ASICS Organises First Ever 'Live Running Casting' at Paris Marathon

The Winner Will Become the Face of ASICS' new AYAMi Campaign

HOOFDDORP, the Netherlands, April 6, 2010 - This year's Paris Marathon, held on 11th April 2010, will be the stage
for an extraordinary event: the first ever 'Live Running Casting'. With this
casting, ASICS offers female runners the chance to become the face of a
pan-European campaign for its new women's running line, AYAMi. What makes
this casting unique is the fact that the winner will be selected not for her
good looks or figure, but for the raw emotions and air of purpose she
portrays as she undergoes one of Europe's biggest marathons.

Taking place in one of fashion's capitals, Paris, ASICS' 'Live Running
Casting' has already proved to be a remarkable success. With nearly 1,500
women from all around the globe already registered, almost 25% of the
marathon's female runners will be taking part in ASICS' unique event.

Live Running Casting

ASICS' official AYAMi Running Casting Point will be located at Bois de
Vincennes (around the 12km point) where a special team of professional
photographers will take pictures of every registered woman as they run past.
A further three casting spots will be dotted along the course - at 8km, 22km
and the finish - with a total of 45 photographers located across all points.
Each participating runner will be easily recognised by a special, neon pink
sticker.

Real beauty, real women

The casting will focus on real women running in the heat of a real race
as opposed to flawless models posing in a perfectly lit studio. With AYAMi's
advertising campaigns, ASICS seeks to redefine beauty. For ASICS, beauty will
not be found inside a make-up bag or through a diet regime; it is found in a
woman's determination and stamina - it is real effort made by real runners.
The lucky lady who exemplifies these features best will star in a
professional photo shoot and become the face of AYAMi's Spring-Summer 2011
campaign. Along with four runners-up, she will also receive an eye-catching
outfit from the new feminine and functional AYAMi line.

A special Running Casting jury, consisting of the Creative Director from
renowned international advertising agency Amsterdam Worldwide, the Head of
Marketing at ASICS, and special guest, reigning Olympic Marathon Champion
Constantina Dita will judge the entrants on the strength, determination and
raw emotions that radiate from their pictures. The lucky winner, announced at
the end of May 2010, will become the face of ASICS' Spring-Summer 2011
pan-European multi-media campaign for AYAMi.

About AYAMi

ASICS' new women's running collection unites performance & style. With
its stylish separates, performance fabrics, bright colours and bold graphics,
AYAMi - Japanese for 'feminine', 'colourful' and 'beauty' - is a running
collection that's all about layering. Designed and produced to the highest
standards of Japanese craftsmanship, AYAMi is guaranteed to make women look
good and feel great.

AYAMi's versatile pieces not only meet the performance needs of a female
runner, they also invite each and every woman to create her very own
personalised look time after time after time. AYAMi's technological fabrics
keep runners warm, dry and comfortable so they can stay focused on the run
ahead, while the feminine and vibrant separates bring fun and flair into the
functional world of running.

The collection's signature logo - the AYAMi Clover - is a feminine take
on ASICS' trademark Tiger stripes.

asics.com

Note to editors:

On April 12, ASICS will send a detailed press release on the Running
Casting, complete with photos and video material.

For more information or HR photographs, please contact: ASICS Europe B.V, Remco Rietvink, PR Manager, E: r.rietvink at eu.asics.com, M: +31(0)6-547-913-42, T: +31(0)20-4469-624 Or exPRtease: Melanie Bosveld/ Marije Lenstra, E: melanie at exprtease.nl/ marije at exprtease.nl, M: +31(0)621-28-10-77, T: +31(0)20 571-17-53