Crafting Emotional Resonance Through Intentional Product Design

The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch · December 19, 2025 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title: 20Product: On Running's CPO on How to Create Emotion Through Product | Why 99% of Products Fail and How to Create Cults Around Products | The Biggest Product Mistakes On Have Made & Lessons Learned with Gérald Marolf

TL;DR

Creating emotional resonance through product requires engineering subtle, irrational elements that trigger curiosity and personal connection, moving beyond mere functionality to foster deep consumer attachment.
Physical products demand a longer feedback loop and higher risk tolerance than digital ones, as post-launch changes are impossible, necessitating early consideration of consumer perception.
"Simple design" can be detrimental in competitive markets by reducing opportunities for consumer expertise, exploration, and product differentiation, requiring more storytelling to gain traction.
Balancing product appeal for both elite athletes and lifestyle consumers is crucial, as alienating either segment can dilute brand identity and market reach.
A clear product intent is paramount, avoiding compromises in hybrid "sports-lifestyle" categories to maintain brand integrity and resonate with distinct consumer desires for performance or fashion.
Over-reliance on customer feedback can lead to derivative products, necessitating a proactive approach to innovation that pushes boundaries and defines new consumer expectations.
Brand personality, conveyed through product characteristics, is essential for long-term customer relationships, even in saturated markets, by offering a distinct identity beyond mere utility.
Over-diversification into non-core categories or collaborations without clear strategic intent can dilute brand focus and confuse consumer perception, impacting market position.

Deep Dive

On Running's Chief Product Officer, Gérald Marolf, argues that true product success lies in evoking emotion and creating a distinct brand personality, rather than merely focusing on function or price. This requires a deliberate approach to product development that prioritizes intention and crafts unique experiences, even for seemingly commoditized categories like footwear.

Marolf emphasizes that great products often stem from irrational decisions that tap into deeper consumer desires, citing perfume as an early inspiration for understanding how to create a sense of craving. He contrasts the iterative agility of digital product development with the permanence of physical products, where the design and manufacturing decisions are final once released. This distinction forces a greater emphasis on intentionality and a willingness to let go of products earlier in the process, allowing consumers to form their own interpretations, akin to the ambiguous ending of "The Sopranos." The implication is that by leaving some elements open to interpretation, brands can foster deeper engagement and a more enduring relationship with their customers, moving beyond purely functional benefits to create lasting emotional connections.

The pursuit of emotional resonance also informs On's approach to its product portfolio. While acknowledging the importance of performance, Marolf suggests that a brand's identity can be strengthened by exploring diverse product categories, even those that might seem peripheral to its core offering, such as tennis or luxury collaborations. This strategic diversification, exemplified by the embrace of tennis through Roger Federer, serves to broaden the brand's appeal and establish it as a premium sportswear entity beyond its running origins. However, this expansion is not without its challenges. Marolf admits to missteps, like the slower-than-ideal entry into marathon running shoes and a misjudged foray into the hybrid sports-lifestyle market, which he attributes to over-listening to customer feedback without a clear product intent. The lesson learned is that while consumer input is valuable, it must be balanced with a strong, clear brand vision to avoid compromises that dilute product identity and market appeal. Ultimately, Marolf advocates for brands to cultivate a distinct personality, which, when expressed through thoughtfully crafted products, can foster loyalty and stand out in an increasingly crowded and complex consumer landscape.

Action Items

Audit product strategy: Identify 3-5 product categories where brand intent is unclear (e.g., athleisure, specific collaborations) and define core purpose for each.
Create product development framework: Establish criteria for balancing consumer feedback with visionary product direction, prioritizing innovation over immediate demand for 3 core product lines.
Implement customer feedback loop: Design a system to capture and analyze unfiltered consumer reactions to new product launches (e.g., runway show analogy) to inform future messaging.
Refine material sourcing process: For 2-3 key apparel categories, evaluate sustainability claims against durability and repairability to ensure long-term product value.
Develop subculture engagement strategy: Identify 3-5 emerging subcultures and pilot product co-creation initiatives to foster community-driven innovation.

Key Quotes

"I think the idea of good product at least for me started with something slightly weird which is perfume. Perfume for me was the unlock in terms of that why do you sell something that is just a smell and create the bottle and something around it that people actually crave for it."

Gérald Marolf explains that his understanding of good product began with perfume, highlighting how the industry successfully creates desire around something intangible. Marolf suggests that this concept of creating craving through packaging and surrounding elements is a key insight for product development.

