ASICS Organises First Ever 'Live Running Casting' at Paris Marathon

HOOFDDORP, the Netherlands, April 6, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

- The Winner Will Become the Face of ASICS' new AYAMi Campaign

This year's Paris Marathon, held on 11th April 2010, will be the stage for an extraordinary event: the first ever 'Live Running Casting'. With this casting, ASICS offers female runners the chance to become the face of a pan-European campaign for its new women's running line, AYAMi. What makes this casting unique is the fact that the winner will be selected not for her good looks or figure, but for the raw emotions and air of purpose she portrays as she undergoes one of Europe's biggest marathons.

Taking place in one of fashion's capitals, Paris, ASICS' 'Live Running Casting' has already proved to be a remarkable success. With nearly 1,500 women from all around the globe already registered, almost 25% of the marathon's female runners will be taking part in ASICS' unique event.

Live Running Casting

ASICS' official AYAMi Running Casting Point will be located at Bois de Vincennes (around the 12km point) where a special team of professional photographers will take pictures of every registered woman as they run past. A further three casting spots will be dotted along the course - at 8km, 22km and the finish - with a total of 45 photographers located across all points. Each participating runner will be easily recognised by a special, neon pink sticker.

Real beauty, real women

The casting will focus on real women running in the heat of a real race as opposed to flawless models posing in a perfectly lit studio. With AYAMi's advertising campaigns, ASICS seeks to redefine beauty. For ASICS, beauty will not be found inside a make-up bag or through a diet regime; it is found in a woman's determination and stamina - it is real effort made by real runners. The lucky lady who exemplifies these features best will star in a professional photo shoot and become the face of AYAMi's Spring-Summer 2011 campaign. Along with four runners-up, she will also receive an eye-catching outfit from the new feminine and functional AYAMi line.

A special Running Casting jury, consisting of the Creative Director from renowned international advertising agency Amsterdam Worldwide, the Head of Marketing at ASICS, and special guest, reigning Olympic Marathon Champion Constantina Dita will judge the entrants on the strength, determination and raw emotions that radiate from their pictures. The lucky winner, announced at the end of May 2010, will become the face of ASICS' Spring-Summer 2011 pan-European multi-media campaign for AYAMi.

About AYAMi

ASICS' new women's running collection unites performance & style. With its stylish separates, performance fabrics, bright colours and bold graphics, AYAMi - Japanese for 'feminine', 'colourful' and 'beauty' - is a running collection that's all about layering. Designed and produced to the highest standards of Japanese craftsmanship, AYAMi is guaranteed to make women look good and feel great.

AYAMi's versatile pieces not only meet the performance needs of a female runner, they also invite each and every woman to create her very own personalised look time after time after time. AYAMi's technological fabrics keep runners warm, dry and comfortable so they can stay focused on the run ahead, while the feminine and vibrant separates bring fun and flair into the functional world of running.

The collection's signature logo - the AYAMi Clover - is a feminine take on ASICS' trademark Tiger stripes.

asics.com

Note to editors:

On April 12, ASICS will send a detailed press release on the Running Casting, complete with photos and video material.

SOURCE Asics Europe B.V.