Turning Japanese heritage into a global growth platform

As ASICS approached its 60th anniversary, the company wanted to create something far more meaningful than a commemorative campaign.

The milestone coincided with Kanreki, a traditional Japanese celebration symbolizing the completion of a sixty-year life cycle and the beginning of a new one. Rather than looking back on six decades of history, ASICS wanted to use this moment to define the next chapter of the brand.

Having previously collaborated with TrendsActive, the company asked us to develop a global brand platform that would honour its Japanese heritage while connecting with the changing needs of people around the world.

The challenge was not simply to celebrate the past.

It was to transform heritage into a platform for future relevance, innovation and global growth.

Rather than beginning with communication, we started with culture.

We explored how enduring elements of Japanese philosophy could become meaningful in contemporary society by connecting them with emerging human needs such as authenticity, meaning and escapism.

From this research, we reinterpreted Kanreki as a global brand platform.

Instead of treating the twelve zodiac signs as historical symbols, each sign was translated into a contemporary cultural story inspired by sociocultural trends and changing human motivations.

From this strategic foundation, TrendsActive developed:

• The global anniversary narrative
• Brand concept and storytelling
• Creative direction
• Design and product briefings
• Retail concept
• Campaign direction
• Global implementation framework

The objective was to ensure that every product, retail environment and communication touchpoint expressed the same underlying story.

The project fundamentally changed the role of the anniversary.

Instead of celebrating sixty years of history, ASICS celebrated the beginning of its next sixty years.

Kanreki became a symbol of renewal rather than nostalgia.

By connecting Japanese heritage with timeless human needs, the anniversary evolved into a strategic platform that inspired product innovation, storytelling and customer engagement around the world.

Rather than asking “How do we celebrate sixty years?” the organisation began asking “How can sixty years of heritage inspire the future?”

The result transformed heritage from something preserved into something capable of continuously creating new value.

The strategic platform became the foundation for a global implementation across both ASICS and Onitsuka Tiger.

TrendsActive remained involved beyond strategy by developing the creative direction and guiding its translation into execution. The platform inspired hundreds of footwear and apparel products, each linked to one of the reinterpreted zodiac stories and translated into a complete product collection.

The framework extended across the entire customer experience—from premium boutiques such as Colette to international retailers including Foot Locker, from global campaigns and retail environments to digital experiences and product storytelling.

Every product was accompanied by a zodiac wheel, allowing consumers to discover their own zodiac sign, understand the inspiration behind each collection and create a personal connection with the products they purchased.

The campaign generated significant commercial and creative impact. Sales increased substantially, customer interaction with the campaign platform grew by 135%, and the work received multiple international creative awards.

According to ASICS’ sales teams, one of the key reasons for this success was that every product carried a meaningful story. Instead of simply selling footwear or apparel, employees could share narratives rooted in Japanese heritage, connected to contemporary culture and personally relevant to the consumer.

The strongest brands do not invent stories.

They rediscover the meaning already embedded within their heritage and reinterpret it for the world people live in today.

When cultural heritage is combined with deep human insight, it becomes more than a source of identity. It becomes a platform for innovation, storytelling and commercial growth—creating products people do not simply buy, but genuinely connect with.