Ep 88. New Balance: A Step Ahead of the Cultural Curve

Real growth for a brand doesn't just come out of nowhere. Even with a high-quality product that's both functional and inherently desirable, you can still find yourself under the radar and small after decades in the market. So how did a 100-year-old+ sneaker company like New Balance suddenly pierce through the noise and become one of the most relevant and talked-about athletic footwear brands today? In part, through massive pro-athlete endorsements across every major sport; like Major League Baseball player Shohei Ohtani, NBA power forward Kawhi Leonard, tennis star Coco Gauff and Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, just to name a few. In the past several years New Balance has exploded in cultural credibility, as both an exceptional athletic shoe and as everyday fashion-forward streetwear. Underneath it all? A focused, relentless strategy to build global momentum without losing the soul of the brand. At the helm of this transformation is our guest for this episode, Joe Preston, President and CEO of New Balance. You'll also hear from our Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager for Men's and Active Footwear for Nordstrom Garrett Bean, who breaks down this moment for New Balance from a retail partnership perspective: what's selling, why it's working, and where it's all headed. And for a little extra color, we'll stop in at our current summer-long New Balance activation at The Corner, which is our rotating pop-up shop on 57th and Broadway at our flagship store in New York City. Thanks for tuning in to episode 88. We hope you enjoy it!

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