"Every great product you should probably trigger somewhat of that slight discomfort of challenging yourself of is it the right thing for me and not all footwear does that but when it does that you're already one step ahead in actually falling in love with the product itself."

Marolf argues that truly great products should evoke a sense of challenge or slight discomfort in the consumer, prompting them to question their choices. He posits that this feeling is a crucial step in fostering a deeper connection and "falling in love" with the product, distinguishing it from more mundane offerings.

"I think the more you go into commodity product and and footwear i think to some extent is that because we all need to wear shoes every day the harder it gets but also the more exciting it is because that's that's then the true challenge to engineer something where you touch it you step into it and you're like huh okay that there's even a bit more than what i expected it's not just the color i choose but there's something more behind it that's what we're trying to engineer for."

Marolf identifies footwear as increasingly becoming a commodity, making the challenge of creating emotional connection more difficult but also more exciting. He explains that the goal is to engineer products that, upon interaction, reveal an unexpected depth beyond mere function or aesthetics, creating a sense of discovery for the consumer.

"I think simple is great if you have a trackpad or airpods but i'm not sure that simple these days will will break through in many cases consumer electronics might be different i don't know i'm not up to speed there but for us i think simple gives you less opportunity to be an expert yourself it gives you less opportunity to tweak to learn to explore and to also give it its own life."

Marolf expresses skepticism about the universal applicability of "simple design" in product development, suggesting it may not always be effective for breaking through market noise. He believes that simplicity can limit opportunities for users to engage deeply with a product, explore its nuances, and develop a personal connection with it.

"We listen a lot we don't always use everything but we do we do listen a lot because the company has also been growing at a scale where you also need to find the right kind of balance and we also need to become much more concise in terms of how we show up where we show up as you as you do this more polar opposite sort of consumers and there's an interesting aspect to which we just don't have an archive so that means every other footwear brand will go back in history right now already 2000s are coming you see all the a6 that have been there now slowly phasing out again."

Marolf emphasizes the importance of listening to customer feedback, especially as a company scales, to find a balance in product strategy. He notes that On Running's lack of a historical archive forces them to be more forward-looking and creative, unlike brands that can draw on past designs.

"We probably listened to customers when it comes to the space that exists between sports and lifestyle too much so a lot of customers have a strong belief that there is a world in whatever we want to call it hybrids where you can use them for sports you can also use them for lifestyle and there's this persona probably that is a 2010 persona that lives in new york goes to the gym and then goes and gets their latte and wears the same outfit not sure that really still exists or has ever existed in the way that that's been described and that it makes sense to have a product that does function and style equally well."

Marolf reflects on a past mistake of over-indexing on customer feedback regarding the intersection of sports and lifestyle products. He questions the existence and relevance of a "hybrid" consumer persona, suggesting that trying to perfectly balance function and style for this group may not be the most effective product strategy.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"Pursuit of Elegance" - Mentioned as an example of a product that is 90% perfect, leaving the rest to the consumer.

Articles & Papers

"Forbes' list of the top 100 startup employers for 2024" (Forbes) - Mentioned as an award received by Secureframe.
"G2's best software awards for higher satisfaction products" (G2) - Mentioned as an award received by Secureframe.
"2024 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards" (Cybersecurity Excellence Awards) - Mentioned as an award received by Secureframe.

People

Gérald Marolf - Chief Product Officer at On Running, overseeing shoes, apparel, and accessories.
Harry Stebbings - Host of "20Product" and "The Twenty Minute VC (20VC)".
Roger Federer - Athlete associated with On Running, influencing brand direction and product development.
Jonathan Anderson - Mentioned in relation to a collaboration with Loewe.
Teddy Santis - Mentioned in relation to New Balance's resurgence.
Emily O'Grady - Mentioned in relation to New Balance's resurgence.
Hugo Barra - Mentioned as a former product creator at Xiaomi who taught a binary view of physical product strategy.
James Pearce - Mentioned in relation to high-quality t-shirt labels.
Matthew - Mentioned in relation to Chanel sneakers.
Patrick Beran - Mentioned in relation to Adidas's work in running.
Simone Biles - Athlete the host wishes to collaborate with.

