New Arrival

Finally, the New Balance package has arrived. And inside - one pair of black New Balance H710BGs. Not the pair of anticipated trainers, but a pair of lightweight trainer stylee walking boots! They're going to come in handy, no doubt, and have already been dubbed the new 'shoot boots', to replace the old faithful Timberland Earthkeepers, and will be worn for the next location photoshoot.

First impression was pretty good - perfect colour ie. designer black, lightweight (which tbh at first made them feel a bit cheap and nasty, but then got my head around the fact they are a pair of rugged trainers - not a work boot like Timberlands), good styling, no over-the-top logo branding, and an impressive looking grippy sole (which doesn't squeek on the tiled floor!).

I've Been Branded

Here's a list of brands that play an active roll in my life...

• Apple - (been using Macs for over 20 years), includes Mac Pro, iPod, iPhone 3GS, iTunes
• Adobe - (ok, not a physical thing, but the main reason that I spend nearly half my life sitting in front of the above)
  
• Canon - my choice of professional camera equipment (5D MkII)
• Audi - my choice of car for the past 15 years (presently drive an A4 Avant 2.0l Diesel Quattro 'Speedline' (there's an oxymoron if I ever saw one) Special Edition).
• Sony - wouldn't buy any other telly. Surround sound system and DVD player.
  
• Aga - cooks everything I eat and it's a great looking solid lump of a thing, although am uncomfortable with the carbon footprint (but feel it's partly offset by the ultra-efficient gas condensing boiler)
• Nike - favoured for sports apparel and their Nike Air footie trainers. Just purchased Nike5 Lunar Gato trainers for 5-a-side and am well impressed, me.
• Timberland - sell the best socks on the planet! Oh, and the boots are pretty good too, although finding the soles of 'Earthkeeper' boots don't last as long as they should.
  
• Nintendo Wii - supplies the gaming experience, although the Mac Pro does a better job when there's a game to buy for it.

The First 10 Brands Today

In order, from waking, here are the first 10 brands I touched today...(excluding some household fixtures and fittings)...

Apple iPhone
Calvin Klein
Colgate Total
Molton Brown
Levi Strauss
Timberland
White Stuff
Bose
Russell Hobbs
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference (Earl Grey tea and milk)

And I'm probably still looking at the first one while using all the others.

The Opinion Former

I've been selected (via my amazing niece) as an 'Opinion Former' for a brand awareness exercise. The brand, which was in all honesty, unfamiliar to me prior to this exercise, is footwear manufacturer 'New Balance'. In exchange for a pair of new trainers, they want me to keep a blog and share my experience, and a bit about myself, so here goes...

...just need that pair of trainers now!