BUZZ NEWS

New Balance’s Rich Chronicles

Posted on November 2, 2009
Mildred Brignoni

Before owners Eleanor and Paul Kidd invented their sneaker for comfort, they considered their customer. Long strides were made easier for former number 42, James Worthy of the Lakers, who used his New Balance 790 Hi Tops to become one of the greatest players in NBA history.

Shoes have not only become essential since the cave men became bipedal, but according to New Balance, sneakers have adjusted our way of walking. They argue that it will likely help us live longer. Through craftsmanship, a dedication for pushing technology, and an intuitive future of the brand, New Balance shaped the practice of wearing official sports sneakers into a lifestyle.

The Soho NYC New Balance Gallery recently debuted a collaboration between New Balance and Nine West and showcased the iconic styles worn by former pro-ballers for affordable hipster-wearers. They forwent their competitors’ use of direct product placement, opting instead for an interactive strategy to expose the re-release of this venerable shoe to a worldwide audience. Picking up a shoe and feeling it, telling a story through imagery, and inviting the cool kids to try on their shoes while slide shows project its powerful history in front of displays of their Classic 574 series and Mardi Gras Collection, lent to the realism of the brand’s identity. Their distinction from other brands is their understanding of the dual importance of style and engineering, and this has made them a staple amongst both professional athletes and amateur marathon runners.

We were happily engaged with the coolness factor of their products while exploring the grounds of the gallery. As a former fashion stylist for celebrity, film and television, I have developed a critical eye for style, and while representing Caid Productions as the VP of Sales and Marketing, I brought along Vanksen’s Emmanuel Vivier to gage the importance of the fashionable line of products in our 360 degree branding program for the re-release of the never before seen footage of Just For Kicks.

Hence, as a challenging economy looms, marketing agencies have to put more focus on the marriage between brand entities by building a deeper relationship with their target market. Virtually everybody becomes the audience and niche markets are shrinking rapidly. Meeting these challenges also requires more compelling and interesting stories from media outlets. So, after years in heels I have high expectations for comfortable shoes, they need both value and history. And as the head of the marketing department for our documentaries at CAID Productions, we have embarked on a two-fold approach. One is suited to pop sensibilities that will inevitably translate to a highly valuable tool of Word of Mouth while the second is to attract hipsters in reviewing our films. New Balance is hopefully that new brand to partner with us.