Organizations & Institutions

On Running - Company where Gérald Marolf is Chief Product Officer, known for its shoes, apparel, and accessories.
Microsoft - Collaborator with Gérald Marolf in building consumer brands.
Ferrari - Collaborator with Gérald Marolf in building consumer brands.
Secureframe - Company that empowers businesses with information security and compliance through AI and automation.
Nasdaq - Customer of Secureframe.
AngelList - Customer of Secureframe.
Doodle - Customer of Secureframe.
Coda - Customer of Secureframe.
Google - Investor in Secureframe.
Kleiner Perkins - Investor in Secureframe.
Harvard Management Company (HMC) - Manages Harvard University's endowment and seeks out investors and entrepreneurs.
Harvard University - Endowment managed by Harvard Management Company.
CodeRabbit - Company that fixes code review velocity.
Vuori - Mentioned as a brand to "short" in consumer.
A6 - Mentioned as a brand with great product but potentially confused branding.
Allbirds - Mentioned as a brand with confused personality.
Worri - Mentioned as a brand in the premium athleisure market.
Teenage Engineering - Swedish consumer electronics brand known for small, spectacular products.
Soundcloud - Mentioned as a good product that did not scale as well as Spotify.
Loewe - Spanish luxury house with which On Running collaborated on a walking trail runner.
LVMH - Luxury conglomerate mentioned in relation to brand imitation.
New Balance - Brand that has had a resurgence, particularly with the 550 model.
J.D. - Retailer mentioned in relation to footwear purchases.
Chanel - Luxury brand mentioned in relation to expensive sneakers.
Hermes - Luxury brand mentioned in relation to expensive apparel.
Sunspel - Brand mentioned for its t-shirt labels.
Jil Sander - Brand mentioned for its t-shirt labels.
Zegna - Brand mentioned for its t-shirt labels and comfortable footwear.
Laura Piana - Brand mentioned for its "Summer Walk" fakes and association with a specific customer segment.
Nirvana - Band mentioned in relation to t-shirt branding.
PSG - Football club mentioned in relation to Nike's brand expansion.
Hoka - Brand mentioned as having tackled the long-distance running market.
Burton - Footwear brand mentioned.
Crocs - Footwear brand mentioned.
Vans - Footwear brand mentioned.
Adidas - Brand discussed for its speed and potential to win more consumers by slowing down.
Athleta - Brand associated with Simone Biles.
Moncler - Company that acquired Stone Island.
Stone Island - Brand mentioned for its product and acquisition by Moncler.
Prada Sport - Brand mentioned as a blueprint for premiumization and luxury, with potential for collaboration.
Loewe - Mentioned again in relation to Prada Sport.
Nike - Brand discussed as a sports and fashion brand, known for aspirational branding.
Psg - Mentioned again in relation to Nike.
Loewe - Mentioned again in relation to Prada Sport.

Tools & Software

CodeRabbit - Tool that fixes code review velocity by providing line-by-line comments and one-click fixes.

Websites & Online Resources

20product.com - Website for "20Product" where listeners can provide feedback.
secureframe.com - Website to learn more about Secureframe.
hmc.harvard.edu - Email address to share ideas with Harvard Management Company.
coderabbit.ai - Website to try CodeRabbit.

Other Resources

Perfume - Mentioned as an early example of a product that creates desire and emotion through packaging and scent.
3D logo on a shoe - Mentioned as an example of a small part that can have a bigger impact than engineering.
Simple Design - Discussed as potentially overrated and dangerous in product development.
Athleisure - Trend discussed in relation to product strategy and brand positioning.
Sustainability - Discussed in relation to consumer care and product development.
Brand Awareness - Discussed in relation to the importance of being first.
Product Integrity - Mentioned as a product principle that has changed the speaker's mind, emphasizing the sync of aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability.
Quiet Luxury - Concept mentioned in relation to the power of simplicity and plainness in product.
Airport Shoe - Mentioned as a comfortable product that can be complex to solve due to its dual nature.
Subculture - Mentioned in relation to the speed of development and repurposing of products in places like South Korea.
Capitalism - Mentioned as a driving force behind luxury brands creating expensive, niche products.
Sopranos ending - Mentioned as an example of leaving enough on the table for the consumer to create their own definition.
Price King - One of two binary views of winning in physical product, referring to being the cheapest.
Feature King - One of two binary views of winning in physical product, referring to having the best features or being the most built out.
Holistic Product - Concept in apparel where features are complemented by materials, shape, fit, and other elements.
Imitation - Discussed as both flattery and detrimental to innovation, depending on the context.
Innovation - Discussed in relation to imitation and its negative impact.
Brand Personality - Discussed as a way to build a long-term relationship with customers, even young ones.
Consumer Habits - Mentioned as an area with wide space for capturing consumers in their everyday lives.
Sportswear as a uniform - Discussed as having potential to be much more than its current state.