New Balance is bringing its latest running philosophy to the heart of London with a landmark relationship with Transport for London, transforming one of the capital’s most time-obsessed spaces into a moment to forget the clock.
Celebrating the launch of the New Balance Ellipse, the brand is taking over Waterloo Underground station’s Bakerloo line platforms with an immersive activation that encourages Londoners to “Lose Track of Time.” In a city where every second of the commute is measured by arrivals, countdowns and platform clocks, New Balance is instead reminding people that running should be the one place where time doesn’t matter.
The Ellipse represents a return to the analogue joy of running. In a culture dominated by split times, personal bests and app leaderboards, New Balance’s latest runner is designed around a simpler idea: when running feels good, you stop watching the clock.
To bring this philosophy to life, New Balance has reimagined Waterloo station through the lens of timeless running. Across the Bakerloo line platforms, commuters will encounter the iconic TfL roundel redesigned as a stopwatch with its numbers removed, reinforcing the message of losing track of time. Co-branded station vinyls feature “departure boards” that replace train arrivals with curated London running routes, each listed with the same due time: “Lose track of time.”
At the centre of the takeover, an experiential zone within the historic Waterloo Tube station invites commuters and runners alike to step out of the rush of the Underground and into the mindset of the Ellipse. The space features the hero product message alongside analogue-inspired design cues, run route maps and sampling opportunities that encourage Londoners to rediscover the simple joy of running.
The partnership also extends beyond the station itself, with a 48 hour takeover of the TfL website homepage, social and press amplification reaching over 3.7 million followers.
TFL and New Balance bring the Lose Track of Time mindset to life with a co-branded running map, spotlighting the most inspiring routes across the city, including select stretches from the iconic London Marathon course. These thoughtfully curated paths not only guide runners through London’s most scenic neighbourhoods but also naturally lead them past the New Balance flagship store, reinforcing the brand at every stride.
By interrupting one of the city’s most time-controlled environments, New Balance is turning the daily commute into a powerful reminder of what running is really about: not beating the clock, but forgetting it entirely.
