Hoka Launched Marketing Campaign for New York City Marathon

The athletic brand is deploying billboards and creator partnerships to engage runners training for the major race.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Running

Expressive editorial sports illustration of a runner in motion, seen from behind on an urban bridge in New York City. — Hoka has initiated a broad marketing campaign in New York City, featuring digital scorecards and social media partnerships to engage marathon runners. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Hoka has kicked off a wide-reaching marketing campaign across New York City to connect with runners as the city prepares for its annual marathon. The initiative utilizes digital borough scorecards and social media content to track participant progress.

Why it matters

The brand intends to build deeper engagement with first-time marathoners and competitive athletes beyond traditional advertising. By fostering conversation during the training period, Hoka aims to capture the attention of thousands of runners who participate in the event.

Hoka reported $704 million in global revenue for Q1 2026, marking a period of growth for the parent company, Deckers Outdoor Group. The brand also saw sales and administrative expenses rise 13% to $420 million compared to the prior year.

The players

Hoka

This is a performance footwear and apparel brand known for its maximalist cushioning technology.

Deckers Outdoor Group

This is the parent company of Hoka that manages a portfolio of global footwear and lifestyle brands.

The details

The marketing push includes six creator partnerships alongside a strategic media mix of TikTok and Meta advertisements. Digital billboards throughout New York City will serve as borough-specific scorecards, while a sponsored challenge on Strava tracks runner progress.

In 2025, 59,000 runners finished the New York City Marathon.
Deckers Outdoor Group issued its first-quarter earnings report in July 2026.
Hoka generated $704 million in global revenue during Q1 2026.
Hoka will host a block party in New York City on October 3, 2026.

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The Big Picture

This effort follows the success of the 2025 New York City Marathon, which saw 59,000 finishers. The campaign signals an industry-wide shift toward hyper-localized engagement strategies for major athletic events.

Participants can utilize the digital borough scorecards to track progress alongside the Strava challenge. These engagement metrics provide real-time updates for runners preparing for their specific race goals.

The takeaway

Runners can leverage community-driven digital tools to stay motivated during their final weeks of marathon training. Engaging with sponsored tracking challenges provides a measurable way to benchmark performance against other participants.