ASICS wraps London Marathon 2026 retail media campaign with Cotswold Outdoor Group’s Runners Need
Capitalising on the the 2026 London Marathon, ASICS partnered with UK retailer Runners Need (part of the Cotswold Outdoor Group) to deliver a full funnel retail media campaign in support of the Gel Nimbus franchise.
The aim of the campaign was to drive demand, capture high intent shoppers, and convert sales across both digital and physical stores. It connected CRM, onsite media and in-store experiences.
Homepage placements, sponsored product ads and category content across key shopping environments generated a surge of demand, according to those involved. These were also supported by email placements which were designed to increase product visibility and drive consideration.
Runners Need then maximised conversion through coordinated in-store execution across six London locations. This included window takeovers, digital screens and footwear displays which were designed to influence shoppers who are at the decision-making point of purchase.
Jamie Kristow, CEO at Cotswold Outdoor Group, comments, “We’re really pleased to see such strong, measurable results for ASICS during a key cultural moment like the London Marathon. It shows how our retail media approach can help brand partners turn heightened demand into tangible growth across both digital and physical channels.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Retail media will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
