Capitalising on the cultural moment of the 2026 London Marathon, ASICS partnered with UK retailer Runners Need (part of the Cotswold Outdoor Group) to deliver a full-funnel retail media campaign to support the Gel Nimbus franchise.
The aim of the campaign was to drive demand, capture high-intent shoppers, and convert sales across both digital and physical stores.
Built as an integrated omnichannel campaign, the activation connected CRM, onsite media and in-store experiences to support customers throughout the purchase process.
Homepage placements, sponsored product ads and category content across key shopping environments generated a surge of demand. These were also supported by email placements which were designed to increase product visibility and drive consideration.
Runners Need then maximised conversion through coordinated in-store execution across six London locations. This included window takeovers, digital screens and footwear displays which were designed to influence shoppers who are at the decision-making point of purchase.
In terms of results, the ASICS campaign drove strong performance across both e-commerce and retail channels. The brand saw a 35% increase in revenue share as well as a 31% uplift in units share, which demonstrated a siginificant gain in category position throughout the campaign.
Increased visibility and high-intent targeting boosted online performance, resulting in a 28% increase in e-commerce revenue, 14% growth in conversion rate, and a 29% uplift in orders.
The in-store category remained a critical driver of overall performance, where 71% of conversions took place. Locations which featured in-store activations delivered a 20% increase in units sold in comparison to non-activated stores, confirming the value and impact of retail media at the point of purchase.
The campaign demonstrates the effectiveness of a fully integrated retail media strategy in driving measurable growth across the funnel. By combining the digital demand generation with high-impact physical execution, ASICS was able to utilise a key cultral moment to capture attention, convert intent and strengthen its category position.
Jamie Kristow, CEO, Cotswold Outdoor Group, commented: “We’re really pleased to see such strong, measurable results for ASICS during a key cultural moment like the London Marathon. It shows how our retail media approach can help brand partners turn heightened demand into tangible growth across both digital and physical channels.”
