New Balance's Minimus Joins The 'Barefoot' Race
Marketers' blog posts don't usually draw more than a handful of comments, unless it's about some wildly unpopular notion that incites the dormant irateness in consumers' souls. As of 5ish this morning, for example, Jessie Becker has the distinction of having received a whopping 12,591 responses to his explanation of why it's a good idea for Netflix to raise its subscription prices by 60%. Let's just say that customers' reviews of this horror move hover in the one-half-star range.Most marketers would be blown away, I think, if they engaged more than a couple hundred of their consumers in a mostly positive discussion of a new product. New Balance has done just that with an "interview" with Katherine Petrecca, who is managing its NB Minimus collection. It has also garnered more than 300 Facebook likes in the year or so it has been up. And she doesn't say a heck of a lot that isn't straight-out propaganda.
"We view these shoes very much as tools that encourage better running form, and help strengthen the legs and feet," she offers. "As important, a great minimal shoe should deliver increased ground feel and control, which is what makes them so much fun to use."
Petrecca also explains that the line is really "just an extension" of some shoes that have had a following for some time in "hardcore running community." Well, as Andrew Adam Newman reports in the New York Times this morning, the shoe is ready for the pack in the back, replete with a new 30-second spot (out of Arnold, Boston) that features a raccoon, hot coals and a guy who discovers that the shoes are "like barefoot, only better."
A second spot features a runner walking into a convenience store with one foot naked and the other wearing a Minimus . Funny stuff -- and that comes from someone who has run barefoot on gravel but has yet to muster the guts to enter a retail establishment without at least a pair of floppies on his feet. The spots break today, Newman informs us, on ESPN, Comedy Central and the Discovery Channel.
Newman includes the cautionary disclaimer that anyone who writes about barefoot running feels compelled to include -- this one is from Runner's World editor-in-chief David Willey.
"Willey advocates introducing barefoot or minimal shoes into running routines only gradually (as he has himself), using them at first to run as little as 50 yards, because runners need to gradually adapt to taking shorter strides, landing on the forefoot, and strengthening the foot and leg muscles required to do so.
New Balance Walking Shoe - News
She was sitting in front of Two Rivers Treads, a downtown shoe store specializing in minimalist running and walking shoes. Her creation featured footsteps of a person in modern shoes coming down the sidewalk; they turn into bare feet as the walker
Petrecca also explains that the line is really "just an extension" of some shoes that have had a following for some time in "hardcore running community." Well, as Andrew Adam Newman reports in the New York Times this morning, the shoe is ready for the
"I'm in good enough shape just walking around." Others have also expressed similar skepticism since toning footwear took off. Lawsuits have been filed against Skechers, Reebok and New Balance alleging deceptive marketing. The companies have responded
Reebok, New Balance and other brands have played a big role in the shoes' popularity, but no one more than Skechers, the Manhattan Beach shoe maker that makes Shape-ups and Tone-ups. The company's sales and stock price soared in 2010, but no more.
When he announced he was leaving me, I disappeared into the bedroom and re-emerged 10 minutes later in full running gear, the hot pink New Balance running shoes on my feet. I made him leave. And then I ran. I ran that night, and every single night
EVO Conference – Product and Campaign Reviews | Blogger Brand ...
Being a marketer at heart, whenever I go to an event, watch a commercial, see a billboard, etc, I’m constantly evaluating what I see. I also plan my own events, and judge other events with a pretty high bar.
Well, I was blown away with my first experience at the EVO conference in Utah this past weekend. It was very apparent that there was a lot of heart and passion for social media in the room. It was also apparent that the sponsors put an incredible amount of effort into their sponsorships and how they were going to connect with attendees. I’ll be posting my favorites and some learnings the next few days. The best part is
You could win one of my favorite things from New Balance.
Big thanks to New Balance for not only having a great showing at EVO, but for being nice enough to sponsor my first giveaway!!! That’s right!! You can read about the True Balance walking shoes they gave the bloggers below. You can get a chance to win your very own pair. The contest will go for a week and you can enter multiple times. Here’s how you get chances to win:
One entry for making a comment on the daily posts. The question for the day will be at the end of each post. One entry for tweeting a link to the post with the hashtag #evoconffavEVO FAVORITE #1
NEW BALANCE New Balance’s suite was fairly simple. Shoes against the wall, trail mix like treats in bowls on the counter – with plastics bags available so attendees could take away the treats. All of the action, and interaction happened outside of the room, giving attendees the opportunity to try their product first hand. I must have missed the emails regarding the New Balance events ahead of time, so I didn’t sign-up for the walks or the shoes they were giving away, so I was very grateful that that they had extra shoes in my size. I really liked this sponsor’s interaction because we actually were able to try the product. I had met the New Balance folks at another blogging event and was given a random pair of shoes. They didn’t really work for me so I threw them in the back of my closet. This time, New Balance featured two separate shoes. A True Balance walking shoe and a work out shoe. I arrived to the event just in time to join Holly Perkins , New Balance employees and attendees for a walk. I was able to ask questions about the shoes and if they would be a good fit since I wear orthotics. I was especially happy they were there since I had a bad experience with New Balance shoes about 5 years back. Up until then, I was very NB loyal and had used them for years. One bad experience and I switched to another brand. After meeting the NB folks and having a positive experience with the walking shoes, I’m ready to give the jogging shoes another try.
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