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| (Image Source: Manila Bulletin/ASICS Asia Pte Ltd) |
There is a huge, untapped potential of a better world through movement. Firmly grounded in its founding ethos and mantra, “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body”, ASICS’ latest global brand campaign “#LiveUplifted” showcases the transcending impact of movement for both the body and mind. Earlier this year, the campaign kicked off with a powerful series of content featuring a group of diverse storytellers who utilized the power of running to bring people together and uplift their communities through sport. In these videos, inspiring souls across the globe share their personal stories on how movement positively shifts their outlooks and perspectives on life.
The driving force behind this campaign began with ASICS’ inaugural Global State of Mind Index in April 2022, which debunked the common perception that 30 minutes is the minimum amount of exercise required to experience the uplifting impact of movement. The brand’s new findings confirm that approximately 15 minutes and 9 seconds of movement is all it takes to feel mood-boosting effects. In its continued journey to championing the benefits of sport and movement for our community, ASICS launched new films featuring five of Southeast Asia’s most promising sporting personalities and celebrities, to unleash the power of movement in uplifting mind and body. Conceptualized by Singapore-based creative agency Mill Stirling (Nofinerlife) and titled ‘Let Sport & Movement Uplift You’, this series of 60s and 30s regional brand films showcases what goes into the hearts and minds of persevering profiles as they champion the “Live Uplifted” philosophy.
In these films, the Philippines is represented by national volleyball captain Abigail Maraño, Malaysia by marathon runner Muhaizar Bin Mohamad, Thailand by up-and-coming tennis sensation Kasidit Samrej, Vietnam by SEA Games swimming medalist turned triathlete Lam Quang Nhat, and Singapore by award-winning Mediacorp Artiste Chantalle Ng. They explore how our state of mind affects our perception of the world. When we are down, the world may seem cluttered and unforgiving, but when we are healthy and uplifted, we view the world through a brighter, more positive lens. As Gabriel Yap, Regional Marketing Director of ASICS Asia Pte Ltd., explains, “At ASICS, we believe that the power of sport can generate an uplift, and movement transforms our mood and changes our outlook toward the world. With our Live Uplifted campaign, we hope to remind audiences that sport and movement goes beyond just a competition; it can inspire and transform you.” Over the course of the next few months, ASICS will continue to feature several South East Asia sporting and non-sporting personalities, diving deeper into what it means to “Live Uplifted”. An array of sporting products, apparel and accessories that allow sport to uplift you and truly embrace the movement will also be featured.
ABIGAIL “ABY” PALMARES MARAÑO (THE PHILIPPINES)
Abigail Maraño is a national volleyball player representing the Philippines. A seasoned middle hitter for the sport, Abigail has been an active athlete for close to eight years and has always been highly regarded as a volleyball veteran locally. Within her teams, Abigail values comradery and has served as a team captain for most of the teams she played on. She also displays her fervent love for the sport in the most tangible way on court – infecting her teammates with positive energy, celebrating wins animatedly and intimidating opponents with her perseverance. Abigail has led the team to the semi-finals in 2019 Philippines SEA Games and 2021 Vietnam SEA Games, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal on both occasions.
MUHAIZAR BIN MOHAMAD (MALAYSIA)
An army personnel by day, Muhaizar Mohamad is fondly recognised as one of Malaysia’s most talented and accomplished marathon runners. Since his foray into marathon running in 2013, Muhaizar has been a dominant force in the local running scene, representing the country across several internationally known competitions. In a history-making win, he clinched Malaysia’s first marathon medal in 44 years at the 2017 SEA Games, and further defended his win at the subsequent 2019 games. Now 37, Muhaizar continues to show his love for the competitive sport with his latest appearance at the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam.
KASIDIT SAMREJ (THAILAND)
National tennis champion who is currently Thailand’s #1 Men’s Single and #659 ATP, Kasidit Samrej, may be young but is a force to be reckoned with in the tennis scene. Determined to be a winner and eventually make Top 10 at the Olympics, Kasidit engaged in rigorous training and made his debut at the Asian Games 2018. His first SEA Games was in the Philippines where he lost during the Quarter Finals due to injuries, however his resilience remained and he soon became a key player for Thailand, bringing home Gold for the Men’s team and achieving Bronze with Luksika Kumkhum for the Mixed Doubles.
LAM QUANG NHAT (VIETNAM)
Lam Quang Nhat began swimming from a tender age of 3. He became Vietnam’s youngest swimmer to win two gold medals at the SEA Games Men’s 1,500m freestyle event in 2013 and 2015. He also added a silver medal in the 2017 SEA Games. Not long after, Nhat transitioned from competitive swimming to becoming a triathlete in 2019. Experiencing both mental and physical challenges, Nhat competed at triathlon events and subsequently clinched a win at the 2019 Sunset Bay Triathlon in Quang Ninh. He has also gone on to win all the triathlon races in Standard distance in Vietnam since then. His efforts were recognized when he qualified for the SEA Games triathlon event on home soil. Nhat finished the race in sixth position with a new personal best of 2:05:31.
CHANTALLE NG (SINGAPORE)
When she was just a budding actress at 22, Chantalle was first awarded the Best Newcomer at the 2017 Mediacorp Star Awards for her stellar performance in local drama, ‘While We Are Young’. Subsequently, she went on to pursue different projects which landed her many Star Awards nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress awards. In 2022, Chantalle starred as a female lead in local blockbuster, ‘My Star Bride’, which received widespread attention. Her outstanding performance also earned her nominations for international awards including the New York TV and Film Festival as well as the Seoul Webfest Awards. Chantalle continues to show her rising popularity in Singapore and in the region and was one of the Top 10 winners for the Most Popular Female Artistes in 2022 at the recent Star Awards in Singapore.
To follow the campaign, please visit https://www.asics.com/ph/en-ph/mk/live-uplifted and follow #LIVEUPLIFTED on ASICS Philippines' social media platforms.
