In my prediction for ASICS at the beginning of this year I said that this was the brand to watch. While ASICS hasn’t been able to put together the moves I thought they should to really make a move this year, they are doing some very, very good work in both retro footwear, performance and they have taken the effort to collab with Foot Locker on a drop that should be much bigger than it currently is.
“Welcome to the Dojo” is an anime created by Footlocker to celebrate the history of the Samurai with a modern twist. Utilizing the voice talents of YFN Lucci, Princess Nokia and Luka Sabbat the five part series is at first an advertisement for ASICS’ Dojo Pack, but ultimately has the potential to garner Footlocker and ASICS considerable interest and an opportunity to cross promote and build brand loyalty and interest.
The drops from ASICS in the pack feature the Mexico 66, Gel Diablo and Gel Lyte. The “Dojos” are highlighted on the heel counter of Diablo and Gel Lyte. I visited Footlocker this morning and discovered the pack. It’s a holiday weekend and the store was packed. The ASICS wall is alongside Puma at the front of store, but the wall isn’t highlighted in a way outside of one box display for the Dojo pack. That’s a huge mistake.
What’s also a mistake is the insistence of brands to highlight influencers as a means of connecting with buyers. This is a pack where the narrative and story was strong enough to carry the footwear. The Dojo Pack should have arrived with a larger display and this is an instance where a video display would have been excellent. You’re talking about creating a moment within the store as adults and kids would watch the entire series. While it is the first day for the release of the shoes and the model has sold out online on the ASICS website, which can’t be measured on how or why online is performing better, especially based on a one store retail dive, the model could possibly have a sell through. I will keep my eye on the drop throughout the weekend.