The sportswear giant has retained Hong Kong-based Bravo to assist on brand marketing, retail activation and regional promotion duties.
According to Bravo Asia founder Aaron Lau, the agency did not pitch for the business, instead scooping it based on its credentials.
While New Balance is particularly well-known among serious runners because of the shoes' technological properties, the brand still has some distance to cover if it wishes to seriously challenge Nike and adidas across Asia.
"It has done quite well in a number of markets, but the challenge is to translate that technology to reach out to a broader group of people," said Lau.
"We need to find a way to make the technology appealing, so that the idea applies as much to a regular person as a runner."
Lau also noted that the company faces well-defined competitive challenges in the shape of Nike and adidas, and their gargantuan marketing budgets.
"New Balance is up against Nike and adidas, which both have tremendous marketing budgets," said Lau.
"It needs to get more efficiencies from its spend, stores, merchandising...In other words, every piece of the marketing mix."
The company's marketing strategy will attempt to tailor messaging around specific products. For example, explained Lau, the 'Zip' range targets young adults, and will revolve around a price/value ratio at a regional and local level.
"Our task is working with Asia-Pacific to line up regional strategy as well as any regional work," Lau said.
New Balance celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, and has steadily grown its global market share over recent years to reach its present number-four ranking behind Nike, adidas and Reebok.
Last year, the company launched in India, ambitiously bidding for 10 per cent market share in that country by 2009.
Across Asia, New Balance is targeting sales of US$500 million and double-digit market share in several countries.
At present, its most successful Asian markets include Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
In China, however, the company has been caught in the midst of protracted litigation with a former supplier, in addition to a successful legal challenge against Qiuzhi Footwear for its copycat 'New Barlun' brand.
