Mediahub UK Appointed as New Balance pan-European Media AOR

Mediahub has won the sports footwear and apparel brand’s full-service media account across multiple European markets, including the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Scandinavia and Benelux.

The move is part of a drive by New Balance to consolidate its marketing suppliers, grow brand penetration and scale its D2C offering. It is the first time the brand has appointed a dedicated European media agency of record. The account will be led by Mediahub’s London office and follows a spate of recent wins for the IPG media agency, including Twitch, Pinterest and Little Moons. The agency’s remit will cover all forms of paid advertising, including support for the brand’s sponsorship of the London Marathon, England Cricket Board and the Gothenburg Half Marathon.

The move follows a competitive pitch for New Balance’s social media advertising conducted by the brand in Q4 2020 and consolidates the agency’s relationship following appointment as North American media AOR in 2018.

Tom Henshaw, European marketing director at New Balance, said: “we are delighted to appoint Mediahub to our EMEA media brief. They have shown a strong understanding of our brand, consumer and vision for European marketing, and complement our culture very well. We look forward to working with them.”

Ross Jenkins, Mediahub’s executive director, EMEA and APAC, said: “despite Covid, New Balance have huge brand momentum and now wish to accelerate this with the transformation of their European media. As the media agency for challenger brands we aim to break down barriers and are reinventing the international model with teams that put creativity, technology and data at the centre, and blend mastery of the digital media landscape with local know-how. We look forward to working with Tom and his teams across Europe to accelerate their vision, and to build on the brilliant work and results Mediahub is producing for New Balance in North America.”