Walk your talk, talk your walk. Many of us learned this mantra as kids. Now, for-profit and nonprofit organizations are developing cultures and strategies around it to build brand identities, achieve goals and create social change.
Last month, I had the privilege of hearing Chris Davis, VP of Global Marketing for New Balance, speak as part of the Ad Club CMO Breakfast series about the global athletic company’s current marketing campaigns and how the 112-year-old privately owned self-proclaimed American start-up stays relevant nationally and internationally.
“At New Balance, we don’t want to be the biggest brand out there,” says Davis. “Rather, we want to be the best version of ourselves. An organization’s marketing 100 percent must be a reflection of its values, showing your authenticity, where you are going…your soul.”
And, boy does New Balance do this right. Every marketing campaign and corporate and community partnership is engrained with a call to action for consumers to be the best version of themselves.
On the corporate side, New Balance markets its signature shoes through storytelling, showing and telling how real people, from Steve Jobs to the activists of the Baltimore Riots, authentically wear and talk about the brand. During the breakfast, Davis showed two new commercials that help to bring the brand to life. The first featured actress Emma Roberts as the real-life entrepreneur that she is shuffling through books and physically walking us through the founding of her online book club, Belletrist. The second featured Major League Baseball shortstop Francisco Lindor and his family fulfilling a lifelong dream of his to tour Japan, mentoring aspiring young baseball players along the way. Both commercials were created through media partnerships with each of their platform’s unique voices and audiences in mind.
On the philanthropic side, New Balance continues to walk the company’s talk. For example, the values of ambassadors must align with the brand’s values. In fact, it is written in their contracts that a portion of their money, time or product must be donated to charity to further the company’s social mission to better children and communities. Ambassadors may choose to donate to a charity of their choice or they have the opportunity to contribute to the New Balance Foundation, which supports nonprofits that work to fight childhood obesity.
One such nonprofit partner happens to be one of Teak’s clients: Playworks New England. The regional nonprofit, part of a national organization (also Teak’s client), leverages the power of play to transform children’s social and emotional health. Through direct-service coaching and training, Playworks partners with elementary schools, districts, and after-school programs to integrate games into recess to create a welcoming place for every child on the playground. With an emphasis on social-emotional learning and skill-building, students feel included while being active and developing valuable skills needed to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
For 11 years, the New Balance Foundation has helped to energize education alongside Playworks New England and is the nonprofit’s premier movement building partner. Not only does the organization provide financial support, but New Balance employees volunteer their time to coach kids during recess alongside Playworks Coaches and lead playground beautification projects in Playworks communities. Just like New Balance, Playworks also walks its talk. Staff members play the same games and activities to strengthen their own social-emotional and leadership skills and grow as an organization – a perfect match.
Putting actions into words through a singular authentic voice with a consumer-focused mindset is helping New Balance to remain a top three global athletic brand.
Other companies and nonprofits, take notes!
