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.”
