Big name in the running shoe game, Hoka (霍卡), has picked Jing Boran (井柏然) as their new brand ambassador. The actor/singer is a regular face where it matters in China and comes with much clout, especially as a brand figurehead. In the past, he’s represented names from Chanel to Uniqlo and has modelled for Loewe and major fashion magazines like Elle.
To herald his latest partnership, Hoka dropped an ambassador film that shows Jing Boran hiking the side of a volcano in a showcase of dramatic exploration, landscape rugged – all-terrain shoes looking on point. Jing Boran, who is best known for his roles in films such as Monster Hunt (捉妖记) and Time Raiders (盗墓笔记), has in recent years become recognised for his athletic lifestyle and love of running.
Since their 2017 entry to the Chinese market, Hoka has been pursuing an aggressive expansion policy. They’ve now got over 100 stores in the country. In May of this year, they opened an official flagship store in Shanghai’s ritzy Xintiandi shopping district. Following on a hot trend in retail of late, the store doubles up as a global brand experience centre featuring a Hoka ‘Fly Lab’ fitness testing facility, and diagnostic equipment for body composition and gait analysis.
The centre’s non-retail elements are ways for Hoka to get feet off the street and into their shoes in an age of increasing drift to online sales. It also drives sales with a generation of Chinese consumers that are looking to engage less in commercialism, and more with actual experiences.
The partnership with Jing Boran is another push into a market they seem intent to capture. By pairing its high-quality footwear with a figure who bridges art and athletics, Hoka is seeking to position itself not just as a running shoe brand, but as a symbol of dynamic living.
