Asics Launches Global "I Move Me" Campaign To Re-Establish Founder's Ethos

Kicking off in the U.K., sportswear brand Asics unveiled its "biggest brand shakedown in over 25 years as it looks to dial up its relevance" toward a broader audience, according to Rebecca Stewart of THE DRUM. Asics’ new global "I Move Me" campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi L.A., sees the brand "recalibrate the philosophy" of Asics Founder Kihachiro Onitsuka for a "fresh generation of consumers." The brand’s name is an acronym for "Anima sana in corpore sano" -- a Latin motto meaning "A sound mind in a sound body." Onitsuka’s ethos is "now being championed as part of the brand’s biggest marketing initiative in over two decades," with the brand unveiling a "new strapline and brand identity with the aim of inspiring people of all ages and abilities to move more, and enjoy both the physical and mental benefits of exercise." Asics Global Marketing Head Paul Miles said that the re-tuned approach does not demonstrate a shift in the brand's strategy so much as a "modern articulation of its long-established principles." He said, "Brand purpose is core to our DNA, it is our mission, and we haven't been able to tell that story well to a larger audience before." Asics also owns lifestyle brand Tiger, as well as Onitsuka Tiger and outdoor equipment brand Haglöfs. In '16, the "group enjoyed a strong year, with net sales edging up 0.8% year-on-year globally" (THE DRUM, 8/3).