Asics Plans To Make First Major TV Marketing Campaign Surrounding Olympics

Asics Europe President & COO Alistair Cameron said that the shoe company “plans a major TV marketing push across Europe,” as this is an Olympic year, according to Archibald Preuschat of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Of Asics' “four regional CEOs, three of them are non-Japanese, marking a serious attempt to bring in outsiders with marketing skills.” Cameron said, "What the Japanese do particularly well is making the best product. What Japanese companies haven't necessarily done well is establishing sales and distribution networks, robust ones, or marketed exceptionally well.” Cameron “points to Spain as proof” that a stronger media presence “will boost sales as well as brand awareness.” Market research firm Synovate found that brand awareness of Asics in Spain “rose by more than 7% after a TV campaign in March.” Preuschat notes Asics “is much smaller than rivals” Nike and adidas. Unlike its competitors, Asics “doesn't spend very much money on sponsoring athletes in exchange for promotion.” The ad campaign “aims to stress Asics' credentials as the footwear for serious sports performance, rather than trying to embrace both the serious sports market and the broader lifestyle sector.” Its "Made of Sport" media campaign “will target sports fanatics rather than casual users of sports goods.” That does not mean the company “ignores the lifestyle market,” as it intends to “to hive off lifestyle products to its second brand, Onitsuka Tiger.” Cameron: “We have a lifestyle part in our business, and it's not an insignificant part” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/14).