Going to Pieces
In its first big initiative with Mother, its new agency of record, New Balance Lifestyle has emerged with a campaign that is both small-scale and high-concept. The “574 Clips” Web/video project was created for a limited-edition line of 574 sneakers, produced in the company’s Lawrence, Mass., factory using surplus clips of fabric. Also contributing to the title is a series of video clips that began airing online this week at 574clips.com and show the unique and sometimes odd experiences of each pair of shoes. Fans who purchase a pair at one of 10 boutiques nationwide can then claim their shoes online and have their name posted at the end of the video.

According to New Balance, the campaign (and classic kicks) are targeted to sneakerheads and will be promoted through blogs including Hypebeast, High Snobiety and Nice Kicks. “We want to reach sneaker connoisseurs who are interested in thoughtfulness, substance and fashionable, well-made sneakers,” New Balance marketing exec Taylor Duffy told MediaBank. “This is an extremely important end consumer group because of their dedication to the culture and the influence that they have on the broader market.”

The 574 Clips site also features social networking functionality, so buyers can boast about their purchases on Facebook, Myspace, Delicious and Tumblr.