--Dress Up Your Digital Avatar with New Balance Footwear and Apparel--
Boston, MA (May 29, 2019) – Global athletic leader New Balance introduced today the new Fresh Foam Roav shoe through a collaboration with Genies, the most intelligent and dynamic avatars on market. As part of the collaboration, mobile users who download the Genies app can customize their digital selves by selecting from the first athletic brand “wheel” including New Balance footwear and apparel.
The Genies mobile app invites users to mirror their idealized digital selves by selecting from over a million options on everything from personality type, likes and dislikes, skin tone, eye color, hair style and now, New Balance footwear and apparel including the new Fresh Foam Roav. Once users “clone” themselves, Genies can be integrated into dozens of messaging apps where avatars can express human emotion through gestures, motions and facial expressions. Similar to searching emojis using keywords such as “running” or “shoes”, users are presented with branded New Balance gestures and motions that can be inserted into a conversation thread.
“We couldn’t think of a better brand to work with to engage customers in a new way via the emerging avatar world,” stated Akash Nigam, CEO at Genies. “Our collaboration with New Balance gives consumers a fully immersive experience around new product and the brand itself.”
As the first ever agency to represent talent through digital avatars, Genies conducts in-depth analysis to create the perfect, 3D digital animated version of athletes and celebrities. Multiple New Balance athletes including CoCo Gauff, Darius Bazley, Gabby Thomas, Francisco Lindor and many more join Genies’ extensive Verified athlete roster. Each Verified New Balance athlete will come to life on New Balance’s social channels introducing the Fresh Foam Roav and celebrating a special moment pertaining to the athlete’s competitive calendars.
“The next generation of athletes are more connected to their fan base than ever before through the use of social media. Our collaboration with Genies enables this same connectivity through self-expression, a core principle of our Fearlessly Independent mindset. Fans and new consumers can explore New Balance’s latest footwear & apparel all while staying connected to their vast social network.” said Chris Davis, Vice President, Global Marketing & Sports Marketing at New Balance.
Transforming style and comfort, the New Balance Fresh Foam Roav shoe delivers an incomparable ride that cradles your foot in comfort. The shoe is engineered with a modern ultra heel construction for seamless comfort and a full-ground contact rubber outsole for a great underfoot feel. To purchase, visit www.newbalance.com.
About New Balance
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2018 reported worldwide sales of $4.1 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.
About Genies
Genies, Inc. is an avatar technology company based in Venice, California. Akash Nigam and Evan Rosenbaum, both 26, started the company in 2015. Genies employs 30 engineers, animators and illustrators and has raised $25 million in capital from an eclectic group of venture capital firms and angel investors.