Adidas HK GM Adrian Siu adds South China to his role

PumaPulse
Curated By ZenithOptimedia, The ROI Agency
Find out more at http://puma-pulse.blogspot.com

Adrian Siu, currently general manager of Adidas Hong Kong, will take on additional responsibility for the South China region beginning in January. The aim is to create a stronger working relationship between the company's Hong Kong and South China operations.

Siu joined Adidas Hong Kong in 2002 and was promoted to the GM role in 2008. Prior to joining the German sports apparel giant, he gained extensive FMCG marketing experience, including a role at Unilever Hong Kong as senior sales manager.

Reported in November, Adidas Greater China announced the promotion of Colin Currie, former senior VP of marketing and sales at Adidas Greater China, as managing director, succeeding Christoper Bezu effective 1 January. Bezu remains onboard as chief e-commerce officer.


According to Adidas, the management restructure is part of the company's aim to set a bold and ambitious China strategy to create a faster and leaner organisation and regain leadership in Greater China over the next five years.


Adidas Greater China will now be managed under five main geographical areas, including North, East, South, West China and Taiwan.


source: http://en.campaignchina.com/Article/243511,adidas-hk-gm-adrian-siu-adds-south-china-to-his-role.aspx?eid=22&edate=20110107&utm_source=20110107&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter&eaddr=gary.wise@zenithoptimedia.com.hk

Puma signs up Girls Aloud star to endorse new trainer

PumaPulse
Curated By ZenithOptimedia, The ROI Agency
Find out more at http://puma-pulse.blogspot.com


Puma has signed up Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh to front a campaign for its new toning footwear range called BodyTrain.

Walsh appears in a six-month press campaign, beginning this month, showcasing the £70 trainer, which will be initially sold in Next and JD Sports.

The press ads were created in-house and media buying is handled by ZenithOptimedia.

They will run in national newspapers, including the Daily Star and the Sunday Mirror, as well as in magazines such as Health & Fitness and Heat.

Puma claims BodyTrain has toning benefits which offer wearers "better legs, tighter curves and thigh"’.

It is the German footwear brand’s first move into the toning trainer market, in which rival Reebok already has its EasyTone line out.

Reebok last year backed EasyTone with an eye-catching billboard adfeaturing Kelly Brook but was later told by the Advertising Standards Authority not to repeat a different TV campaign, after the ASA ruled Reebok had provided insufficient evidence to back its claim Easytone trainers "toned people's legs and bum more than regular trainers".

source: http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1047918/Puma-signs-Girls-Aloud-star-endorse-new-trainer/

Amsterdam Worldwide resigns Asics and Onitsuka Tiger account

PumaPulse
Curated By ZenithOptimedia, The ROI Agency
Find out more at http://puma-pulse.blogspot.com


Dutch creative agency Amsterdam Worldwide has resigned the accounts for sports brands Asics and Onitsuka Tiger due to what it described as "strategic, creative, and financial differences".

The agency began working on the business in 2008 when it broke away from micro-network StrawberryFrog, taking clients including Panasonic, Chevrolet, Opel, Asics and Onitsuka Tiger.

Following the split, Asics Europe consolidated its regional creative business into Amsterdam Worldwide. StrawberryFrog had worked on the brands since 2001.

The Asics portfolio includes Asics performance wear, Asics SportStyle, Ayami and Onitsuka Tiger.

Brian Elliott, founder and chief executive of Amsterdam Worldwide, said: "Our team has built one of the most iconic sports fashion brands in the world over the past decade – and done so on the most modest of budgets.

"The decision to resign a piece of business is not an easy one, but strategic, creative, and financial differences with Asics mean we can no longer continue our relationship.

"We wish them well. We will always have great passion and love for the brands, and are proud of our accomplishments together. We have taken both Onitsuka Tiger and Asics a long way, and it's time to move on."

Last year the agency won a Gold Design Lion at the 2010 Cannes Lions Festival for its brand campaign for Onitsuka.

In December Asics launched a pan-European digital campaign to find the face for its Ayami women's sportswear range.

source: http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/1047676/Amsterdam-Worldwide-resigns-Asics-Onitsuka-Tiger-account/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH