A Run With ...
Fábio Tambosi Chief Marketing Officer, Saucony
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What do you feel you are bringing to Saucony at this point in your career? I am very grateful for the opportunity Saucony has given me to be one of very few CMOs in the sporting goods industry that is representing the BIPOC community. At heart, I bring my perspective as a Brazilian father raising a daughter who doesn’t see enough people who look like her in marketing campaigns. It’s time to turn these moments into advocacy, inspiration and education with Saucony accelerating its focus on building a more equitable representation, both internally and externally.
ábio Tambosi was named as chief marketing officer at Saucony this spring, responsible for providing strategic development and execution of Saucony’s global branding initiatives, including brand positioning, direct-to-consumer, advertising, digital strategies, international growth initiatives and expansion of Originals. He reports directly to Saucony’s global brand president, Anne Cavassa. He joined Saucony with more than 18 years of global brand-building experience, most recently serving as global head of brand, planning and activation at Adidas, for the Sports Performance categories. Why join Saucony, and why now? Saucony was founded in 1898, just two years after the first Olympic Marathon and one year after the first Boston Marathon. Surrounded by that running history, the company was destined to become a leader in the running industry. With an unprecedented heritage in the sport, namely in culture and innovation, Saucony has the opportunity to once again propel running into uncharted territories in an industry that is craving a fresh new perspective to help get the world outdoors and, in turn, create a future that’s greater than good for a new generation. Anything else that attracted you to the company? The brand’s commitments to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, sustainable practices and the overall goodness of running, are values that resonate deeply with me. How has the COVID-19 pandemic and all of its limitations impacted you personally 46
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and professionally? COVID-19 was the tipping point of a more significant challenge that has impacted the world in many ways. We weren’t ready for this. Everything around us went on a pause. We lost control of our daily routines. Humanity wasn’t prepared to respond and embrace the challenges presented by 2020 and taught many of us the importance of humility in leading our lives, both personally and professionally. Did anything positive come out of all of this? It has given me the gift of perspective and the importance of slowing down in our lives. We are now way more intentional and present when spending time with our loved ones, colleagues and our community. Most important, it further clarified that integrity must be at the core of how we live our lives. It boils down to how we treat people and how we make decisions, personally, as leaders and businesses.
How does your experience in sports and sporting goods add to your new role at Saucony? Through my years in sports marketing and as an athlete I have developed a dynamic toolbox and a tremendous passion for inspiring millions of people through emotional storytelling, all while living a better life through the transformative power of sport. I am committed to leading the brand with a people-first approach built on a player-coach and athlete mindset to focus on winning as a team. How would you describe Saucony’s position in the run specialty business in mid-2021? We are confident that 2021 will be a strong year for Saucony, demonstrated by our record high double-digit growth in Q1 revenues. We are in our third year of a three-year turnaround. We are running faster than the marketplace, fueled by product innovation and our distinctly Saucony style. These will be our key drivers that set us apart from a very formulaic playbook.
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