Asics highlights intimidating exercise culture with new personal best

According to research carried out by Onepoll among 2,000 people living in the UK over the age of 18, 78% of respondents do not find typical sports advertising motivating and 33% say that sports adverts actually stop them from exercising. Another two-thirds of those who don’t exercise (68%) say they are embarrassed to go to the gym because they feel they don’t fit the mold of a typical exerciser.

Hoping to motivate more people to exercise for their mental well-being, Asics and Mind are looking to redefine personal best, rather than encouraging people to focus on how exercise makes them feel.

Gary Raucher, Executive Vice President of Asics EMEA, explained: For years the sports industry has been telling us that the only thing that matters is a faster time, a longer distance, a higher score and more repetitions. While it aims to motivate people, our research shows that it has the opposite effect and instead creates an intimidating culture that turns people away from exercise, something they are committed to changing.

Alongside a 60-second commercial and a print and out-of-home campaign created by Golin, Asics has also signed ambassadors to support the initiative, including Tom Durnin, whose inspiring story captivated the UK when he finished last in the London Marathon . 2023.

Mental health campaigner and TV personality Dr Alex George also takes part in the campaign alongside people from across the UK, from all walks of life and all fitness levels, who have used exercise to support their mental health, since Biola, who started a women’s cycling group to support people. experiencing anxiety, for Adam, who reclaimed his relationship with movement on his own terms, after years of exercise being a cause of anxiety and depression.

Dr Alex George said: As someone who is passionate about the mental health benefits of exercise, it is upsetting but not surprising that people feel excluded and alienated by the sports industry. People need to know that regardless of the type of exercise they do, or the length of time or distance they achieve, any movement benefits mental health and is something that should be celebrated.

Asics is inviting people to share their own personal best images on social media – whether it’s going for a short walk, playing football with friends or joining your first yoga class. Every image shared with #NewPersonalBest on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or Twitter between October 10th and December 10th 2023 will raise £5 for the mental health charity Mind.