ASICS wins 'Best new retail concept 2011' award

Performance sportswear brand, ASICS was awarded the prestigious ‘Best New Retail Concept’ title at the MAPIC Awards at an awards ceremony in Cannes last week. ASICS’ flagship store in Amsterdam picked up the 2011 award for its original and innovative retail experience. Since opening last year, the store has exceeded sales expectations by over 20%.

The MAPIC awards recognise excellence, innovation and creativity of design projects among retailers and retail real estate companies in Europe, with winners voted for by an international jury and MAPIC delegates.

The iconic Amsterdam flagship store was built to reflect the brand values, and provide state of the art facilities and customer service innovations including a Running Lab, Foot ID technology and an ASICS running club. The Running Lab, the first in Europe and only the second in the world available to consumers, has been developed by the brand’s Institute of Sport Science to provide a full range of body analysis. Foot shape, leg alignment, running technique, strength and aerobic fitness are all measured to help people improve running ability and gait.

The high-tech Foot ID system ensures individuals are fitted with the correct shoes from their biomechanical profile using static and dynamic foot measurements. Runners can gain further support by joining the store’s running club, where members enjoy running clinics and exclusive changing and showering facilities. Following the stores success, further store openings are planned across Europe in 2012.

Fernando Pina Mulas, ASICS’ Head of Retail in EMEA, said: “To win this prestigious award is a huge achievement for ASICS and recognition of the hardwork of the team. When we opened the store in Amsterdam we wanted to create a retail environment that reflected our brand values and appealed to target consumers. This award and the success of the store shows that our strategy was right and we will continue our growth as a brand and a retailer with a number of additional store openings across Europe in 2012.”

John Strachan, MAPIC jury chairman, said: “ASICS thoroughly deserved to win the ‘Best New Retail Concept’ award after growing its retail business using a creative concept, utilising new technologies and providing customers with a unique consumer experience.”

The ASICS retail team accepted the award from two members of the awards jury; Alain Boutigny, Editor in Chief of Sites Commerciaux, and Pierre Francis, Executive Director of AMCV-TOCEMA during the annual award ceremony hosted at the Palais des Festivals.