As the domestic running population grows rapidly, the food industry is speeding up efforts to target the "running tribe." They are not only releasing health foods and beverages aimed at runners but also holding or sponsoring marathons to broaden touchpoints with consumers. In a prolonged domestic slowdown, running events that draw thousands at once serve as efficient experiential marketing stages for corporations.
According to the industry on the 27th, "Disney Run 2025," held at Yeouido Park in Seoul on the 11th, featured LOTTE Chilsung Beverage, Starbucks, and SPC Samlip as partners. With 15,000 participants, the event was a prime example of how active running marketing by food and beverage brands has become. To mark the event, LOTTE Chilsung Beverage offered entry tickets to 40 customers selected by lottery who purchased the plant-based beverage and protein cookie brand "Oatmond" on its official online mall, "Chilsung Mall." LOTTE Chilsung said, "Oatmond and Disney Run collaborated to connect the image of healthy products with consumer experiences."
CJ CheilJedang also rolled out a campaign reflecting the "drawing run" trend, which logs running records on GPS-based apps. Through Nov. 2, participants who run along a riverside course by the Han River to complete a route in the shape of a Bibigo dumpling and verify it will be entered into a drawing to receive a "Bibigo special dumpling set."
CJ CheilJedang is also strengthening brand experience by directly hosting running events. As part of the "Hetbahn Rice Plan" campaign, the company held the "Hetbahn Slow Life Slow Running" event in September. Forty participants ran along the Han River in Yeouido under the concept of experiencing the "value of slowness."
LOTTE Wellfood also hosted the "2025 Seolleim Run" in August to mark the launch of a new product from its ice cream brand "Seolleim." With about 3,000 participants, the event set mission zones along the 5 km course and created an experience area near the finish line where runners ate "Seolleim" from ice, drawing attention.
Liquor companies are also expanding touchpoints with runners. OB sponsored the Nike 10K running event in May with "Cass Light," and HiteJinro sponsored the "City Festival 2025" running race held this month with its zero-sugar "Terra Light."
Emart collaborated with the healthcare app "Runday" in April to introduce seven high-protein, low-sugar products under its premium private brand (PB) Peacock. Signature items include Peacock Choco Protein Granola, Thin Tofu Noodles, and Low Sugar Pudding, and the lineup was planned based on a survey of 1,440 actual runners.
Running has taken root as a "wellness" activity that satisfies both social connection and a sense of accomplishment, beyond simple exercise. According to Gallup Korea, the experience rate for jogging and running steadily increased from 23% in 2021 to 27% in 2022 and 32% in 2023. The 2024 National Sports for All Survey published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism found that 6.8% of the population (9,000 respondents in total) had run in the past year. That figure is up 6.3 percentage points (p) from the same period a year earlier (0.5%). Based on these surveys, the industry estimates Korea's running population at about 10 million.
Food corporations view running as a "venue for brand experience." They connect the image symbolizing well-being and activeness with healthy eating habits to deliver both products and experiences to consumers. An industry official said, "Marathons are an ideal platform for conveying brand messages because anyone, regardless of age or gender, can participate," adding, "They are becoming an efficient means of expanding customer touchpoints amid a sluggish domestic market."
According to data submitted by People Power Party lawmaker Park Jeong-ha, a member of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee of the National Assembly, from the Korean National Police Agency, there were 254 marathon races held in Korea last year, with 1,008,122 participants. That is more than a tenfold increase in just three years compared to the 19 events in 2020. As events grow larger, corporations can use a single event as an "experiential marketing channel" to reach diverse age groups and large consumer segments at the same time. In reality, participants range not only from people in their 20s and 30s but also families and middle-aged groups in their 40s and 50s.
An industry official said, "Running sits at the intersection of the wellness trend and experiential consumption," and noted, "Corporations participating in running communities are likely to develop these efforts continuously rather than as short-term events." Attention is on whether running marketing, which goes beyond product promotion to share experiences, will take hold as a new growth engine for the food industry.