New Balance Is 100%, 25% American

Today, AdAge reported that the New Balance shoe brand will be launching a national ad campaign based around the everyman's "Made in America" concept.

New Balance wants to capitalize on the fact that only 75% of the company's products are made overseas, compared with 100% for competitors. 1300 of the company's 4000 manufacturing employees are based in Maine and Massachusetts. And boy, does New Balance want you to know.

They've created an online documentary, as well as print, radio, and TV ads as part of the campaign, which goes old school by profiling small town manufacturing life, ostensibly demonstrating how New Balance is just as much a part of the backbone of blue collar America as GM or Ford. Upon opening their homepage, my entire screen is practically inundated with American flags and the slogan "Made in the USA."

Who does New Balance think they are fooling? Since when does being 25% made in the USA give you the right to use that as a marketing slogan and brand identity? The whole thing ends up coming off as more of a cheap marketing tactic than a true reflection of New Balance's identity. Phil Rist, exec VP-strategic initiatives at BigResearch, notes that "the fact the the majority of its footwear is not made in the U.S. might prove a sticking point." I really hope they didn't spend too many late nights concocting the brilliant plan to paint American flags all over a mostly foreign product. I'm sure the nationalistic message will resonate well with the uninformed, but now you know that it's all marketing gloss.