Athlete Motivation Pushes Asics Campaign

Sports performance brand ASICS is making the motivation of everyday athletes the centrepiece of its 2013 marketing push, with an inspirational, international campaign running on TV, in print and social media, created by 180 Amsterdam.

 

The ASICS ‘Journey of Improvement’ campaign is aimed at encouraging athletes to develop and improve, using inspirational advertising and providing practical support in the form of an innovative Facebook app with tailored training strategies. This forward-thinking initiative is an evolution from the brand's 2012 'Made of Sport' campaign.

 

 

Says Al Moseley, Executive Creative Director at 180 Amsterdam: “This campaign is all about being a better athlete. Better so you can beat your competition. But for many athletes, their competition isn't another athlete, but themselves. Better your Best is about inspiring these athletes and then giving them the tools to succeed.

 

He continues: “The commercial is a pure inspiration piece and then, for the first time, Facebook can now let you look into the future, and set and beat goals that previously you thought were impossible.”

 

It begins this month with a new fast-paced 60-second film, ‘Better Your Best’, directed by Kim Gehrig. It shows a woman tying her shoelaces before a run. As she crouches down she is splashed by a hooded figure who runs ahead, prompting the protagonist to chase this mystery person through the streets, past mountains, alongside horses and through snow – in all days, and all weather. When she finally overtakes the figure we realise it is the woman herself and she has bettered her best. The ad ends as it began, with the now faster runner raising her hood as she approaches herself tying her shoelaces, and the chase for betterment continues with ASICS.

 

Along with the full-length version, ASICS is running 30-second and 20-second cut down versions, and an out-of-home poster campaign featuring the strapline: “I am made of”. It will run in Europe, Asia (Japan, South Korea) and Australia.

 

The brand's first Facebook app - 'MY ASICS' - also launches in January, and is available in five languages. It allows everyday athletes to enter a personal goal, such as running a marathon, and receive a personalised day-to-day but future-focussed training plan from ASICS, which can be shared across social media channels. To help the user achieve there goal, encouraging messages are sent and inspiring content is revealed as progress is made. Friends on social networks are also able to support users.

 

Alongside the advertising campaign, 180 Amsterdam is creating series of six films where ASICS sports stars and everyday athletes to tell personal stories about their journeys to improvement. These films will appear throughout 2013 on the ASICS YouTube channel and Facebook page. Tennis player Gaël Monfils, extreme trail runner Christian Schiester and sprinter Christophe Lemaître are among those featured in the films. These brand ambassadors will also feature in the print campaign.

 

 

Katsumi Kato, Director and Executive Officer, Head of Global Sales and Marketing at ASICS Corporation said: “Every sportsperson, whatever their level, is driven by a desire to constantly improve. In 2013 we want to support sportspeople throughout their journey of improvement and have created a campaign aimed at encouraging and motivating them on that journey, by providing them with insights and inspiration from ASICS athletes and specialists to help them reach their goals.”

 

Use the Facebook app:  http://app.myasics.com/

 

Credits 

 

TV & PRINT:

Executive Creative Director - Al Moseley 

Creative Director - Dean Maryon

Art Director - Martin Terhart

Copywriter - Martin Terhart

Account Director - Gemma Knox

Agency Producer - Stephanie Oakley

Photographer - Ben Ingham

Director/ Production Co  - Kim Gehrig, Somesuch & Co

Producer - Lee Groombridge

Editor- Trim

Post Production - MPC

Sound Design – Soundtree

Original Composition - Five n Dime

DoP - Mattias Montero

 

CONTENT FILM:

Executive Creative Director - Al Moseley

Creative Director - Dean Maryon

Art Director - Ben Bartels

Copywriter - Joe Craig

Account Director - Gemma Knox

Agency Producer - Stephanie Oakley

Director/ Production Co  - Mickey Smith, Independent

Producer - Giles Skillicorn

Editors - Mickey Smith & Allan Wilson

Post Production - Glassworks Amsterdam

Sound Design - Simon O’Reilly

Typographer - Allan ‘Willy’ Wilson

 

MEDIA

Media Planning/Buying - OMD