New Balance

Bringing two new product line launches to life in social.

The Ask

Two Products, Two Targets

As New Balance began planning a major product launch for two new Fresh Foam lines, they leveraged HYFN’s rich retail expertise and experience working across complex organizations to bring the effort to life in social. The HYFN approach consisted of sequenced campaigns over a four month period, promoting two distinct products to two separate target consumer groups.

Our Role: STRATEGY; DESIGN; ANIMATION; MEDIA PLANNING; PUBLISHING; REPORTING; ANALYSIS; INFLUENCER ACTIVATION

The Strategy

A Fresh Approach to Social

HYFN designed a measurable social strategy aligned with today’s cross-device and cross-platform consumer journey, positioning the execution to deliver against online and offline sales objectives. The overall effort was comprised of three phases focusing on awareness, consideration and purchase, effectively capitalizing on ad products best suited to deliver brand messaging. Each platform was measured using third-party partner Millward Brown to assess success across consumer journeys and to inform investment going forward.

The Creative Execution

Running With It

Leveraging available brand assets, influencer content, and in-house production, our creative team designed and delivered New Balance’s first made-for-mobile ads across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest. This included full-vertical videos, microsite-like Facebook Canvas units, and Pinterest Promoted and Video Pins—all aligning best-in-class creative with best-in-class paid social execution to boost performance and expand the footprint of the campaign.

To bolster in-context content for paid efforts and increase word-of-mouth awareness, the HYFN influence team sourced and contracted six influencers based on distinct target consumer group archetypes. Influencer-provided content included video assets, Instagram story content, and still imagery portraying how the style and versatility of New Balance fit perfectly into their lifestyle. All campaign assets created were available not only for organic and paid use, but also leverageable for New Balance retail partners as well, creating a cohesive creative ecosystem across all platforms.

New Balance - Perspective Ads Across All Platforms

New Balance - Influencer Jeanine on The Strand

The Tactics

Tactical Overview

The full-funnel approach was comprised of the following:

Branding & Awareness

Reach & Frequency

Buying
Square & Vertical

Mobile Optimized Video
Organic Influencer Posts

Organic influencer Instagram posts, garnering nearly 2MM video views and 80K engagements

Consideration

Mixed Placement

Across Facebook and Instagram
Retargeting

Video viewers and web traffic using influencer content to show in-context product benefits
Targeting

DLX Category Purchasers
Square and Vertical

Video, Carousel and Canvas

Purchase

Mixed Placement

Across Facebook and Instagram
Retargeting & Lookalikes

Using influencer content to show in-context
Square and Vertical

Video, Carousel and Static

The Results

A Sellout Success

HYFN’s coordinated approach drove record traffic to New Balance web properties, lifting both online and offline sales across owned and wholesale partner channels, eventually selling out products for a period of time. Specific metrics were as follows:

Arishi

Facebook Millward Brown Measurement

Point lift in ad awareness
Point lift in message association
Point lift in agreement that New Balance is setting trends in athletic footwear and apparel
Point lift in purchase intent

Pinterest Millward Brown Measurement

7.0

Point lift in message association
13.2

Point lift in purchase consideration among active pinners age 35+
11.0

Point lift in purchase consideration among purchasers of activewear in the past three months

Cruz

Facebook Millward Brown Measurement

Point lift in ad awareness
Point lift in message association
Point lift in agreement that New Balance is setting trends in athletic footwear and apparel
Point lift in purchase intent