The Free Toaster E001 - How New Balance's CMO Turned Around A 15-Year Decline
What we 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:
https://www.thefreetoaster.com/p/how-new-balance-s-cmo-turned-around-a-15-year-decline
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