Strong growth in running, stand-out sales in tennis and acceleration in ASICS Tiger lifestyle category contribute to overall sales increase.
True sport performance brand ASICS has announced strong double-digit sales figures across the EMEA region, delivering an overall net sales growth of 12% between January and June 2015 .
The increase is largely driven by strong growth results in running, stand-out sales in tennis and a huge acceleration in the brand’s lifestyle category, ASICS Tiger.
The results for the first half of 2015 show strong growth in running, ASICS’ key strategic category. Specifically, sales in women’s running apparel has increased by 12% and women’s running footwear by 14%.
In tennis, a main strategic category behind running, the brand is now number one in Germany, to go with the top ranked position in France and Spain, according the latest NPD Sports Tracking Europe data . In particular, ASICS has achieved a 30% growth in tennis apparel sales and 21% growth in tennis footwear sales.
ASICS Tiger, the brand’s lifestyle expression of the business, has seen an accelerated triple-digit sales increase in footwear. ASICS’ iconic running shoes from the ‘90’s, such as the GEL-LYTE III and GEL-LYTE V, resonate with younger consumers. ASICS Tiger has also collaborated with leading sneaker and fashion partners to design special editions of the GEL-LYTE III to launch each month. This has driven significant demand around the 25th anniversary editions of the shoe, including Colette, the Paris Fashion Store designed GEL-LYTE III which sold out in minutes at launch.
The main ASICS EMEA markets contributing to the strong sales increase were Germany, Italy, France and Denmark, who all achieved solid single-digit growth. Norway, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Benelux and Russia all recorded strong double-digit sales figures.
Sales in ASICS’ own retail stores increased by 27%, and ASICS continue to grow this area of business, recently opening its first performance store in France. The concept store in Paris will be the first to pilot ASICS’ brand new visual merchandising concept and will feature ASICS’ updated FOOT ID service – ‘MOTION ID’ – the first of its kind in shoe-selection services.
Alistair Cameron, CEO of ASICS Europe B.V. commented, “We’re extremely pleased with our continued strong performance in the region. The growth across running as well as other key strategic sports – such as tennis and rugby – reinforces our position as a true sports performance brand.
The sales acceleration of the ASICS Tiger brand since its re-launch earlier this year is outstanding, and we will continue to drive this part of the business forward as we aim to become the Premium Sports and Lifestyle Brand in EMEA.
Looking ahead, it’s a very exciting time for ASICS with the 2015 Rugby World Cup featuring both Australia and South-Africa wearing ASICS kit.
With the recent investments to reinforce ASICS’ global organization, we’re ready to continue our upwards progression across EMEA and globally.”
