Prior To UCL Final New Balance Adds Sterling & Launch ‘Done Just Talking’ Mentoring Campaign

In mid-May, days ahead of his side Manchester City appearing in its first ever UEFA Champions League Final, England attacker Raheem Sterling celebrated signing on as an athlete ambassador for New Balance by fronting his debut campaign as the Boston-based sportswear company’s new global face.

Launched on 19 May, ‘Done Just Talking’ is spearheaded by a hero spot running under the brand’s new ‘We Got Now’ global platform as introduced via early May’s ‘Impatience Is A Virtue’ Gen-Z targeted campaign.

The debut creative tells segments of Sterling’s own story and reaffirms his commitment to ‘driving positive social change’.

Indeed, the campaign was actually created with a production crew that included teenagers and was facilitated by ReachOut UK (a mentoring charity for young people from disadvantaged communities) to bring to life the player’s commitment to supporting young people by shadowing the professionals on the set and learning disciplines such as directing, photography, editing, and styling.

All those involved were also offered longer-term access to mentorship opportunities.

“Growing up all I dreamt of was playing football,” commented Sterling at the campaign launch. “From kicking a ball around in Brent with my mates to my first Champions League Final on May 29th and representing my country at this summer’s European Championships, in my hometown. There’s so much more I want to achieve, both on and off the pitch, and this partnership will provide me with the platform to do so.”

New Balance Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President of Merchandising Chris Davis added: “At New Balance, we believe that our ambassadors are truly a reflection of our values as a brand. Simply put, this relationship is much bigger than football. Raheem is undoubtedly recognized as one of world football’s most premier talents evidenced by his key role for both club and country. His ambition to give back to the community will also be a focal point of how we realize the unique nature of this collaboration. Our transformative alliance will showcase co-authored product collections and storytelling, elevating Raheem’s unique persona both on and off the pitch.”

The brand’s campaign PR content also highlights how ‘giving back’ is an important part of New Balance’s value and states that it will work with Sterling – who received the Integrity and Impact Award Founded by Dow Jones Sports Intelligence at the Sport Industry Awards 2019 – to support his philanthropic efforts.

Comment:

The New Balance deal follows weeks of soccer and sponsorship speculation linking Sterling to possible moves to Puma, Adidas and Nike, but the new deal will see the forward wear New Balance boots for the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final, at Euro 2020 and beyond and collaborate with the brand across performance and lifestyle products. Indeed, the sportswear brand will also give Sterling an ‘influential and pinnacle role’ across its categories and an input into creative design.