Last updated at 20:35, Thursday, 02 February 2012

A hundred West Cumbrian people will star in a national TV campaign later this year.

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Shoe firm New Balance, which has a factory at Flimby, commissioned the advert to coincide with the company’s 30th year of manufacturing in West Cumbria and the launch of its second generation of New Balance 1080 shoes.

The company advertised for 100 local people to take part in return for a fee and free food.

Liam Burns, New Balance spokesman, said that many of those taking part represented local running clubs.

The advert also features English 1,500m runner and Olympic hopeful Tom Lancashire.

The TV campaign will begin in April.

It was filmed around the Lake District, in Maryport and at the New Balance factory in Flimby.

The advertisement will show a runner making his way around the area looking glum as 100 happy runners pass him in the opposite direction.

He turns to follow them and ends up at New Balance, where he finds that “happy feet make happy people”.

Mr Burns added: “We were hoping our brand will be represented at the Olympics but we do not know yet.

“We are sponsoring a number of athletes but it will be July before they know if they are in.”

Mr Burns said the company was buoyant at the moment.

He said: “I don’t think anyone is fully protected from the recession but we are doing well.

“People may not be buying as many shoes but they are buying good ones, and Europeans are happy to buy shoes that are produced here.

“People have less money to spend and that is when they cancel gym memberships and the like. Instead they do their own exercise – running, jogging, walking and so on – and they buy the appropriate shoes.”

He said the company had a positive financial year and was looking forward to a bright future.

Last month the firm launched a new website – visitflimby.com – to celebrate the village.

The company wanted to mark 30 years of manufacture in West Cumbria by introducing its customers and others to the area.

The website also chronicles New Balance’s support of the area by promoting places of interest, accommodation and activities for potential visitors to the town.

It also features mini-profiles of some of the site’s workers.

Andy Okolowicz, New Balance’s Flimby factory manager, said: “At New Balance the dedication and passion of our manufacturing team are an inspiration to us all and the visitflimby.com site enables our consumers to have an insight into life at Flimby.”

l See video snippets from the website at www.times andstar.co.uk

First published at 19:19, Thursday, 02 February 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk