New Balance Tampa Blog

I don’t know if you saw the one-time ad New Balance aired on Nov.19 during CBS NFL post game show on Thanksgiving Day. The ad showed bare white text over a blank red screen, the only sounds heard during the ad were the echoes in a gym from sounds of a basketball game.

The text read: “Sports are supposed to bring out our best, not our worst. Sports are supposed to inspire our children, not frighten them…As athletes, as fans, as leagues and companies associated with sports, now might be a moment to ask ourselves: Are the values guiding sports today the best ones?”

Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large, Sports Business Daily/Sports Business Journal [NSMN Board of Advisors], gives New Balance a grade of a B plus for creativity in this ad. He gave New Balance an A for use of sports as a marketing vehicle. He also stated that he was glad to see New Balance can leverage social issues in marketing which Nike has done numerous times.

I give the ad an A, for making me think about what values I have and want to instill in my children when it comes to sportsmanship. After all, kids copy what they see from the people they respect most. I hope I can be one they respect most, the average guy. I found this quote and it pretty much sums it up:

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it." - Heywood Hale Broun, the television commentator and writer who cast an irreverent eye on the world of sports.

And sitting back and watching some of the kids and parents on my son’s teams, I must admit, this is true. I think the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree!

Check out some other New Balance ads.

Every now and then I check in on the New Balance “For Love or Money” Debate to see what others are thinking when it comes to questions such as these:

What is with JD and the postive energy commercial with the NB Zips??? Did you watch the commercial, JD's 2nd Chance?

He is revived by a pair of NB Zips.

I asked our general manager, "I don't get it???"

Well, the NB Zips provide positive energy.

Energy in. Energy Out. Transform impact into energy with every step.

Check out these new commercials for New Balance from the For Love or Money Campaign.

I'm starting to see alot of advertising from New Balance about NBx.

What is NBx Collection?

The NB x Collection is everything New Balance knows about running. In both running footwear and running apparel, New Balance raised this collection to the x power.

Check out the NB x running collection here.

- Michele

New Balance is getting ready for the new releases in the NB Zip line on 8-7-07. Check out the updated New Balance home page, Click on the Positive Energy and find out who JD is and visit his MySpace - you may want to be his friend. Very funny!

- Michele

Are you just hanging out, bored? How about some New Balance target practice?

New Balance created this game on their new football advertisement with East Bay who sells a full line of New Balance football cleats.

Sound effects are great. You'll hear "quack, quack, quack - I'm a duck". A goopher and a crow.
Then try to kick the stuff with the football. I'll give you a high scoring hint, if you kick the ball and it hits the girl, it's 10 points.

Top score anybody? My score was 10. Yeah, I hit the girl, she said, "Whatever!"

Yeah, I know, get back to work.

New Balance Football Cleats

- Posted by Michele