Saucony x Barry's: Ride 19 Launch

To ignite excitement around the launch of Saucony’s new Ride 19, the brand created a high-energy, co-branded experience with Barry’s in New York City, home to one of the most discerning, performance-minded fitness communities in the world. The goal was to launch Ride 19 in a way that felt less like a traditional shoe debut and more like a cultural fitness moment.
Strategic Challenge
New Year’s fitness season is saturated with launches. Saucony needed to break through with an activation that would resonate authentically with high-performance consumers and top-tier media, while proving Ride 19’s upgraded performance through lived experience—not static messaging.
The solution was to meet athletes where motivation peaks: the Red Room.
The Concept & Execution
The Barry’s partnership transformed the week of launch into a dynamic, multi-touchpoint brand takeover designed to drive trial, social heat, and credibility.
Key components:
• Onsite Trials: Over 100 Ride 19 trials conducted across multiple Barry’s studios, allowing consumers to test the shoe under real high-intensity conditions.
• Instructor Seeding: 40+ NYC instructors received the Ride 19, generating authentic advocacy and social content rooted in performance.
• Two Private Classes:
o A media + influencer class attended by top outlets including Elle, Hypebeast, SELF, TODAY, Runner’s World, and Office Magazine.
o A Sombra Run Club class bridging the brand’s global run strategy with NYC’s hyper-local run culture.
• Content Creation: A four-instructor winter training content series fueled Saucony’s social storytelling and extended campaign longevity.
Impact & Results
The launch surpassed expectations and delivered breakout PR momentum:
• 81% attendance for the media class (44/54 RSVPs).
• 1M+ social impressions within 24 hours, driven by instructors, editors, and NYC fitfluencers.
• High-performing organic social: 61,480 IG post reach; 59,103 story reach; 4,587 TikTok views.
• Significant earned media lift for Ride 19, contributing to:
o 121 placements (+612% YoY)
o 906M impressions (+556% YoY)
o $7.1M ad value (+607% YoY)
The Barry’s x Ride 19 activation didn’t just launch a shoe, it validated it.