Founded in 2009 by Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-Luc Diard, Hoka One One is an athletic shoe company that designs and markets running shoes.
Nicolas and Jean-Luc wanted to create a shoe that would allow them to run faster downhill. This is how the Hoka One One running shoes were created. The shoes have an oversized outsole with more cushion compared to other running shoes. The brand name originates from the Māori language phrase loosely meaning “fly over the earth”.
The shoe quickly became a success, but for many years, runners struggled with pronouncing the brand name. To the joy of all confused runners, in 2021, Hoka finally dropped the “one one” and simplified its brand name to just Hoka. Shorter, simpler names often reflect what consumers commonly referred to the company anyway.
Hoka not only rebranded successfully to a shorter and more memorable brand name but also invested in the exact brand match domain name – Hoka.com. According to Whois records, the domain Hoka.com was previously owned by Hoka Electronics (UK).
Hoka has sponsored some of the best ultrarunners in the world, including Karl Meltzer and, more recently, Jim Walmsley, who has been with the company since 2016.
Hoka has grown a lot since I’ve been with the brand, improving on their quality, consistently delivering … and innovating new developments. They have evolved into one of the most complete brands with world class track runners [and] road runners … and they’re obsessed with everything trail and ultra … They’re invested in the ultra-trail community like no other brand.
Jim Walmsley
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How does your brand name match your company vision? What new horizons can a better name open? Get in touch if you feel your brand deserves a better name, we are always happy to help.
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