Road Runner Sports drills deep into its customer files to provide rewarding direct marketing

By Melissa Sepos

Gotfredson’s newest marketing effort is “cause marketing,” which he says will be the trend in cataloging in the coming years. Defined as improving a company’s image through supporting a worthy cause, Gotfredson implemented cause marketing at RRS in the late 1990s. RRS created Athletes Helping Athletes, a non-profit organization that supports ill, injured or disabled athletes by training supporters for 5Ks and marathons that serve as fund-raisers.