New Balance ads

project Summary

New Balance has often been dismissed as the quintessential "dad-shoe", functional but uncool, reliable yet lacking style or cultural relevance. Instead of forcing the brand into a space dominated by trend-chasing, flashy competitors, I reframed the challenge: How might I embrace New Balance's quirky, unapologetic roots and turn its perceived weakness into its greatest strength?

Through a brand audit, competitor analysis, and informal customer research, I uncovered a clear opportunity to lean into authenticity and self-aware humor. By celebrating its long history of practicality and reliability, New Balance could reposition itself as the brand for those who reject hype and instead value comfort, individuality, and timelessness.

The outcome was a playful ad campaign built on offbeat visuals and self-deprecating messaging. Rather than fighting against its "dad-shoe" image, the campaign reframed it as a point of pride, making New Balance relatable to both loyal wearers and a younger generation looking for brands with personality.

Design process

Design
process

Phase 1: Discovery & Research

I began this project by conducting a brand and competitor audit to understand why New Balance struggled to gain traction among younger audiences. Competitors like Nike and Adidas invest heavily in aspirational lifestyle marketing. And while New Balance tries to do the same, public sentiment reinforced the "dad-shoe" stereotype: practical, yes, comfortable, yes, but wholly unremarkable.

At the same time, my research into the brand's origins revealed a surprising story with a rich history. The company began in 1906 by creating arch supports. Initially inspired by the shape of a chicken's foot, it prioritized comfort and stability from the very beginning. This quirky origin story suggested an alternative brand narrative, one not based in sleek athleticism but in authentic oddity and reliability.

A key insight emerged from this research: trying to compete directly with hype-driven brands, such as Nike or Adidas, would dilute New Balance's identity. Instead, leaning into humor and authenticity can create a distinct advantage.

Phase 2: Defining the Opportunity

Synthesizing my findings, a clear design challenge emerged:

How might I reposition New Balance by embracing its unique identity instead of competing with hype?

With this question in mind and a clear understanding of why customers choose New Balance over competitors, I was pointed toward a clear opportunity: use humor and authenticity to make New Balance feel culturally relevant.

Phase 3: Ideation & Concept Development

After initial exploration of a wide range of campaign directions, from sleek lifestyle positioning to flashy and trendy to cultural tie-ins, the strongest path was defined following the emergence of my design challenge. Rather than apologizing for its image, New Balance could laugh with its audience, turning "uncool" into "effortlessly cool," or at least funny.

The resulting concept centered on an offbeat, self-aware print ads that highlighted the brand's reliability while poking fun at its reputation as a "dad-shoe" and its long history. This gave the campaign a distinctly different voice that its competitors lacked.

Phase 4: Visual Design & Campaign Development

you're halfway

I created three ad posters that embodied the campaign tone. Each design leaned into bold typography and playful imagery, highlighting New Balance's quirks rather than hiding them. The tone of voice was intentionally self-deprecating, targeting audiences tired of over-manufactured hype and seeking authenticity.

The ads demonstrated how New Balance could confidently own its reputation, reinforcing its identity as a reliable, relatable, and authentic brand.

Phase 5: Reflection & Strategic Framing

The campaign wasn't just about visuals; it was about redefining New Balance's place in the cultural conversation. By shifting the narrative away from competing with sleek, athletic brands, the work showed how thinking differently and embracing what may seem like a weakness can reposition a legacy brand for modern relevance.

Expected Outcomes

so close

This project was only conceptual, but the impact it could have is measurable. By examining the research, the outcomes a campaign like this could produce are quite real and tangible.

Improved Brand Differentiation

Distinctiveness is a critical driver of competitive advantage. Research demonstrates that brand differentiation directly reduces price sensitivity and strengthens customer loyalty [1]. Humor amplifies this effect. Studies confirm that humorous ads are 6.1 times more effective at driving market share growth than neutral advertising, and 90% of people are more likely to remember funny ads [2] [3]. By embracing the "dad-shoe" reputation with self-deprecating wit, New Balance builds a distinction that competitors cannot easily replicate.

Increased Cultural Relevance

The campaign strengthens New Balance's cultural standing, especially with younger consumers. Studies show that cultural relevance drives brand preference for Gen Z more than any other factor, with brand strength strongly correlated to revenue growth [4]. At the same time, 88% of consumers now say authenticity is non-negotiable in deciding which brands to support [5]. By positioning itself as honest and self-aware, New Balance captures this values-driven audience while achieving cultural momentum that translates directly into measurable growth.

Greater Relatability and Loyalty

Authenticity creates a psychological feedback loop where authentic consumers are drawn to authentic brands, which in turn increases emotional attachment and lifetime value. When consumers perceive a brand as authentic, they can form a long-term relationship characterized by repeat purchases and advocacy [6]. Research on self-deprecating humor further reveals that self-mocking ads enhance brand trustworthiness for established companies [7]. For New Balance, this dual strategy validates long-time customers while expanding relatability to new audiences who want more authentic alternatives to hype-driven sneakers.

closing

back to the top

This project demonstrates how reframing a perceived weakness into a strength can transform brand positioning and unlock measurable business outcomes. By embracing authenticity instead of chasing hype or trends, New Balance can gain cultural relevance with younger audiences while strengthening loyalty among existing customers.

This case study illustrates my approach: grounding creative solutions in research, reframing challenges into opportunities, and delivering designs that not only influence perception but also yield a measurable competitive advantage.

Research

SCORE - Importance of Product Differentiation
WARC - Why Humour in Advertising Works
Robust Branding - The Impact of Humor in Social Media Marketing
Burke - Understanding Gen Z: Brand Strength and Cultural Relevance
BLVR - Authenticity is the New Currency
IJSRET - Brand Equity in the Luxury Market
Rajiv Gopinath - The Rise of Brand Roasting and Self-Deprecation

New Balance ads

project Summary

Design process

Phase 1: Discovery & Research

Phase 2: Defining the Opportunity

Phase 3: Ideation & Concept Development

After initial exploration of a wide range of campaign directions, from sleek lifestyle positioning to flashy and trendy to cultural tie-ins, the strongest path was defined following the emergence of my design challenge. Rather than apologizing for its image, New Balance could laugh with its audience, turning "uncool" into "effortlessly cool," or at least funny.

The resulting concept centered on an offbeat, self-aware print ads that highlighted the brand's reliability while poking fun at its reputation as a "dad-shoe" and its long history. This gave the campaign a distinctly different voice that its competitors lacked.

Phase 4: Visual Design & Campaign Development

The ads demonstrated how New Balance could confidently own its reputation, reinforcing its identity as a reliable, relatable, and authentic brand.