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In this episode, I'm excited to welcome Matt Trappe to the show. If you’ve been following ultrarunning media over the past decade, Matt’s name might ring a bell. He’s been behind some fantastic content over the last decade, including Jim Walmsley’s "Lighting The Fire" series, "Droddy," and "Leadman: The Dave Mackey Story," among other influential projects.

Matt has recently launched a new brand called Auteur Sportif, which we’ll link to in the show notes below. He’s also an insightful follow on LinkedIn, where he shares valuable commentary on the latest news inside the creative and business realms of endurance sports.

In our conversation, we dive into a range of topics, such as the role of storytelling in brand marketing, the significance of context and human connection in athlete narratives, and how the digital age is reshaping marketing in the trail running space. We also discuss the fragmentation of cultural conversations and the need for brands to engage with their audiences in new ways. Additionally, we explore the potential split between professional and participant markets in ultrarunning, and have some fun exploring open job roles in the sport, like the PR position at UTMB and the Global Creative Director role at Salomon.

Timestamps:

• 02:24 The Power of Filmmaking in Athlete Narratives
• 07:45 Balancing Brand Marketing and Performance Marketing
• 15:01 The Rise of Niche Brands in the Digital Age
• 19:08 Navigating the Fragmented Cultural Conversation
• 21:12 The Value of Long-Term Brand Marketing
• 27:38 The PR Opportunity of a Lifetime at UTMB
• 37:19 The Power of Storytelling
• 44:52 The Evolution of Races
• 54:14 Marketing Activations and Moments
• 58:08 Decoupling Athletes from Races

Partners:

• Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
• Rabbit - use code Singletrack10 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 10% off your next order.
• deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.
• Pillar Performance - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout on their website (https://pillarperformance.shop/) to get 15% off your next order.

Additional Links:

• Follow Matt on LinkedIn, Personal Website, Auteur Sportif
• Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, and Patreon

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