New Balance Marketing Strategy: Explore the Campaigns Fueling Their Explosive Growth!
After its greatest ad, “worn by supermodels in London and dads in Ohio,” New Balance has proven that its marketing efforts have evolved to resonate with highly diverse audiences.
The brandâs journey from functional footwear to a global fashion icon is a testament to its smart, adaptable marketing strategies.
You are invited to look closely at how New Balanceâs marketing strategy has redefined the sneaker landscape. From iconic campaigns and strategic collaborations to leveraging brand heritage and building digital communities, weâll explore the key advertising moves that have made New Balance more than just a sneaker brandâitâs become a lifestyle statement.
Whatâs Inside
- From Dad Shoes to Style Icon: The Evolution of New Balance Marketing
- Fundamentals of New Balanceâs Marketing Strategy
- Digital and Social Media Strategy of New Balance
- Most Successful New Balance Campaigns
From Dad Shoes to Style Icon: The Evolution of New Balance Marketing
As for 2024, New Balance had an 88% brand awareness rate among sneakerheads in the United States, and 40% had a positive opinion of the company. How did the brand reach that turning point in its marketing strategy, then?
Actually, New Balance’s association with the “dad shoe” image has been a significant aspect of its brand identity, with models like the 990. These products, characterized by chunky silhouettes, comfort, and retro designs, gained popularity back in the 1990s.
However, we can clearly see that New Balance’s marketing evolution reached its pivotal turning point in 2015 with the launch of the “Always in Beta” campaign. That undoubtedly marked a strategic shift from a lifestyle-focused image to emphasizing athletic performance.
Over the years, in the realm of sports marketing, New Balance has continued to strategically partner with athletes and teams to enhance its brand visibility.
Whatâs more, in 2023, New Balance experienced significant growth. So much so that the brand hit $6.5 billion and doubled sales since 2020.
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Visit WebsiteWhat happened in 2020?
Yes, the retro âdad shoeâ trend reached new heights then, and New Balanceâs classic 990 and 327 models were embraced by street fashion enthusiasts.
The dad shoe trend isnât just about fashion. It reflects a cultural shift towards appreciating functional and practical items, especially those with a nostalgic appeal. New Balance shoes represent a balance between style and functionality, making them perfect for the modern world.
At that point, we have to acknowledge that COVID-19 significantly influenced that trend. With people working from home and spending more time indoors, there was a heightened demand for comfortable footwear. And it was a good call to use related sports marketing strategies to reach that audience, including Gen Z.
More on New Balance Brand Identity: Not Chasing Trends
When New Balance came to the turning point, did they embrace their new fashionista image instantly?
Or made it a part of their advertising strategy?
Or just accepted as an organic branding move?
Actually, the well-known sports powerhouse has long differentiated itself in the market by focusing on comfort, quality, and heritage rather than on flashy celebrity marketingâ, as we mentioned before. However, that brand positioning caused a little troubleâthe uncool dad shoe stigma.Â
In the 2020s, when sneaker culture shifted towards âchunky shoes,” NB was here without any effort to catch the trend; they relied on their heritage. In other words, New Balance brand identity was not created all over again; they just let their existing one take center stage.Â
At that point, we can simply say that NB did not change who they were, even the âdad aesthetic,â while promoting their products. When it comes to New Balance advertising, it is also clear that the sportswear giant played the long game, compared to other brands investing in mass manufacturing, weekly drops, and constant marketing.
However, we cannot deny that New Balance nurtured the hype and embraced its newfound cultural relevance. They worked with high-fashion brands like Junya Watanabe, JJJJound, and Miu Miu, re-released old-school models and launched campaigns like âWorn by Supermodels in London and Dads in Ohio.â
So, despite minor tweaks, New Balance branding did not reinvent itself to be cooler. Of course, they aligned themselves with cultural shifts and made smart collaborations.
Fundamentals of New Balanceâs Marketing Strategy
New Balanceâs marketing strategy has a unique edge; with over a century of history, it has built a loyal following by staying true to its core values of quality, craftsmanship, and independence.
But what really sets New Balance apart is its ability to evolve. CEO Robert DeMartini highlighted this approach, stating:
Weâve always been a contrarian. Thatâs what the owner, Jim Davis, built this business on. As a private company, we can make a decision based on a five- or ten-year period.
As mentioned before, the brand has embraced trends, partnered with top sports marketing agencies to reach new audiences, and collaborated with high-fashion icons to stay relevant.
Letâs dive deeper and find out the fundamentals of New Balanceâs marketing approach:
“Made in the USA” Ethos
Launching and promoting the âMade in the USAâ series is a part of that ethos. As you already know, the series highlights the brandâs heritage and dedication to quality, resonating with consumers who value local manufacturing.
Tapping into Youth Culture
Weâll look closer to that, but for now, we can state that New Balance has successfully tapped into youth culture via a blend of collaborations, targeted endorsements, and trend-conscious product releases.
By partnering with fashion-forward brands like Aimé Leon Dore and enlisting popular athletes such as Kawhi Leonard and Coco Gauff, New Balance has expanded its influence within younger, style-conscious demographics.
