I love how Boston-based New Balance is attacking the Boston Marathon like I wish I had attacked Heartbreak Hill when I ran the great race in 2005.
They’ve outpaced the official shoe sponsor of the marathon, Adidas, and come up with a strategy to leave their mark on the hometown run.
They’re doing everything that will connect their brand with the world’s greatest race–except pay the sponsorship fee.
Little guys–both non- and for-profit–take note: pushing the envelope may earn you dirty looks from fat cat sponsors and event organizers. But nothing is gained in this world without risk and toeing the line between following the rules and breaking them.
And New Balance didn’t break any rules. Even Boston Athletic Association chief Guy Morse concedes: “That’s on the fine line. It is still a free country at some level. It is taking advantage of an event they’re not associated with,’’ Morse said. “I’m not happy about it. But that’s the way it is.’’
You can read about New Balance’s ambush of the marathon in the Boston Globe. But as much as I admired New Balance’s campaign, I can’t understand why they don’t have a cause component. During the years my nonprofit had large teams in the Boston Marathon we recruited sponsors for marathon cheering sections based on our access to the course and the halo we enjoyed as a charity.
Check out these two posts I wrote in 2007 and 2008.
Even though we were successful at getting many corporate sponsors, including big brands like Toyota of New England, on the race course, the BAA would never had let New Balance on the course. The competition between Adidas and New Balance is simply too fierce.
But that doesn’t mean New Balance couldn’t have sponsored a charity team and splashed their logo all over their training and race-day apparel. Just last year I had 60 runners on my marathon team and would have welcomed a sponsorship from New Balance. And I’m sure I’m not the only charity.
Sponsoring a charity team would have put New Balance right in the middle of the race!
Here’s an idea that would have made sure that all eyes were on them.
The challenge with sponsoring a charity team is that regardless of how big the team is each runner is goes at their own pace and team is flung from Hopkinton to Boston. As a sponsor looking to make a splash and a statement you never get to “mass your forces.” The devastating volley I would fire would have a team running at the same pace for one cause and one sponsor.
Just picture this: 30, 40, 50 runners from the same charity, in the same apparel running the Boston Marathon course. Who wouldn’t ask: “Who are they?” I’ve mentioned this to people and they’ve said, “But how you going to find that many people to run together?!”
We can pass health reform but we can’t find 30 people to run a marathon together? Please. A determined nonprofit and a sponsor like New Balance could definitely make it happen.
Who would have thought a Boston running shoe company like New Balance would take on Adidas at the most hallowed road race in the world? New Balance should tear a page from another shoe company’s game book and just do it.
FREE Newsletter
I would put the challenge a different way – why haven’t 30 people (or more) taken the initiative to apply a cause to the geurilla style effort that New Balance has put together around the Marathon? Why do we need a corporation to sponsor our activities to take action or step up for something we believe in. New Balance proved that you can get noticed and have an impact without an official presence, individuals and causes should take the same approach. Are there 30 people out there who care about an issue and can find a creative way to ride the New Balance coattails in this year’s race? Are there 30 people who want to show New Balance that their passion for a cause or issue deserves their support – and are willing to put some effort and creativity behind finding a way to send that message, instead of waiting for a check to arrive from a sponsor first? I would have liked to see New Balance embrace a cause too, or champion a group of runners – but tacking that on to this type of effort seems forced, artificial. There are more companies forcing causes into/onto their efforts because they believe that is the best way to win customer support. New Balance not inserting a cause where it might not have fit naturally is better. The rest of us should consider it an invitation – to act, to organize, to be creative, to think around the rules, and to change the way we think about how to respond to causes and establish campaigns. If you want to run, run. If you are already running, add another reason to get up every morning and burn up the miles. But don’t wait for New Balance to tell you you should run for a cause. Show them they should be lucky enough to be the shoe (etc) you wear.
Great comment, Brian. You're right: a cause could apply the same guerrilla tactics without the help of a corporate sponsors. But so often they need that psychological and monetary push to try new, creative things that toe the line of appropriateness.
Hey Joe – New Balance actually does sponsor charity marathon teams for both of its long-term cause partners Komen's Marathon for the Cure and Girls on the Run's SoleMates, providing uniforms, product discounts, fundraising prizes, etc to help them on their way over 26.2 miles. Hundreds of charity runners will be hitting the road at marathons across the US this year in New Balance and raising thousands for their causes.
