OMD wins £15m media account for Asics

by Arif Durrani, Media Week 27-Oct-08, 10:45

LONDON - Omnicom's OMD network has been awarded Asics' £15m media planning and buying business across six European countries, including the UK, following a three-way pitch against undisclosed agencies.

OMD will now handle media arrangements for the sports brand across the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and The Netherlands - where the pitch process was held.

Last year, the UK was one of the smallest advertising markets for the world's fifth-largest sports brand, with Nielsen tracking less than £250,000. But spend in the UK and beyond is set to significantly increase over the next 12 months.

"We are delighted to announce OMD as our new media partner in Europe," said Max Keen, marketing manager at Asics Europe. "We are planning a new Europe-wide marketing push for 2009."

Asics is part of the 59-year-old Japanese group Onitsuka, and is widely recognised as being one of the market leaders in running shoes. The company name is an acronym for the Latin phrase "Anima Sana In Corpore Sano", translating as "A sound mind in a sound body".