New Balance launches first UK TV campaign
New Balance, the American footwear manufacturer, is to launch its first ever UK television campaign this April, in a bid to bolster its positioning around grassroots athletics.
The campaign will mark the brand’s 30th year of manufacturing at its factory in Flimby, Cumbria, and will feature 100 athletes from the county’s local running clubs.
New Balance’s TV activity will be part of a wider multi-platform strategy to promote its sponsorship of 1500m Team GB Olympic hopefuls, James Brewer, Tom Lancashire and Ricky Stevenson.
All three athletes will appear in a 12-part branded series, The British Miler, which will air on Sky Sports as well as on a dedicated website for the show in April.
It marks the first time New Balance has launched an integrated campaign on this scale in the UK, with previous promotions focusing on in-store activity and tie-ups with local sports clubs.
According to Tom Carleo, general manager for running and outdoor at New Balance, the shift is because “2012 represents a significant year for [us] in the UK.”
He hopes the brand’s grassroots ties and status as the only athletic footwear brand to manufacture in the UK is enough to spur cut-through in the year of the Olympic games”, and differentiate it from rivals.
Additionally, New Balance has launched a website for the village of Flimby in a bid to drive tourism to the area.
