Asics refreshes brand identity with some help from Steve Aoki

Dive Brief:

Atheltic shoe and apparel brand Asics has teamed up with the DJ Steve Aoki to unveil a comprehensive new wellness-focused brand identity, per a company news release. An "I Move Me" integrated multichannel campaign — which the company described as it's "most significant" in two decades — will promote the effort.
That push includes digital video spots, macro- and micro-influencer partnerships for social media content and in-store and offline activations, including an event at the upcoming opening of a flagship store one New York City's 5th Avenue. The campaign was created by Asics America's integrated marketing agency United Entertainment Group along with Saatchi and Saatchi, which crafted the global tagline, and UEG and DECON.
I Move Me rolls out with a 90-second "sensory" short starring Aoki and directed by TJ O'Grady Peyton. It's soundtracked by the 2x Grammy-winning DJ's new track "Kolony" and was shot at his Las Vegas home as well as in Los Angeles and NYC. The short additionally features world champion Olympians Jordan Burroughs and Lolo Jones, who are both Asics-sponsored athletes.

Dive Insight:

Asics, with its new campaign, appears to be tapping into an overall industry trend where athletic apparel brands are expanding their vision to become more comprehensive fitness and wellness companies that affect their costumers' lifestyles. Under Armour has previously done this by providing services like meal-planning and training programs, and Reebok helped lead the charge by focusing on gear for the popular CrossFit fitness regimen which has, in turn, helped revitalize its brand.

Gene McCarthy, president and CEO of Asics Americas, noted in the release that his company intends to "reframe our narrative" and "deepen relationships with our core consumers" along with new ones, with the refreshed brand identity at the center of that strategy. "The new look and feel for Asics is in response to uniform marketing campaigns from like-minded brands in recent years but also the nationwide decline in sports participation in today's youth," he said in a statement.

I Move Me is interesting because it doesn't exclusively focus on athletes and trainers but instead puts Aoki, a musician, front-and-center in its marketing. This might be a bid to draw in more consumers who fall outside the typical fitness enthusiast segment and also into the DJ's generally young fan base.

Beyond the Aoki partnership, Asics is tapping into a number of popular marketing trends with the additional influencer elements that will be released through early next year and also out-of-home and in-store activations that connect the digital and offline aspects of the brand.