ASICS INSPIRES A NEW GENERATION OF ACTIVE YOUTH THROUGH IMMERSIVE RUNNING EXPERIENCE

Signature event brought together communities, new products, and a Once-in-a-lifetime urban adventure

Kobe, Japan – January 31, 2017. ASICS hosted a first-of-its-kind immersive event in downtown Los Angeles with over 50 influencers and media from around the globe to celebrate the launch its of its urban-inspired footwear – fuzeX Rush and GEL-QUANTUM 360 KNIT.

The Big Chase: An Immersive Experience

Combining physical fitness and street smarts, ‘The Big Chase’ event was an interactive urban adventure run that put participants in the role of old-school L.A. detectives. The story took the budding detectives through the streets in hot pursuit of a mysterious stranger, overcoming obstacles and unraveling clues on a high-octane chase through downtown L.A. to rescue a Hollywood starlet. Runners tracked down leads at an eclectic collection of locations including the Roxie Theatre, Dutch Chocolate Shop and The Majestic Downtown, where they encountered characters straight out of a classic suspense film.

The event kicked off on Friday with a VIP reception that gave fitness and lifestyle influencers a sneak peek at ASICS’ newest initiatives to expand its brand beyond performance running. Attendees came from all over the world, including France, Japan, and Australia. ASICS Corporation’s Senior General Manager, Global Marketing Division, Paul Miles was also present to welcome the group.

“The new generation of ASICS consumers are more creative, more social and more adventurous. Fitness today should be fun and spark a sense of community. The Big Chase event brings that to life on a grand scale,” said Miles.

ASICS dove further into the urban landscape through street art, launching an ASICS-original mural by local artist Christopher Konecki on 247th street in downtown LA, created for influencers and media to encounter during a run the following morning.

SMSB Global Community Headlines the Event

The Big Chase event was led by members of SMSB, a global community with a shared philosophy and holistic approach to a life well-lived through sport.

Launching in six major cities globally in 2017, each SMSB chapter aims to bring together 16 sport enthusiasts and creative influencers representing a wide range of backgrounds, including photographers, yoga instructors, designers and runners.

“The acronym and trademark SMSB stands for ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’ and represents a philosophy and ASICS trademark that I am very passionate about and personally vested in,” said Charlie Dark, SMSB Global Ambassador. “Helping ASICS expand their brand beyond performance is truly an honor.”

Paul Miles also praised the collaboration: “With the growth of the movement around the world, ASICS is excited to work with SMSB, embrace founding principles, and inspire a new generation to pursue a better life through sport.”

Versatile Products for Urban Youth

The event highlighted ASICS’ latest footwear—the fuzeX Rush and GEL-QUANTUM 360 KNIT models. Inspired by the aesthetics of the urban landscape, the products deliver versatility and style to urban adventurers, backed by the human-centric science of ASICS R&D.

The fuzeX Rush model is a no-frills, performance shoe designed for the wide-ranging urban explorer. The legacy of this shoe lies in the cushioned midsole which offers a lightweight, responsive ride. The GEL-QUANTUM 360 KNIT model is a shoe for the active urbanite ready to level up their footwear with 360° degrees of advanced ASICS GEL® technology.

The Big Chase event and the SMSB Crew’s role in the immersive launch of the fuzeX Rush and GEL-QUANTUM 360 KNIT models represent a key milestone for ASICS within the evolving running community —bringing together product quality, creativity and community to inspire a new generation.

The fuzeX Rush model will be available for men and women at ASICS online stores and select running outlets worldwide starting February 2017, and the GEL-QUANTUM 360 KNIT model from April 2017.

fuzeX Rush

GEL-QUANTUM 360 KNIT

For more information on the #run4adventure campaign, SMSB movement or to view The Big Chase Event film please visit http://asics.com/find-adventure. The Big Chase event film will be available to view from early February.

To view the ASICS-original artwork by Christopher Konecki, visit 247 South Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90012.