BOSTON — Sportswear giant New Balance has handed its global public relations business to MullenLowe PR, formally naming the firm its PR agency of record.

MullenLowe PR won the business in a competitive review. The agency’s offices in Boston, (where New Balance’s HQ is located) and New York will handle the account.

DKC was New Balance’s most recent PR agency. Apex was among its previous partners.

News of the MullenLowe PR deal comes after New Balance, a 113-year-old company known best for footwear, announced it selected MullenLowe’s Mediahub as its US media AOR.

In announcing the win, MullenLowe PR said earned media will be the centerpiece of its work for New Balance, while reinforcing the company’s position as a challenger brand. The partnership already is underway, with plans in the works for product launches, sponsored athlete programs and special events, the firm said.