Simply step on this Asics print ad and it analyses your gait and works out what kind of running shoe you need.
The ad, official titled ‘Anúncio Teste de Pisada’, is essentially a ‘Tread Test’ (‘Teste de Pisada’) that uses thermochromic paint that reacts to body heat.
Developed with São Paulo agency Neogama, the concept is straightforward: rip out the ad, step on to three page barefoot and your body heat reveals the shape of your footprint which you then compare against a tread key.
This information enables the consumer to make an informed choice about the type of shoe required.
Asics, like most other sports shoe brands, categorises its shoes by tread type – making it easier to buy them online.
The ad itself even appeared on the cover of the April editions of ‘Runners’ and ‘Women’s Health’ magazines in Brazil.
This initiative follows a London School Of Podiatry study which found that 70% of runners don’t wear shoes that match their gait (shoes that don’t match supination, pronation or neutral).
This can cause more complications that many envisage. For example, flat-footed runners typically have overpronated gaits, which means the inside of the foot absorbs impact and puts stress on the ligaments and the inner ankle (and sometimes up to the knee).
Thus, it is important that overpronaters need shoes with extra inner cushioning.
To meet this challenge and save the hassle and time of going to a specialty sports/running shop to undertake a gait test, Asics Brazil created a print ad that brings the gait test to consumer.
The campaign was developed for Asics’ Mauricio Busin and Thaise Oliveira by a Neogama team led by chief creative officer Alexandre Gama, creative directors Márcio Ribas and Fabio Mozeli, art directors Gabriel Marcondes, Sávio Hatherly, José Pedro Bortolini and Michel Morem, copywriter Pedro Rosas, account directors Guilherme Nogueira, Renato Miguez, João Castro e Oleg Loretto, planner Maju Strasburg.
Media was handled by Luiz Gini, Giuliana Chekin, Cibele Perandin and Karem Pugliesi, the head of production was Mariah Bayeux, RTVC was Paula Alimonda, the art buyers Vanessa Raad and Felipe Moro, the film editors were Roger Pereira and Lucas Souza.
Motion design was by Marcos Thuki, the production company was Ritmo Visual Filmes, the film was directed by Pedro H. M. Marques, the film photographer was Marco Lomiler, the executive producer was Patrick Caracas, the producer Mayra Donatelli, the camera assistant Yllan Carvalho, the colourist Luca Leocadio.
Sound production was run by Hefty, the sound producer was Edu Luke, with support production by Bandits, graphics by Casa da Produção Gráfica.
Activative Comment:
An old-school print ad with new tech that helps consumers get to know their feet better and pick the right shoe.
What could be simpler?
A print ad with a practical purpose!
Running might seem like one of the most accessible of all sports, one of the easiest to take up, but serious runners understand just how hard it can be on your body and how the right choice is essential to avoid long-term injury.
Of course, it’s not much use to runners who already know their gaits, but it’s more useful and impactful than most standard sports shoe ads led by stock imagery.
At the very least this ‘Tread Test’ ad offers a solid foundational education for those new to running, or those runners who’ve never assessed their gait and shoe fit.
It might even offer Asics a chance to engage with new runners, who, like most athletes, are seeking brands they can trust.
Links:
ASICS Brazil
https://www.youtube.com/user/asics
https://twitter.com/asicsbrasil
https://www.instagram.com/asicsbrasil/
https://www.facebook.com/ASICS
Neogama/BBH in Sao Paulo
