Beginners x Night Panda Are Here to ‘Start a Riot’ in VMLY&R’s Latest for New Balance

By Erik Oster 

VMLY&R launched a new “In Pursuit” campaign for New Balance, promoting its Fresh Foam line, with a branded music video for “Start A Riot,” the new single by Beginners x Night Panda.

Featuring four New Balance runners—Lisanne de Witte (sprinter, Netherlands), Stephanie Garcia (steeplechase, US), Cory McGee (middle distance, US) and Bev Ramos (middle/long distance, Puerto Rico)—the video connects the energetic music to the visceral rush of the athletes striving to reach their personal best.

“Through this high-energy music video, we are not only bringing to life the momentum of the song to encourage physical movement, but we hope to tap into an inner drive and momentum of women in their own personal pursuits,” New Balance director of global marketing Allie Tsavdarides said in a statement. “We are all on a journey; our goal for this project was to channel the potential energy in each of us and to encourage all of you amazing women to keep rocking.”

“In Pursuit” will include stories of each athlete running on digital and social channels.

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The campaign’s empowering message for women earns authenticity from its own creative process, as women led the creation of the music video throughout the process. Beginners are a Los Angeles band led by bassist and lead singer Samantha Barbera. The video was brought to life by a female-led creative team, directed by Lauren Sick and produced by Tessa Films.

“We wanted people to actually feel what it’s like to run in this shoe, we wanted them to be inspired to run in it themselves. So we gave them something to run to—a song, a motivation, and an anthem.” VMLY&R creative team Rachel Cuyler and Meredith Kinee added.

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