The clothing apparel company New Balance has partnered with soccer player Raheem Sterling.
This collaboration will go beyond a typical sponsorship as the Jamaican-born English soccer star and New Balance will work on performance and lifestyle products. The philanthropic efforts of both parties played into them agreeing to work with each other.
“Growing up all I dreamt of was playing football. From kicking a ball around in Brent with my mates to my first Champions League Final on
May 29 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,” said Sterling in a written statement.Sterling’s debut campaign, “Done Just Talking,” has been released under the New Balance global brand statement of “We Got Now.” It shows mostly teenagers and was facilitated by ReachOut UK, a mentoring charity for young people from disadvantaged communities.
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Chris Davis, New Balance’s chief marketing officer and senior vice president of merchandising, said, “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.
In an interview with Complex, Sterling, 26, explained why he chose New Balance.
“In the very first conversations with different brands, there was a lot of interest,” he said. “I think during my next stage of my career, I wanted to really go with a brand I felt like I can have a bit of collaboration with. New Balance gave an offer in terms of boots, my own line, [my own] clothing, and they matched my expectations off the field as well as what I want to do on the field. Since speaking to them, it’s been something that I’ve been really excited about, to be honest with you.”