November 24, 2004
BOSTON, November 24, 2004 -- In the aftermath of unsportsmanlike conduct at recent sporting events, New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. has produced a full-page newspaper ad and television ad to stimulate thought-provoking dialogue on the values in athletics today.
The ad appears in today's edition of USA Today and will run during The CBS NFL Post Game Show on Thursday, November 25, at approximately 3:30-4:30 p.m. Banner ads will run on www.cbssportsline.com from Thursday, November 25 through Monday, November 29 and will link to a discussion board hosted by CBS Sportsline. New Balance's corporate homepage at www.newbalance.com will also feature the campaign message and link to the discussion board.
"As a long-time advocate of sportsmanship, we hope to stimulate discussion on what can be done to encourage sportsman-like behavior among all members of the sporting community at all levels of competition," says Jim Davis, Chairman and CEO of New Balance. "We recognize that there are no easy answers, but believe that increased dialogue on the values guiding sports today is a positive first step in the right direction."
The print ad carries the headline, "It's Supposed To Be A Game." The main text of the ad is composed of three sentences: "Sports Are Supposed To Be Positive, Not Negative", "Sports Are Supposed To Bring Out Our Best, Not Our Worst.," and "Sports Are Supposed To Inspire Our Children, Not Frighten Them."
The text at the bottom of the ad reads: "As athletes, as fans, as leagues and companies associated with sports, now might be a moment to ask ourselves: Are the values guiding sports today the best ones? Let's talk about it, not fight about it."
Boathouse Inc. of Needham, MA developed the creative and handled the media buy. This is their first creative project on behalf of New Balance.
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA, is a leading manufacturer of technologically innovative width-sized performance footwear and athletic apparel for women, men, and children. The range of product categories includes running, walking, cross training, basketball, tennis, adventure, and kids. New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. employs more than 2,600 people around the globe, and in 2003 reported worldwide sales of $1.3 billion. For more information please visit http://www.newbalance.com.
