New Balance marked its 120th anniversary in Shanghai with a limited time exhibition at IAPM Mall’s 1F atrium, using heritage rich storytelling, tactile displays and KOL Chen Xingxu to turn a milestone celebration into a sharp read on where China’s sneaker market is right now.
Anniversary Details In Shanghai
The activation ran from April 29 to May 5, 2026, inside the atrium of IAPM Mall on Huaihai Middle Road, one of Shanghai’s premier luxury and lifestyle destinations. Positioned as a “120th Anniversary Limited Exhibition”, the space invited visitors to walk through the brand’s past and present, tying into New Balance’s broader Grey Day 2026 storytelling around craft and legacy.
Chinese actor Chen Xingxu served as the event’s key opinion leader, appearing at the opening and featuring in on site content and social coverage, which helped drive traffic and visibility among younger, fashion aware consumers.
The exhibition leaned heavily into heritage, craftsmanship and core product, echoing a wider shift among global brands in China to “return to self” rather than chase every micro trend. Central to the space were:
- The MADE series, highlighting US and UK crafted lines and the brand’s “century of craftsmanship” positioning.
- Archival silhouettes displayed as objects of record, tracing iconic running and lifestyle models over decades.
- A cushioning innovation timeline, mapping the evolution from early foam setups to modern platforms like Fresh Foam and FuelCell.
As Chris Baker noted in his post, these elements function less as anniversary decoration and more as “proof of authenticity and continuity” at a time when consumers are questioning which brands have genuine performance roots versus those trading purely on aesthetics.
Tapping China’s Nostalgia Wave
The activation also plugged directly into one of China’s most powerful current consumer currents: nostalgia. Across sneakers, apparel and lifestyle, retrospective storytelling, reissues and “heritage edits” are carrying outsized cultural and commercial weight, offering familiarity and emotional grounding in a fast changing market.
By foregrounding archival models, old logotypes, historical packaging and a chronological product journey, New Balance positioned its 120 years of history as a comforting, trustworthy through line rather than a marketing afterthought. This approach resonates particularly well with millennial and Gen Z consumers who treat “realness” and continuity as filters when choosing between global and local sportswear brands.
Immersive, Tactile, Product First
Physically, the IAPM space followed a familiar yet effective playbook for today’s China activations:
- Immersive: multi zone layout with photo friendly vantage points, branded structures and clear circulation paths.
- Tactile: hands on product displays, material samples and try on areas that let visitors feel leathers, meshes and midsole tech rather than just view them behind glass.
- Heritage driven: visual language built around grey tones, archival imagery and workshop cues to reinforce the “craft” narrative.
- Product anchored: hero footwear and key franchises front and center, with storytelling built outward from recognizable silhouettes rather than abstract brand manifestos.
As Baker summed up, the result felt “well calibrated for where the market is today” because it married experience and evidence: visitors got a memorable, Instagram ready environment, but one grounded in tangible product and technical history rather than pure vibe.
Positioning New Balance In Today’s China Market
In a landscape where many international sports and lifestyle brands are trying to re anchor themselves amid local competition and shifting tastes, this activation reads as a strategic signal. By centering the MADE line, cushioning R&D and a long running design archive, New Balance reinforces a clear identity: a heritage brand with authentic running roots, consistent craft standards and a distinct aesthetic language (grey, retro, understated).
At the same time, using a popular KOL like Chen Xingxu and hosting the exhibition in a high traffic, fashion forward venue like IAPM Mall keeps the message plugged into contemporary culture, ensuring the brand doesn’t drift into pure nostalgia but instead uses the past to legitimize the present. For now, that balance of heritage, tactility and recognizable product anchors looks closely aligned with what China’s sneaker consumers are actually responding to.
