REINVENTED ITSELF

New Balance is one of the world‘s major sports footwear and apparal manufacturers. The brand was founded in 1906. New Balance claims to differetiate its products with technical features, such as blended gel inserts, heel counters and a greater selection of sizes.

New Balance is committed to doing business with a responsible leadership, which means striving to have a positive impact in the communities in which they operate. New Balance believes in protecting our planet. The company is constantly looking for ways to minimize and prevent negative environmental impacts in their operations and global supply chain.

For many people, it‘s what New Balance has been able to do in the last three years that has captured their attention. Its smart collaborations with relevant brands have attracted younger and more diverse audience. People were in search of something new that was actually attainable, but still felt special and New Balance was able to provide that. The hype for sneakers has increased.

New Balance has made it a priority to create the top running shoes on the market since its start. They weren‘t designed to attract attention. They were built to work. Despite their unremarkable exterior, they gathered fans of all ages who cherished the grey suede and mesh shoes and their practicality. The company‘s

MADE in USA line rose to prominence as one of its best quality product lines. Only New Balance, a big shoe manufacturer, still makes more than 4,000,000 pairs of athletic shoes annually in the US.

With the introduction of the original 990 in 1982, one of its most significant launches occurred. It was the first pair of sneakers ever sold for $100. The 990‘s expensive price tag made it a hot commodity on the streets.

New Balance has always had a core following. But for others, its reputation as a go-to for dorky fathers was difficult to shake. New Balance was seen as a dad brand. From a style and aesthetic standpoint, they had a great appeal to an old, white male.

But the controversy it had to deal with a few years back pales in comparison to being called an old people‘s shoe with no style.

When then-vice president of public relations Matt LeBretton opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement that threatened the company‘s US manufacturing, people mistook it for a support of Donald Trump. The public perception trial ruled against the mistake. Soon after, some decided to boycott the shoe company, and others threw their pairs in the trash.

It would be an understatement to say that the company needed to restore its reputation. It issued a statement at the moment outlining its stance on Trump. Since then, the company has positioned itself as a venue for all kinds of collaborators, which has helped it stay clear of the pro-Trump connections that beset it only six years ago. The aftermarket indicates that many customers aren‘t obsessing over the situation, even though it doesn‘t convey the whole story.

The sixth-fastest growing shoe company on the platform, New

Balance saw a 200 percent increase in trade from 2021 to 2022. That can be credited to its ongoing collaborative efforts, but the dad shoe craze from 2018 provided the original impetus. Suddenly, fashion-conscious people were gravitating toward pairs of shoes designed for old white guys, like the 990v4.

Collaborations are currently the driving factor. However, the company has used them before. Some of the most sought-after releases from the 2000s and 2010s were released on Japanese labels like United Arrows and Mita. Retailers in Europe like Solebox and Foot Patrol have developed their own distinctive products.