E017 - How New Balance's CMO Turned Around A 15-Year Decline

Carlos shares what he learned about brand marketing from New Balance's turnaround.

 

TL;DR - For 15 years, New Balance watched its revenues decline. Consumers saw its sneakers as “dad shoes”—safe, comfortable, but uncool. Traditional direct-response marketing wasn’t reversing the trend. In April 2020, a new CMO, Chris Davis, arrived with a bold idea: flip the marketing mix from a 70% reliance on direct-response ads to a brand-led approach. It was a big gamble that took nearly 19 months to pay off, but when it did, New Balance emerged as a revitalized global brand.

 

Written version of the story: https://www.thefreetoaster.com/p/how-new-balance-s-cmo-turned-around-a-15-year-decline

 

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction and New Project Announcement (00:28) The New Balance Turnaround Story (01:31) Understanding the Quant Mindset (03:10) The Power of Brand Marketing (08:57) Lessons from New Balance's Success (14:27) Closing Thoughts and Business Focus

 

Where to find Carlos:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter/X

 

About the host: Carlos Caro is the founder of a New Market Growth, an agency focused on helping fintech lenders generate explosive growth on affiliate marketing channels like Credit Karma, Experian Marketplace, LendingTree, and others.

Contact him at [e-mail].