In other words, while embracing the trends with re-releases of classics, the brand cleverly honors its heritage. And that approach makes it a favorite among both sneakerheads and the fashion-forward youth.
Partnering with Culturally Relevant Figures
For its âWe Got Now 2024â campaign, the brand teamed up with new-age & diverse athletes known by youth instead of âthe figures of all timesâ such as Usain Bolt, Steven Curry, or David Beckham. They collaborated with Coco Gauff, Shohei Ohtani, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Jamal Murray., Tyrese Maxey, Cameron Brink, and Bukayo Saka.
Taking Advantage of Nostalgia
New Balance is among the companies that truly understand how to capitalize on nostalgia marketing.
In addition to paying homage to its heritage at every turn, New Balance also revives some of its signature marketing campaigns. As you may remember, the brand revived the âIntelligent Choiceâ slogan, originally launched in the 1980s. With that marketing move, NB emphasized the brandâs long-standing philosophy of making high-quality, purpose-driven products.
Digital and Social Media Strategy of New Balance
Time to focus on digital marketing and social media strategy of New Balance:
Encouraging User-Generated Content
As you already know, UGC is undoubtedly one of the most effective strategies in the marketing ecosystem. In this way, the brand encourages customers to share their experiences using its products. And, yes, thatâs the long-term marketing strategy of New Balance.
Campaigns like #MyNBalance invite users to post personal stories and photos, creating authentic content and strengthening the brand-consumer relationship.
Resonating with Gen Zâs Values & Trends
One of the wisest moves a fashion brand can embrace is, of course, creating content totally resonating with Gen Zâs values like individuality and realness and trends on social media.
In a recent TikTok video, New Balance referred to the âFIT CHECKâ trend on social media and gained thousands of likes.
In addition to adopting social media trends to its strategy, the brand is also good at selecting figures to work with. By taking advantage of the rise of Korean modern culture and K-pop, New Balance teamed up with Korean singer-songwriter and actress IU and attracted, especially Gen Z.
Leveraging Brand Heritage
Like sticking to the âMade in the USAâ ethos, leveraging brand heritage at every turn is a well-known element of New Balanceâs marketing strategy.
That approach strengthens its market position and connects with consumers while honoring classic series like 990 and its designers.
Whatâs more, by integrating its heritage into modern marketing strategies, New Balance effectively appeals to both long-time fans and new customers.
Most Successful New Balance Campaigns
Grey Days
Since NB annually celebrates its iconic 990 series with different successful marketing campaigns, we must list âGrey Daysâ at the top.
The campaign honors its signature grey colorway and announces the limited-edition releases. As mentioned earlier, the brand highlights its rich heritage and the timeless appeal of its products via that campaign.
Run Your Way
Released in 2023, New Balanceâs “Run Your Way” campaign features real runners and their personal, sincere stories. Itâs kind of a commitment to personal expression in sports.
The only right way to run, is your way. #RunYourWay
Fearlessly Independent Since 1906
As mentioned earlier, New Balanceâs marketing campaigns revolve around two fundamental elements: quality craftsmanship and rich heritage.
In that iconic campaign, NB underscores its long-standing commitment to independence and quality craftsmanship.
By stressing its heritage and commitment to creating superior goods, the brand strengthens its unique place in the fashion & sports industry.
Introducing the MADE in the USA 990v6
Runners aren’t normal.
Introducing the MADE in USA 990v6.
An ever-evolving icon, the MADE in USA 990v6 blends modern, performance-minded updates and timeless craftsmanship.
Before jumping into the next campaign, in case youâre wondering how 990 became the universally loved masterpiece, here is a quick answer by Vice writer, Adam Rothbarth:
The first New Balance 990 came out in 1982âthe same year as Nikeâs Air Force 1âto be the greatest running shoe for serious runners. Retailing for $100 right out of the gate, the shoe was a big gamble from New Balance, as sneakers didnât usually cost that much back then; I think what made people immediately willing to pay this much.
Cloud Jumper
Unlike the other campaigns we listed above, that campaign exemplifies innovative social media engagement through interactive content.
Using an interactive mobile game that looked like well-known apps like “Doodle Jump,” “Cloud Jumper” promoted New Balance’s Fresh Foam cushioned shoe line. Through sponsored social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, the game was distributed programmatically.
What about the results? Notwithstanding New Balance’s inexperience in gaming, the endeavor resulted in an overall brand lift of 18.84%, with a 28.9% lift in China, a 14.6% lift in the United States, and a 10.3% lift in Japan.
Runs in the Family
âRuns in the Family,â featuring diverse figures, is another famous campaign where the brand celebrates its universality.
With that marketing campaign, New Balance demonstrates that their shoes are appropriate for elite athletes as well as casual wearers while emphasizing the brand’s appeal to a wide range of age groups.
Itâs also an invitation to call New Balance a âtrue family brand.â
Bonus: Saturday Night Liveâs New Balance Video
If you’re looking for the running shoe runners use, and the show overweight white guys wear to make a statement, New Balance is the brand for you.
