{
  "id": 8029822,
  "title": "How On turned garden hoses and Halloween videos into a $4 billion sports brand",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/how-on-turned-garden-hoses-and-halloween-videos-into-a-4-billion",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-17T13:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91608720/how-on-turned-garden-hoses-and-halloween-videos-into-a-4-billion-sports-brand"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On, a $4 billion global sports brand, was born from a garden hose, a dinner with tennis star Roger Federer, and a young designer enthralled by a Halloween YouTube video. The company's founder and co-CEO, David Allemann, discusses the company's innovation philosophy, focusing on its LightSpray robotic process. On's unique sole design, similar to Nike's waffle shoe, has been a key factor in its growth and success. The company aims to be a premium global sports brand, emphasizing innovation and design to excite customers and promote an active lifestyle. On differentiates itself from competitors like Nike, Adidas, and others by emphasizing a radical new approach to athletic footwear and apparel. The company's founder believes that sports have moved to the center of society, becoming a vital part of people's lives, and that this shift presents an opportunity for new brands to capitalize on. The company's relationship with celebrities, such as Roger Federer and Zendaya, has been organic and has helped to further boost its brand image.",
  "summary": "Over the course of 16 years, David Allemann, cofounder and co-CEO of On, helped build a $4 billion sports brand with a garden hose, a Roger Federer dinner, and a young designer who watched a Halloween YouTube video. But he says the defining decade for On is still ahead. He breaks down what the first-of-its-kind LightSpray robotic process says about On’s innovation philosophy. This is an abridged…",
  "key_points": [
    "On brand founded from garden hose, Federer dinner, Halloween video inspiration",
    "LightSpray robotic process key to On's innovation philosophy",
    "On aims to be premium global sports brand, differentiates from Nike, Adidas"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}