BUILDING A FRANCHISE IN FITNESS WALKING: THE ROCKPORT STORY

CLIENT: THE ROCKPORT COMPANY (A DIVISION OF REEBOK INTERNATIONAL)

CATEGORY: Fitness/Sporting Goods Company

BACKGROUND

In 1985, the Rockport Company was one of 200 companies manufacturing walking shoes in the United States. Rockport wanted to set itself apart from other shoe manufacturers by developing a program that would emphasize its leadership in the area of fitness walking. Rockport approached Rippe Lifestyle Institute for assistance in establishing the scientific and medical basis for walking as a fitness activity.

RLI'S RESPONSE

RLI became the major research site for Rockport. RLI staff coined the term "fitness walking" to describe walking for exercise and fitness and initiated research projects to underscore the health benefits of this simple activity. Between 1985 and 1991, RLI conducted numerous research studies on the benefits of fitness walking. Included in these studies was the development of the first-ever walking test to estimate aerobic capacity, The One-Mile Walk Test. In conjunction with the Rockport Company, RLI turned this scientific test into a user-friendly pamphlet, "The Rockport Fitness Walking Program." This program was featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America and on the front page of USA Today. Over two million individuals have requested the brochure describing the Rockport Fitness Walking Program. The One-Mile Walk Test, developed by RLI, has become the gold standard in exercise physiology for estimating individuals' aerobic capacity.

RLI staff and Dr. Rippe have published over 20 papers describing research sponsored by Rockport as part of this program. Dr. Rippe has been called the "Father of the Modern Walking Movement." In addition to the academic papers generated as part of this program, Dr. Rippe has written 4 books on walking including Fitness Walking, Fitness Walking for Women, The Rockport Walking Program and The Complete Book of Fitness Walking.

RESULTS

During the period RLI was working with the Rockport Company, the company assumed the leading position in American walking. Rockport annual sales increased from $30 million to $280 million during the six-year period that RLI was associated with the Rockport Company. In 1990, Reebok International acquired the Rockport Company, largely on the basis of its leadership in walking.