New Balance marks 100 years with Beijing showcase

Overview On August 29, New Balance unveiled its “Craftsmanship in Motion” centennial exhibition at Langyuan Station in Beijing, a celebration of the brand’s heritage and innovation. The evening opened with a video tracing the evolution of New Balance running shoes, highlighting the brand’s deep-rooted commitment to running and relentless pursuit of innovation since its 1906 inception. A striking time train, etched with the New Balance logo, immediately captured the attention of attendees. Dancers and models then delivered a mesmerizing performance that played with light and shadow, transporting guests back to 1906. The journey explored the craftsmanship and iconic creations that have defined the brand over the past century. The “Craftsmanship in Motion” exhibition is divided into four thematic rooms: The 1906 First Store, the Timeless Archives, the Made Factory, and the new Run Hub. Netizen’s reactions The event drew an impressive lineup of celebrities, including actress Gao Yuanyuan, actor and singer Zhu Zhengting, actress Chen Haoyu, young dancer Zhu Jiejing, and race walking world champions Wang Liping and Liu Hong. Their presence amplified the event’s visibility on social media, with the Weibo topic “New Balance centennial exhibition” surpassing 110 million views. The event’s live broadcast on Weibo garnered 28.1 million views, further solidifying its impact. From August 30 to September 2, the public can book visits to the exhibition through the WeChat mini-program. Early feedback on Xiaohongshu has been overwhelmingly positive, with users praising the exhibition’s immersive design that brings New Balance’s rich shoemaking history to life while offering plenty of social media-worthy moments. Although the exhibition is a limited-time event in Beijing, New Balance enthusiasts in other cities can explore the brand’s “running philosophy” at the newly upgraded New Balance Run Hub. Verdict China’s “Action Plan for Promoting the Construction and Service Improvement of Outdoor Sports Facilities (2023–2025)” aims to expand the outdoor sports industry to a total scale of 3 trillion RMB ($421 billion) by 2025. This ambitious initiative is driving sustained growth in the outdoor sports goods market, with the “2024 Outdoor Sports Consumer Insights Report” launched by Kurun Data and Mob Research projecting retail sales in this sector will reach 27.44 billion RMB ($3.8 billion) in 2024. Running remains a cornerstone of outdoor sports, offering significant growth opportunities for brands and retailers that strategically invest in this category. New Balance reported a strong performance in 2023, with global sales reaching $6.5 billion – a substantial 23% increase from the previous year. While the company has not disclosed specific regional performance, it attributes its growth to the global market. The Chinese market, however, remains fiercely competitive — as niche and local brands increasingly capturing the market share. The question remains: Can New Balance maintain its growth trajectory in China's increasingly crowded and challenging landscape?

New Balance marks 100 years with Beijing showcase

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Published September 06, 2024

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New Balance marks 100 years with Beijing showcase