NEW BALANCE UNVEILS THE NB PIZZA CO. WHERE RUNNERS CAN CASH IN MILES FOR PIZZA AS PART OF THE 2019 TCS NEW YORK CITY MARATHON CAMPAIGN

New York, NY – October 1, 2019 - Global athletic leader and TCS New York City Marathon footwear and apparel sponsor, New Balance, unveiled their 2019 marketing campaign today via digital marketing and out-of-home advertising.  The fully integrated campaign includes real runners, NB Pizza Co. pop-up activation, official footwear, apparel and accessories, out-of-home advertising, digital, social engagements and an on-course block party.

“What better way to engage with runners in NYC and around the world, then to offer them delicious NY pizza as a reward for their training,” said Tom Carleo, VP of Running at New Balance. “We are excited to open our very first New Balance pizzeria and look forward to welcoming runners to exchange their miles for slices. We hope NB Pizza Co. will motivate runners through their last few weeks of training, offering a unique escape and a place for the running community to come together with our brand and support each other.”

As New Balance enters the third year as the official footwear and apparel sponsor for NYRR, the brand will launch the NB Pizza Co., a temporary pop-up location in Murray Hill at 47 East 34th Street that will open to the public on Friday, October 11th and every weekend thereafter leading up to and including marathon weekend. The NP Pizza Co. pop-up location builds on the Runaway Pub that was part of the 2019 New Balance “Everybody’s Race” campaign at the London Marathon, where runners could cash in miles for pints.

Runners from around the world can join the “Miles for Pizza” Challenge through the Strava App and log miles from wherever they are, then cash those in when they arrive in New York and visit the NB Pizza Co. shop during operating hours. Runners in NY will have additional opportunities to cash in their miles on the weekends leading up to the race. To start earning free pizza runners can download the Strava App, join the “Miles for Pizza” challenge, which starts October 2nd and ends November 4^th, and start running. To cash in those miles, runners can visit the NB Pizza Co. pop-up and show staff the miles logged in the Strava App and redeem for free pizza provided by L’Industrie Pizzeria in Williamsburg. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday the NB Pizza Co. will offer regular programming including Friday Happy Hour Run, Saturday Long Runs and Single Sundays where the first 50 runners to join receive a free branded singlet. For more information on the NB Pizza Co. please visit www.newbalance.com/milesforpizza and runner’s joining the regular programming are asked to engage with the brand by tagging @newbalancerunning or @newbalance.

Miles for Pizza Calculator:

 NB Pizza Co. Hours of Operation:

New Balance will once again transform the expo experience by bringing the streets of New York to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The famous storefront shopping experience found throughout New York City will be brought to life on the expo floor with hero displays drawing attention to the collectors Marathon Windcheater Jacket and pinnacle Capsule Collection. To further honor the runner’s journey, New Balance will create a sensory experience that allows runners to engage with the brand through various photo opportunities as they exit the retail space at the expo. Visitors to the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance can expect this elevated shopping experience without the inconvenience of a long checkout line, average wait times last year were less than 8 minutes. 

In addition, throughout the month of October the New Balance social channels will highlight activations happening at the NB Pizza Co. location and allowing the world to engage before they arrive in NY for the big race.

For race day New Balance will once again host a block party at mile 16 featuring the Brooklyn United drumline. Joining the Brooklyn United drumline this year to cheer on and encourage runners as they take on the last few miles of the race are Fogo Azul NYC (an all-female Brazilian Samba drumline), DJ Cory Townes, Cobra Performing Arts Majorettes drumline and dance line, the Brass Queens (an all-female brass band) and Ltrain Brass Band. In addition, New Balance will be handing out free swag including branded cow bells and foam sneaker signs to spectators. 

New Balance will blanket the city in the marketing campaign creative with out-of-home advertising starting October 28^th, including the ABC Super Sign, Footlocker and Champs digital signs in Times Square. The New Balance TCS New York City Marathon Collection began launching on September 19^th and is available at select retailers, including the NYRR RUNCENTER Featuring the New Balance Run Hub, New Balance Flatiron, New Balance Upper East Side and www.newbalance.com with suggested retail pricing ranging from $30 for graphic t-shirts to $285 for the lifestyle capsule, NYC Marathon Sport Style Heat Down Men’s Parka.

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.

The TCS New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world and the signature event of New York Road Runners (NYRR), the world’s premier community running organization. The race is held annually on the first Sunday of November and includes over 50,000 runners, from the world’s top professional athletes to runners of all ages and abilities, including over 9,000 charity runners. Participants from over 125 countries tour the diverse neighborhoods of New York City’s five boroughs—Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. Race morning also features the Rising New York Road Runners Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City Marathon, a race within Central Park that ends at the marathon finish line. More than one million spectators and 10,000 volunteers line the city’s streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the globally televised broadcast. The race is a founding member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which features the world’s top marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York.  Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. The 49th running of the TCS New York City Marathon is set for November 3, 2019. To learn more, visit www.tcsnycmarathon.org.