The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By Seb Joseph, News editor

February 20, 2015 | 3 min read

Asics is launching a global push to align itself to the diversity of running as the company looks to protect its share of a market being eyed aggressively by bigger rivals Nike, Adidas and Puma.

The Japanese business has enjoyed a relatively free roam of the running category in recent years, allowing it to carefully craft a brand for those who run both recreationally and professionally. But its dominance among that demographic is under threat from the marketing might of its larger counterparts, which all see gains to be made due to the rise of more health-conscious consumers.

To bolster its image, Asics wants to be seen as all things to all runners. It hopes to achieve the aim with a series of promotions centred on the rallying cry; “It’s a big world. Go run it”. A TV ad (see above) features runners of ages, abilities and cultures running on city streets, country roads, snow and mountains to demonstrate the diversity the diversity of Asics’ audience as well as its products.

Fifteen short films will run over the course of a year, showing Asics-sponsored athletes from all over the world sharing their training routines and diets.

Katsumi Kato, head of global marketing at Asics, said the campaign is a “major step change” in how the brand is communicated. “This demonstrates Asics is the leading running brand, inspiring and helping athletes of all ages and abilities to experience running in all its forms. We believe ‘It’s a big world. Go run it' [positioning] will appeal to all types of runners, whilst also keeping the sport fun and accessible.”

Despite the tougher competition, Asics has seen sales accelerate over the last 12 months. The company’s European division posted a 13 per cent year-on-year sales hike in 2014, up on the 10 per cent it posted the previous year. Asics attributed the gains to its charge into other sports such as rugby and tennis, with the latter posting double-digit growth in both footwear and apparel.

Asics has successfully balanced continued investment in its running heartland with an expansion into other sports for now. However, maintaining the momentum on all fronts will be a challenge, which is why the sportswear maker has united its key sports under one global creative for the first time. A Tennis campaign, “It’s a Tough Game”, starring French player Gaël Monfils will run in May, while a rugby push will launch closer to the sport’s World Cup in September.

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