New Balance and Sesame Street?

According to Promo Magazine, New Balance recently signed a multi million dollar agreement "with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit education arm behind the Sesame Street series, to sponsor the show and other initiatives."

The article noted: "The four-year deal, which starts this month, calls for the shoe company to sponsor Sesame Street and the U.S. broadcast of Plaza Sésamo, the Latin American co-production of the show, in select PBS markets. Starting today, New Balance will air a 15-second bilingual spot in English and Spanish at the beginning and end of the hour-long program on PBS. The TV sponsorship runs through December 2007. New Balance will also be featured at SesameStreet.com and at NewBalance.com, in print ads in Sesame Street magazine and in Sesame Street newsletters. New Balance is the first athletic brand to sponsor the Sesame Street series, the company said."

At this time, I am torn if this is a a smart sponsorship for New Balance. Here’s why:

· If the money is honestly used to help kids learn about creating healthy lifestyles and Sesame Street really needed to money to pull the program off – then kudos to NB.
· But, if NB uses this to draw kids to become "New Balance Club Members" to buy their athletic gear in the future, then I have a problem with this deal. While I know if happens all the time, NO ONE should be marketing to young kids. The parental watch dog groups will have a field day if people think the companu is advertising to children.
· I believe NB will gain some traction with the mothers, since a lot of them like to go on walks or exercise and will consider purchasing NB products in the future.
· From a sponsorship perspective, like it or not, NB is going to be able to mold some kids into life long NB fans and that will be worth all the money they spend.