From Coca-Cola to KIPRUN: Launching a Running Brand the Hard Way

Would you trade 20 years at Coca-Cola and Amazon for the chance to democratize high-performance running gear?

Meet Julien Vancauwenberghe, the Chief Marketing Officer behind KIPRUN, the most anticipated running brand launching in the USA this year. Julien didn't take the traditional path to the starting line. Driven by challenges and a desire to make an impact, he honed his skills at fast-moving organizations like Amazon and Coca-Cola before bringing his unique European-US perspective to Decathlon: the third largest sporting goods company in the world. Julien joins us to discuss his personal journey, what he learned across three different industries, and how KIPRUN plans to debut in the USA.

Jon chats with Julien about:

• Julien's background as a French-American CMO with 25 years of experience

• KIPRUN’s brand strategy: Decathlon's running brand targeting expert runners

• US market entry: April 2026 launch through wholesale partners

• Brand vs performance marketing: Focus on community trust over ads

• Athlete partnerships: Co-creation with 40 athletes, journey over results

Stay connected:

Follow KIPRUN:

https://www.instagram.com/kiprun/

www.kiprun.com

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