ASICS Corporation, the Japanese sporting goods manufacturer headquartered in Kobe, was formed in July 1977 through the merger of ONITSUKA Co., Ltd., GTO Co., Ltd., and JELENK Co., Ltd. The company name derives from the Latin phrase “Anima Sana In Corpore Sano” (“a sound mind in a sound body”), a philosophy that has shaped the brand since its founding by Kihachiro Onitsuka in 1949 as Onitsuka Co., Ltd. [1]
The ASICS visual identity consists of two distinct elements: the italic lowercase wordmark and the spiral symbol. The wordmark was created in 1977 by American typographer Herb Lubalin, working with Alan Peckolick, after Japanese design studio PAOS won a corporate identity competition and commissioned Lubalin to develop the logotype. [2] The spiral symbol, introduced in 1992, was designed by Japan Design Center and “springs from the A in Asics,” serving as “an interpretation and inspiration to the speed and motion inherent in all sports.” [3]
Design and History
Before the ASICS wordmark existed, the company’s visual identity was built around the Onitsuka Tiger stripes. In 1966, after an in-house design competition, the Mexico line was introduced, featuring the modern ASICS stripes that remain synonymous with the brand today. The stripes first appeared on the LIMBER UP KAWAK BK training shoes worn at the fifth Asian Games in Bangkok. [1]
When ASICS Corporation was formed in 1977, the ASICS promotional logo was created alongside the introduction of the ASICS and ASICS TIGER brands. [1] The development of the corporate identity began with a design competition, which Japanese studio PAOS won after submitting six proposals. PAOS then commissioned Herb Lubalin to work on the ASICS wordmark, with Alan Peckolick assisting. Lubalin and Peckolick produced seventeen initial concepts, ranging from technical to avant-garde, with the governing principles for selection being originality and the expression of ASICS corporate objectives: international appeal, product quality, and function. [2]
In 1992, ASICS introduced its spiral logo, a significant addition to the corporate identity. [4] The spiral, crafted by Japan Design Center, was described in an ASICS press release as representing “the vast spiral galaxies of space, symbolizing the limitless potential of corporate Asics as it moves into the 21st Century.” [3]
In 2017, ASICS underwent its first brand change in 10 years, created by Toronto-based design agency Bruce Mau Design. The refresh retained the “iconic” spiral logo along with the light and royal blue colors associated with the brand, because they were considered “core elements” that “maintain consistency.” [5] The redesign, developed over two years in partnership with the ASICS team, sought to “position Asics as a lifestyle athletic brand while still staying true to its core performance heritage.” [6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The spiral symbol, introduced in 1992, carries documented meaning from the company itself. According to an ASICS press release, the logo “springs from the A in Asics” and “serves as an interpretation and inspiration to the speed and motion inherent in all sports.” The spiral also represents “the vast spiral galaxies of space, symbolizing the limitless potential of corporate Asics as it moves into the 21st Century.” [3]
The 1966 Mexico stripes, which predate the ASICS wordmark, were introduced after an in-house design competition and later came to represent ONITSUKA TIGER, ASICSTIGER, and ASICS shoes. [1]
Typography and Design
The 2017 brand refresh by Bruce Mau Design included the development of a custom typeface created in collaboration with the Danish design consultancy Kontrapunkt. The new typeface was applied across product packaging, printed materials, and online and in-store environments. [6] The 2017 update did not modify the existing brand logo; instead, it added more vibrant colors including yellow, green, purple, and pink to the brand system while retaining the original logo graphics, typography, and colors. [7]
In 2016, the ASICS Tiger sub-brand received a new logo that complemented the original 1977 wordmark. The new brand logo added the word “Tiger” in similar typography to the original ASICS logo and was developed together with famed graphic designer Alan Peckolick, who had worked with Herb Lubalin on the original 1977 mark. [8]
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