Love the pack idea from a visibility standpoint, but I think the folks at NB would tell you that part of the company's mission is to help every runner achieve their personal best, so while the brand awareness would be great, I'm sure they'd rather those 30 people run as fast as they can individually and know that their NB's helped them to get there.
Thanks for your insight, Chris. I knew you'd have some great things to add to this post.
Hi Joe!
Great post… and great approach by NB! In a recent study, two HEC Montreal (French Management School here in Montreal, Canada) marketing professors have determined that the key element of any well done sponsorship is what they call "sponsorship activation" (I used to call that "exploitation, but I prefer their word!); i.e. the additional effort a sponsor invests to leverage his sponsorship investment. Their study reveals that for every $1.00 invested in sponsorship (sport, cultural or philanthropic), sponsors invest on average an additional $1,70 to "activate" their sponsorship investment.
More…
Part two…
As philanthropic marketers, our job is to develop ideas for our corporate partners to leverage their philanthropic sponsorship and "activate" their investment once they have secured what I call the "sponsorship territory".
Their study found that, contrary to advertising, consumers do not perceive sponsorship as an attempt to persuade them, making sponsorship such an interesting option to reach consumers AND position a brand close to the values of a non-profit or cause.
Since Adidas has already secured the Boston Marathon "territory", but seems to lack the ressources or will to "activate" its sponsorship investment, NB has clearly taken upon themselves to fill that void left by its larger European competitor.
I like that kind of guts… I just don't want them to do it at my event!
Keep up your great work!
Great points, Guy. I like NB's guts too. I wish nonprofits had them too. And thanks for writing your comments in English because I know from your tweets that you have a choice!
You almost lost me with the comment on passing healthcare "reform" but i digress.
My guess is no charity would want to do anything to tick off the BAA, as they are more than generous to give numbers to the various causes.
In this case, I don';t necessarily think this would be a cause amrketing event, as NB has some strong ulterior motives here.
mp/m
Mike, I'm amazed the looks I get from nonprofits when I suggest things to them. I think "We put a man on the moon" but you think this can't be done. Same with healthcare. Like it or not. How many naysayers just thought it could never be done. The same with the things I suggest.
I think some charities would be up for the challenge I outlined. They have a halo first of all so it's tough for the BAA to pick on a charity. Also, a lot of charities like me get numbers through other means so what the BAA thinks is not a top concern.
The BAA is very generous with their charity numbers, but they get a lot out of it too. After all, my site is called Selfish Giving.
I wanted to provide some additional info on behalf of New Balance – full disclosure, I work in Corporate Comms for NB. Last Friday’s Globe article focuses more on the specific 2010 New Balance “Run Faster Boston” Boston Marathon campaign and highlights a few of the unique activation activities we are executing. In addition to these activities, as a long-time Bay State Games sponsor, New Balance outfits their Boston Marathon charity team runners and hosts a pre-race pasta event at our headquarters each year. New Balance has also been a multi-year supporter of the Boston Police Runners Club, outfitting members in New Balance gear and assisting them as they run in support of the Boston Kids at Risk program, a program designed to help provide safe and nurturing environments encouraging inner city youths to make healthy choices.
As a brand we hope the campaign encourages both local Bostonians and those visiting our hometown to celebrate the sport of running and we are proud to support local runners who are giving back to their community through their participation.
Hi Joe!
Great post… and great approach by NB! In a recent study, two HEC Montreal (French Management School here in Montreal, Canada) marketing professors have determined that the key element of any well done sponsorship is what they call “sponsorship activation” (I used to call that “exploitation, but I prefer their word!); i.e. the additional effort a sponsor invests to leverage his sponsorship investment. Their study reveals that for every $1.00 invested in sponsorship (sport, cultural or philanthropic), sponsors invest on average an additional $1,70 to “activate” their sponsorship investment.
More…
Interesting! Is there a link to that study.
I’ve always liked New Balance running shoes so I didn’t mind too much that they did this. Way to go!
Really interesting article Joe. We at Girls On The Run Boston have applied this year to be an official charity (fingers crossed). I wasn't sure if there were regulations on having sponsors on team singlets. Good advice on getting some corporate sponsors on board!
Have you ever read this?
http://www.boston.com/sports/marathon/articles/20…
Good luck on the numbers! You're going to need it. It's such a competitive process!
Joe