Numerical.
After disappearing for a bit, New Balance came back in 2015. I'm saying disappeared because I couldn't find any ads after early 2014 and before this one. I checked mags other than Thrasher and nothing turned up. The team in the ad is all the riders who were in the Second Narrows video. Based on John Rattray's LinkedIn page, he was only team manager for a year and was working for Nike by the end of 2013. This supports my theory that things didn't click with Black Box. Of note is that Jack Curtin and the UK's Tom Knox have been added to the crew. Tom Karangelov is riding a 3D board. It's cool to see how long some of these guys have been riding for New Balance.
Thrasher - June 2015 Volume 36 Number 6
2 comments:
It is very cool to see these early NB# ads. Only Tom K remains from the inaugural team, and 5 of 10 skaters from this 2015 ad are still there a decade later (not including Levi, who I think is behind the scenes now).
It is interesting that, other than Tom Knox, no one on this iteration of the team is currently one of their 'top tier' guys with a signature model. I think Karangelov should get a shoe (and not just a colorway). Dude is loyal, productive as hell, and you know all the marketing would be super creative.
Thanks. I was curious about how they started with the recent Andrew Reynolds pro model media blitz. I only remembered parts of the roll out, like how they partnered with Black Box. I didn't realize Tom Knox has been on the team for as long as he has. Ditto for Trahan. This must've been some of his first major coverage. Levi is working as a shoe designer and whatever else for New Balance. I've been digging Karangelov's part in Cold War lately.
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