ASOS | New Balance 2002

Client: New Balance

How do you communicate the legacy of an iconic sneaker to an audience that might not be ‘into’ traditional sportswear? This is what New Balance wanted to solve by partnering with ASOS for the launch of its 2002 model. With our expert understanding of Gen Z aesthetics, we took New Balance out of its sports-centric comfort zone and into the realm of fashion to reach a whole new customer.

We leveraged our in-house stylists to create a microtrend: ‘Embellished Streetwear’, elevating the 2002 by styling it in a fresh, unexpected way. Informed by the ‘girlcore’ and ‘balletcore’ trends popularised on TikTok, we landed on a hyper-feminine, ‘in the know’ aesthetic that we knew our customers would love. We styled the minimalist 2002 with distinctly feminine pieces from our key fashion brands. Bows, ruffles and pastels, shot against an urban backdrop, created playful contrasts that nodded both to the street style of Copenhagen Fashion Week and to high-fashion editorial – a marked move away from New Balance’s traditional sphere of influence. Reaching the right audience came down to strategic media planning. Targeting customers via a tailored omnichannel marketing strategy generated above-benchmark results, with our standout TikTok video reaching thousands of views. These results not only surpassed expectations but reshaped New Balance and ASOS’ core retail business strategy. Now, when designing and bringing to market New Balance trainers for ASOS, the female aesthetic is front of mind. We've turned our microtrend into a macro way of working, paving the way for future.