New Balance has named Ayo Edebiri its newest ambassador, bringing the award-winning actress, comedian and creative into the footwear brand’s expanding circle of cultural figures. The announcement connects Edebiri’s growing influence across entertainment, fashion and film with a company that has long been woven into the identity of her hometown, Boston.
The partnership begins with a campaign that takes Edebiri back to Dorchester, where she grew up, for a portrait of the city through her perspective. Photographed by Tyler Mitchell and styled by Danielle Goldberg, the campaign moves through local landmarks and everyday moments while placing the New Balance 574 at the center of the imagery.
A Boston Story
The choice to launch the collaboration in Boston gives the appointment a personal dimension. New Balance’s global headquarters is also located in the city, making the relationship between the brand and Edebiri more than a typical celebrity partnership.
“I’m always thinking about the stories we tell,” Edebiri said. “Growing up in Boston, New Balance was simply part of the city’s story, so coming together feels incredibly natural.”
She also pointed to the brand’s ability to move between different styles and cultural perspectives without losing its identity. “Something I admire about New Balance is that they can tell so many different stories and explore so many different styles, while always staying true to who they are at the core,” she added. “I’m excited to see what stories we’ll tell together.”
The 574 Takes Center Stage
For her first campaign as a New Balance ambassador, Ayo Edebiri wears the New Balance 574, one of the company’s most recognizable silhouettes. The sneaker’s established place in the brand’s history makes it an appropriate choice for a campaign built around heritage, hometown identity and contemporary creativity.
The imagery by Mitchell avoids separating Edebiri from the environment that shaped her. Instead, Dorchester and the wider Boston landscape become part of the campaign’s visual language, connecting a familiar New Balance design with the actress’s own history.
That approach also reflects the way Edebiri has built her public identity. Her work stretches from acting and comedy into writing and directing, while her fashion choices have established her as a creative figure with a distinctive point of view.
Why New Balance Chose Edebiri
Chris Davis, New Balance’s brand president and chief marketing officer, emphasized that individuality was central to the decision to bring Edebiri into the company’s ambassador roster.
“We are incredibly excited and honored to welcome Ayo to the New Balance family of ambassadors,” Davis said. “She is a singular talent with a distinctive point of view and an unwavering sense of self.”
Davis continued, “Across entertainment, fashion and culture, Ayo has built her career by forging her own path, bringing authenticity, creativity and intelligence to everything she does. She shapes culture rather than follows it, and that independent spirit is deeply aligned with New Balance.”
The appointment reflects the broader evolution of New Balance’s approach to cultural partnerships. The company was once closely associated with its “Endorsed by No One” slogan, particularly during the 1990s and 2000s, when it largely avoided celebrity endorsements. Its strategy has since expanded to include prominent athletes, musicians and actors.
A Growing Cultural Roster
Edebiri now joins a New Balance roster that includes Rosalía, Storm Reid, Aminé, Jack Harlow and Action Bronson, alongside athletes such as Shohei Ohtani, Coco Gauff, Cooper Flagg and Kawhi Leonard.
Her addition gives the brand another figure whose influence extends beyond a single creative discipline. Edebiri’s work across television, film, comedy, writing and directing offers New Balance an opportunity to participate in conversations around culture and fashion through a distinctly personal voice.
That connection is also reflected in Edebiri’s own comments about the partnership. In a separate statement, she described New Balance as part of the backdrop of her life growing up in Boston, but said the relationship became about more than geography as she learned more about the company.
“I love how New Balance has such a clear sense of who they are, while still leaving room for self-expression and creativity, allowing people to make the brand their own,” Edebiri said. “That balance of identity and individuality is something I value in both my personal style and my work, and is what makes this relationship feel like such a natural fit.”
What The Partnership Means
The collaboration will extend beyond the debut campaign. As a New Balance ambassador, Edebiri will appear in future brand campaigns and storytelling initiatives while working with the company on creative projects and cultural moments.
For New Balance, the partnership continues its move into a space where sneakers, entertainment and fashion increasingly overlap. For Edebiri, it brings a brand with an existing connection to her upbringing into another chapter of a career built around creative independence.
Beginning with the 574 and a return to Dorchester, the Ayo Edebiri campaign gives the New Balance relationship a story that feels grounded rather than manufactured. Its strongest idea is also its simplest: two Boston-born identities meeting through a shared appreciation for heritage, individuality and the freedom to tell the story in their own way.
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Featured image: New Balance
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