NEW BALANCE LAUNCHES “CHANGE THE GAME” BASEBALL CAMPAIGN FEATURING

NEW BALANCE LAUNCHES "CHANGE THE GAME” BASEBALL CAMPAIGN FEATURING DUSTIN PEDROIA AND UBALDO JIMENEZ

BOSTON, February 15, 2011 – New Balance announces the launch of "Change the Game,” a new campaign that highlights the brand’s singular focus on providing baseball athletes with footwear that offers best-in-class fit and comfort to enhance their performance on the field. The campaign features all stars and NB Baseball athletes Dustin Pedroia and Ubaldo Jimenez and highlights their inspirational stories of athletic achievement in the face of doubt or adversity.

"To New Balance, ‘Change the Game’ means providing cleats that offer exceptional comfort and a perfect fit, so athletes can concentrate on their performance on the diamond, not on their equipment,” says Mark Cavanaugh, general manager of sports marketing at New Balance.

The print campaign features former league MVP, Dustin Pedroia, explaining how he has been doubted his entire career, but he uses those doubts as motivation, "Tell me my first year was a fluke. That my second year was a fluke. That I’m a sentimental All Star. Three Times…Tell us what we can’t do. Tell us who we can’t be. One of us is gonna be right. New Balance Baseball. Change the game.”

In another print ad, Ubaldo Jimenez displays his dedication to continuous improvement, "Tell me to be satisfied with 2010. Tell me the ERA record is safe. Tell me not to learn a 7th pitch…Tell us what we can’t do. Tell us who we can’t be. One of us is gonna be right. New Balance Baseball. Change the game.” The Jimenez print ads will be published in both English and Spanish.

"Both Pedroia and Jimenez are changing the game of baseball in a positive way – Pedroia continues to demonstrate that you can be a giant in the game at 5’9” and Jimenez shows that class, humility and dominance on the mound can lead to an all star career,” Cavanaugh continues. "We at New Balance are motivated by their all star level of play both on and off the field in their respective communities, and we have used these actions as inspiration for this campaign.”

The multi-media campaign utilizes print ads, videos and digital advertising to reach high school and youth baseball players. The print campaign appears in ESPN RISE, Baseball America and New England Baseball Journal this spring. The digital campaign will run on BaseballAmerica.com, MaxPreps.com and features a custom NB Baseball channel on Stack.com, which includes training tips from NB Baseball athletes Skip Schumaker and Colby Lewis.

Point-of-purchase and product displays at New Balance stores and key retailers nationwide will highlight the MB1103 baseball cleat, including a special Dustin Pedroia version of the MB1103. Dubbed a "running shoe on spikes,” the 1103 features high performance running technologies to eliminate spike pressure and give athletes unparalleled comfort and fit on the diamond.

In 2010, New Balance announced partnerships with Pedroia and Jimenez as part of a select group of high caliber baseball athletes who work with New Balance on charitable and community initiatives, in addition to representing the brand on the field.

The campaign messaging and creative were developed and produced in-house. The videos were produced by Bluefoot Entertainment, Inc.

New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance employs more than 4000 people around the globe, and in 2009 reported worldwide sales of $1.65 billion. For more information please visit http://www.newbalance.com.

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