Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2016 (Revised April 2018)

ASICS: Chasing a 2020 Vision

by Elie Ofek, Nobuo Sato and Akiko Kanno

Abstract

In early 2016, Motoi Oyama, president and CEO of ASICS, a major sports apparel and footwear manufacturer based in Japan, lays out his company’s growth plan for the upcoming 5 years. The new plan set ambitious goals in terms of revenue and profit increases. At the heart of the strategy to achieve these goals are a desire to embrace a more direct to consumer mindset, expand into new customer segments, and communicate a more consistent and emotional brand worldwide. With its primary core customer currently the “serious” runner and its innovation strategy geared towards high-end performance, pursuing these objectives in light of the fierce competitive landscape posed a multitude of challenges. Moreover, the company had recently launched several lifestyle brands (using brand names it had revived), which posed brand architecture issues. Lastly, the company had just acquired a digital fitness app, RunKeeper, and was wondering how best to leverage this asset and how it fit with the main pillars of the growth plan strategy. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games would coincide with the conclusion of the 5 year plan, and ASICS had paid over $100 million to be a Gold Sponsor of the games—Oyama wondered whether his company was on the right track to achieving the goals he intimated to shareholders.

Keywords: brand management; sports apparel; digital platforms; competitive positioning; direct to consumer marketing; retail formats; lifestyle brands; Technology; Competition; Brands and Branding; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Market Platforms; Product Positioning; Marketing Channels; Sports; Retail Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Sports Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry;

Language: English Format: Print 26 pages EducatorsPurchase

Citation:

Ofek, Elie, Nobuo Sato, and Akiko Kanno. "ASICS: Chasing a 2020 Vision." Harvard Business School Case 517-060, October 2016. (Revised April 2018.)

Related Work

  2. Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2016 (Revised April 2018)

    ASICS: Chasing a 2020 Vision

    Elie Ofek, Nobuo Sato and Akiko Kanno

    In early 2016, Motoi Oyama, president and CEO of ASICS, a major sports apparel and footwear manufacturer based in Japan, lays out his company’s growth plan for the upcoming 5 years. The new plan set ambitious goals in terms of revenue and profit increases. At the heart of the strategy to achieve these goals are a desire to embrace a more direct to consumer mindset, expand into new customer segments, and communicate a more consistent and emotional brand worldwide. With its primary core customer currently the “serious” runner and its innovation strategy geared towards high-end performance, pursuing these objectives in light of the fierce competitive landscape posed a multitude of challenges. Moreover, the company had recently launched several lifestyle brands (using brand names it had revived), which posed brand architecture issues. Lastly, the company had just acquired a digital fitness app, RunKeeper, and was wondering how best to leverage this asset and how it fit with the main pillars of the growth plan strategy. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games would coincide with the conclusion of the 5 year plan, and ASICS had paid over $100 million to be a Gold Sponsor of the games—Oyama wondered whether his company was on the right track to achieving the goals he intimated to shareholders.

    Keywords: brand management; sports apparel; digital platforms; competitive positioning; direct to consumer marketing; retail formats; lifestyle brands; Technology; Competition; Brands and Branding; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Market Platforms; Product Positioning; Marketing Channels; Sports; Retail Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Sports Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry;

    Citation:

    Ofek, Elie, Nobuo Sato, and Akiko Kanno. "ASICS: Chasing a 2020 Vision." Harvard Business School Case 517-060, October 2016. (Revised April 2018.)  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase Related

About the Author

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Elie Ofek
T.J. Dermot Dunphy Professor of Business Administration
Co-Unit Head, Marketing
Marketing

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