Best rank
Best placed #3 in Fashion & Footwear.
What the AIs say
#3 best · 3 of 4 agree“perplexity ranks On highest (avg #17.9 over 17 mentions); Gemini is the most sceptical (#23.7).”
synthesised · the AI panel
What the press says
Mixed · 8 stories · 30d“None of these articles mention or relate to the brand On; coverage appears to be unrelated news spanning politics, sports, dining, natural disasters, and international affairs.”
synthesised · 8 articles via Google News · NBC10 Philadelphia, The New York Times +6
The brief
The brand in a paragraph.
On started in Switzerland in 2010. The founders built running shoes. They engineered a CloudTec sole that cushioned and propelled the runner forward. This technology became their signature. The shoe caught on with serious athletes and everyday runners alike. Today On competes globally across footwear and apparel markets. The brand ranks ninth in Fashion and Footwear across 6649 tracked brands worldwide. They have grown from a Swiss startup into a recognized name in sport.
Act one
What the machines think.
Three AI models read the whole category and rank On's products — model by model, list by list, over time.
Model by model?
How each AI sees it.
perplexity ranks On highest (avg #17.9 over 17 mentions); Gemini is the most sceptical (#23.7).
perplexity
#17.9
avg over 17 mentions · best #3
ChatGPT
#18.6
avg over 20 mentions · best #7
Gemini
#23.7
avg over 3 mentions · best #19
Wins & misses?
Where it leads, where it lags.
4 top-10 wins versus 5 lag spots where On finishes below #20.
Top wins
Rank trajectory?
Weeks of movement.
Across 8 weeks of tracking: 0 intents steady, 3 climbed, 3 slipped. Biggest move: slipped 20 ranks in Best Trail Running Shoes (now #30).
Act two · ★ new
What the people say.
The same lineup, judged by the owners who bought and filmed it — and the press that covers them.
In the press?
What the world is saying.
What’s being written about On lately — and the mood of it. 8 pieces in the last 30 days, coverage is mixed.
NNBC10 PhiladelphiaNBC10 Philadelphia·Neutral
Philly City Council to resume talks on proposed rideshare tax, city budget
TThe New York TimesThe New York Times·Neutral
These Republicans Broke With Trump on the War in Iran
CCNBC
TThe Guardian
TThe Washington PostThe Washington Post·Neutral
The hair-loss drug Trump took for years is now absent from his medical records
FFOX Weather
as of June 4 · 8 stories?
Act three · ★ new
Do they agree?
Put the two verdicts side by side — every product with its AI rank and its reviewer score — and see where the machines and the buyers line up, and where they don't.
The lineup, reconciled?
Every product — both verdicts.
Cloudrunner 2 is On's most-recommended product, ranking across 5 buyer questions, with Cloudmonster 2 close behind.
Traits?
The words the panel uses.
AI most often praises On for being "cushioned" (10 mentions) and "lightweight" (7).
- cushioned10
- lightweight7
- modern7
- everyday4
- versatile4
- support3
- light3
- supportive3
- bouncy3
- breathable2
- long-distance2
- minimalist2
Rivals?
Who it competes against.
Adidas has the edge over On — winning more of the 15 shared questions the AI panel ranks them both in.
- Adidas
Fashion & Footwear
Adidas leads 13–2
Across 15 shared questions
- ASICS
Fashion & Footwear
ASICS leads 12–2
Across 14 shared questions
- Hoka
Fashion & Footwear
Hoka leads 12–2
Across 14 shared questions
- Nike
Fashion & Footwear
Nike leads 13–1
Across 14 shared questions
- New Balance
Fashion & Footwear
New Balance leads 12–1
Across 14 shared questions · 1 tied
- Saucony
Fashion & Footwear
Saucony leads 9–3
Across 13 shared questions · 1 tied
- Brooks
Fashion & Footwear
Brooks leads 12–1
Across 13 shared questions
The recap
Where it stands today.
- FootprintStrongest in Fashion & Footwear (best #3), across 15 buying intents.
- AI verdictperplexity ranks On highest (avg #17.9); Gemini most sceptical (#23.7).
- TraitsMost often associated with “cushioned” (10 mentions) and “lightweight” (7).
- Top productCloudrunner 2 is the most-mentioned On product this snapshot.
- Closest rivalAdidas (2–13 across 15 shared intents).
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