athletes, or need additional materials (photos, videos, etc.), please don’t hesitate to let us know!
And just a reminder, we will be at 46153-UL, but if you have any trouble finding us, just text or call Kristine David at 510-541-4606.
BUSINESS IS GROWING //
- Direct to Consumer: YTD Revenue Up 100%, site visits up 205% YTD (215% new visitors).
- REI is Topo’s only big box store (by choice), and shoes are currently available in 90 REI stores.
- US Wholesale: 400 Running Specialty and Outdoor Specialty Shops.
- Recent International expansion: by the end of 2019, Topo will be available in at least 11 countries across Europe, Canada, Australia, and Japan.
WE’RE REACHING CONSUMERS //
This year, Topo has made a significant investment in building broader awareness through direct-to-consumer marketing, increasing spending on digital advertising by 300% compared to last year.
Earlier this month, in support of these branding efforts, Topo announced that it appointed Michael O’Brien as its new marketing director and launched a new campaign with NAIL Communications, Topo’s new advertising agency of record.
Before joining Topo Athletic, O’Brien was senior manager of digital marketing for Vibram Group, North America. He started his career as a footwear manager at Boston-born City Sports, later moving into brand management at Planet Fitness before joining Vibram.
On May 24, NAIL Communications launched a new digital advertising campaign that celebrates those transcendent moments of awe we all experience in nature. The new campaign, “In Pursuit of Awe,” launched with a 45 second video running on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit.
You can learn more about this news here and view the “In Pursuit of Awe” video here.
LOOK FOR TOPO ON THE WESTERN STATES ENDURANCE RUN COURSE //
As soon as we hit the ground after OR, our attention turns to supporting our incredible athletes tackling the Western States Endurance Run on June 29:
- Charlie Ware: deemed the “breakout performance” of 2018’s WSER, Charlie placed 8th and rolled through the finish in a pair of Fli-Lyte 2s, our most popular road shoe model. This year he plans to sport the soon-to-be-released MTN Racer in the first half of the race and test his luck again with the next iteration of his favorite shoe, the Fli-Lyte 3s.
- Paul Giblin: top-10 finisher three years in a row and force to be reckoned with (he braved the Barkley Marathon earlier this year), Paul Giblin aims for the podium in his MTN Racers.
- Kyle Robidoux: the very first ultrarunner that is visually impaired to tackle the WSER course, Kyle is an inspiration to us all. He will navigate the first half of the course in his MTN Racers with the MegaGrip Vibram outsole and switch to the Terraventure 2s , which sports the Vibram XS Trek outsole.
- Zac Marion: an accomplished professional ultramarathoner, Zac is pacing/crewing the event in Ultraventures or MT-3s.
- Joseph Chick: a member of our ambassador team, the Topo Tribe, Joseph scored in the lottery this year and will be sporting the Terraventure 2s and MTN Racers for the race.
To learn more about our athletes, please visit this page on our website.
SPRING 2020 COLLECTION REVEALED //
We’re excited to launch two brand new models for spring – Zephyr and Trailventure— and new updates to two of our current models – Magnifly 3 and Runventure 3. We are particularly enthused about the Trailventure, which is our first foray into the trail boot space, giving our through and speed hiker enthusiasts another great option to consider for their adventures.
Details about all four new models are as follows:
ROAD
Zephyr
An elastomer stability plate runs inside the midsole, helping stabilize the forefoot and aid propulsion during plantar flexion. Breathable mesh upper secures the heel and midfoot while allowing plenty of room for toes to spread and splay.
FEATURES: Plantar Flexion Stabilizer, ZipFoam™, Ortholite® footbed
SPECS: Weight: 7.4 oz (W7); 9 oz (M9) // Rubber Outsole: 4.5mm // Midsole: 18.5mm EVA (heel); 13.5mm EVA (ball) // Footbed: 5mm // Total Stack Height: 28mm X 23mm // Drop: 5mm
LAUNCH: November 2019
PRICE: $130
Magnifly 3
Updated with an engineered mesh upper, molded foam collar, Ortholite® foam footbed, and sweeping toe rocker. The 2-density EVA midsole has a softer top for cushioning/comfort layered with a firmer bottom for response and propulsion.
FEATURES: Multi-density midsole, sweeping toe rocker, Ortholite® footbed
SPECS: Weight: 8.3 oz (W7); 10 oz (M9) // Rubber Outsole: 4mm // Midsole: 16mm EVA // Footbed: 5mm // Total Stack Height: 25mm // Drop: 0mm
LAUNCH: November 2019
PRICE: $120
TRAIL
Trailventure
Super lightweight trail boot. Vibram outsole with ESS rear foot stability plate provides traction, durability, and protection; antimicrobial footbed delivers comfort and resists odor. Secure midfoot fit while leaving plenty of room for the toes to spread and splay naturally.
FEATURES: ESS rear-foot sability plate, Vibram® XS Trek outsole, Ortholite® footbed
SPECS: 8.6 oz (W7); 13.1 oz (M9) // Rubber Outsole: 6mm // Midsole: 19mm EVA (heel); 14mm EVA (ball) // Footbed: 5mm // Total Stack Height: 30mm X 25mm // Drop: 5mm
LAUNCH: February 2020
PRICE: $140
Runventure 3
Aggressive Vibram® XS Trek outsole that offers traction, durability and protection on technical trails. Our single density EVA midsole is complemented with an ESS forefoot rock plate and antimicrobial Ortholite® foam footbed.
FEATURES: Rock plate protection (forefoot), Vibram® XS Trek outsole, Ortholite® footbed
SPECS: 7.6 oz (W7); 9.5 oz (M9) // Rubber Outsole: 6mm // Midsole: 9mm EVA // Footbed: 5mm // Total Stack Height: 20mm //Drop: 0mm
LAUNCH: February 2020
PRICE: $120
Visit this link to see our full collection come Spring 2020. Photography for each model can be found here.
ABOUT TOPO ATHLETIC
Topo Athletic creates footwear that honors the shape and biomechanics of the human foot. Rising above the industry’s gimmicks and trends, Topo Athletic’s products encourage instinctive and natural movement to help deliver a better running and fitness experience. Headquartered in Framingham, Mass., Topo was founded in 2012 by Tony Post – an industry veteran with over 30 years of shoemaking and competitive running experience. For more information, please visit www.topoathletic.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @topoathletic.
