A still from the Onitsuka Tiger campaign "Zodiac Race".
Renegade was asked to promote the Zodiac Race campaign globally, ensuring coverage on over 120 titles as part of the ASICS premium heritage brand celebration. Online, visitors can explore the island in 3D and learn more about the historic race and the various landmarks. The animation and a ‘making of’ documentary also feature.
AMSTERDAM WORLDWIDE UNVEILS ‘CYCLE OF LIFE’ CAMPAIGN TO CELEBRATE ONITSUKA TIGER 60TH ANNIVERSARY
‘Zodiac diorama' at the heart of global brand celebration
Amsterdam Worldwide, the international communications agency, is poised to launch a year-long campaign for Onitsuka Tiger, ASICS’ premium heritage sneaker and apparel brand, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
Launching at the beginning of February, the global ‘Cycle of Life’ campaign also promotes the brand’s Spring-Summer 2009 collection. Consumers will see the heritage and authenticity of Onitsuka Tiger once more brought to life through a giant, intricately detailed ‘sneaker diorama’ as part of its Made of Japan Strategy.
In Japanese culture a 60th birthday is a milestone of major significance laden with symbolism around the ‘Cycle of Life’, which is itself based on the Japanese Zodiac calendar.
Amsterdam Worldwide has reworked the ancient Zodiac legend, which tells how 13 animals raced against each other to secure a spot in the Zodiac Calendar, to create a campaign that works across multiple communications channels. These include: a one metre-long sneaker diorama; an animation; print ads; online and in-store executions.
Zodiac Race diorama
At the heart of the campaign is the breathtaking one metre-long Zodiac Race diorama shaped like a sneaker, which recreates a mythical Japanese landscape in miniature.
The diorama is hand-built using the five ruling elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The design features several Japanese landmarks including Mount Fuji, the Tottori sand dunes, ice sculptures from the Hokkaido region, the dry volcanic area of Kyushu and the pylons powering the bright lights of Tokyo.
The Zodiac Race sneaker will tour Europe, Asia, Australasia and the USA. It will be displayed in selected venues and at key events includingtrade and fashion shows such as Bread & Butter in Spain and Pitti in Italy.
Animated movie
The Zodiac Race sneaker diorama is also the setting for a three-minute animated film that brings to life the legend of the Zodiac Race and explains how the animals secured their positions in the calendar. The 13 animals – one of whom loses the race and a place in the Zodiac – include a cat, rat, ox, monkey and dragon. All battle playfully against each other over mountains and across rivers to win one of 12 places. This tale of heroism and friendship was created in partnership with New York-based animation studio PandaPanther,.
The film can be seen on Onitsuka Tiger’s website www.onitsukatiger.com, in Onitsuka Tiger stores and selected retailers. The animation will also be posted on entertainment and video sites, as well as seeded on influential design and sneaker blogs.
Print campaign
A global print campaign featuring photography of the Zodiac Race sneaker set against a canvas, traditionally hand-painted in oils, will target style, fashion and influencer magazines.
Online
Online, visitors can explore the island in 3D and learn more about the historic race and the various landmarks. The animation and a ‘making of’ documentary will also be featured. Other interactive applications include a Zodiac Calculator, which reveals your zodiac sign and the Onitsuka Tiger products developed for your sign.
The site is supported by online banner ads that feature the Zodiac Calculator or clips from the animated film.
Point of sale
Zodiac Race visuals will be adapted for in-store promotional use. Executions including miniatures of the sneaker diorama, posters, sneaker displays, window stickers and shopping bags have been created. The animation will also be screened in-store in Onitsuka Tiger stores and in selected retailers.
Richard Gorodecky, executive creative director at Amsterdam Worldwide, said: “Our ‘Made of Japan’ strategy, now in its third year, continues to push the boundaries of what advertising can be. From diorama to animation, print to product design, this is a truly multimedia campaign.”
Sandra Koopmans, marketing manager at Onitsuka Tiger, said: “To respect the brand’s heritage and authenticity we immersed ourselves in the symbolism of the 60-year cycle and discovered the ancient Japanese legend of the Zodiac Race. We built our campaign around this legend to celebrate and honour Onitsuka Tiger’s 60th anniversary.”
Amsterdam Worldwide’s Made of Japan strategy and two previous diorama-led campaigns – Baseman and Electric Tiger Land – have won various awards including a Silver Cyber Lion at Cannes 2008 and Best Integrated Multimedia Campaign at Meribel 2008.
Amsterdam Worldwide was founded in 2008 by CEO Brian Elliott as a full-service, international communications agency. Amsterdam Worldwide has created highly original and engaging work for some of the world's most respected brands, including ASICS Onitsuka Tiger, Chevrolet, Coca Cola, Heineken, IKEA, Mitsubishi, Opel, Sony Ericsson and Panasonic. Amsterdam Worldwide's multi-cultural strategic, creative, digital, media and management teams work in collaboration with clients and agency partners to create highly effective, integrated pan-European and global campaigns. For more than nine years the agency has built passionate customer relationships, delivering results for clients who think big and are open to the innovative and unconventional.
ABOUT ONITSUKA TIGER
In 1949, Kihachiro Onitsuka established Onitsuka Tiger, the forerunner of ASICS. It began with a commitment to promoting youth health, and has gone on to play a part in most major Olympic games. The famous Tiger stripes are synonymous with sporting triumph. The legend lives on today in the fusion of Japanese heritage and contemporary design. The spirit of Onitsuka Tiger is reflected in each collection of unique sneakers, apparel and accessories
