In the final week of October, US sportswear manufacturer New Balance teamed up with UK-based football media company Footballco for the launch a new ‘Headline Taker’ boot collection and UK promotional campaign fronted by Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling, Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka, Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.
New Balance’s fresh line of boots, rolled out in time to leverage the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, includes new iterations of the Furon and Tekela models – all worn by the four player ambassadors featuring in the campaign.
The launch campaign was built around the stories of four players who have been ‘taking the headlines’ in the current season and was fronted by a bespoke, limited edition newspaper backed by an online video acro0ss TikTok and YouTube.
@goalglobal Saka, Sterling, Mané and Weah feature in Headline Taker @newbalance #soccer #football #saka #sterling #mane #weah ♬ original sound – GOAL
‘The Headline Taker’ newspaper, which includes the stories behind the successes of players featured in the campaign, was produced in a 1,000 print-run and was created, written and edited by the team behind popular football print publication MUNDIAL (a title acquired by Footballco in February 2022).
The paper and the hero spot were supported by an out-of-home poster campaign directing fans around London’s Shoreditch to the ‘Classic Football Shirts Store’ where the retro newspaper is available to buy.
Plus, content from the campaign – including article extracts from the newspaper – were shared across New Balance, Footballco’s MUNDIAL and GOAL brands and via the ‘Classic Football Shirts’ social channels.
The campaign was conceived and developed by a joint team of New Balance marketers and Footballco’s in-house creative team and the creative also highlights that the boot collection is available to purchase on the official New Balance website and select retailers.
“This campaign is a great example of how Mundial and Footballco’s other media brands can work together to create campaigns for brands who want to reach consumers through football,” explained MUNDIAL Head Of Brand Dan Sandison. ““The content in this campaign and the stories covered in the Headline Taker paper focus on the journeys made by these four players, stories we know will resonate with modern young fans who are just as interested in those narratives as the ones played out on the pitch.”
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The Boston-based label has worked with Sterling and Saka on several previous occasions – including August’s phase of the brand’s ongoping ‘We Got Now’ platform – and also recently teamed up with British rapper Dave and Stone Island for a special edition football jersey for Dave’s ‘Santan Cup’ tournament.
Dave flaunts his signature Stone Island x New Balance football kit ⚽️
Link > https://t.co/2IEE1HcZQ3 pic.twitter.com/XU1JD7fF0n
— The Sole Supplier (@thesolesupplier) November 2, 2022
According to the New Balance PR kit for the collection and the campaign:
The Furon V7 comes coated with Bright Lapis along with Hi-Lite accents and it also features a Hypoknit upper, mesh lining, and a unique stud configuration. New Balance’s Furon V7 is designed for tricky players on the pitch, with the boot supplying optimal lockdown and support for those with explosive movements and a low center of gravity.
For the Tekela V4, it arrives in a metallic silver and black colorway and also features Bright Lapis and Hi-Lite on its finer details. The boot also includes a full-foot stretch-knit upper with directional heel lining and a 3D knit collar. Rounding off the boot, the interior comes with a soft lining that promises comfort and stability on the ground.
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