Asics is calling time on overpriced wellness retreats and replacing them with something simpler: a 15-minute daily movement break.
Fronted by The White Lotus actor and writer Natasha Rothwell, the sports brand’s new global campaign, ‘Everyday Escape,’ takes aim at the booming but short-lived world of ‘wellness travel.’ Created by Golin London and directed by Matthew Frost for Iconoclast, the integrated push spans digital, paid social, influencer and earned channels, with media by Le Pub and digital builds by Born05.
The timing isn’t accidental. Ahead of World Mental Health Day, Asics’s research found that while wellness holidays are up 33% year over year (according to Euromonitor), two-thirds of travelers said the benefits vanish almost immediately. Compare that to a daily 15-minute movement break, which, under the supervision of Dr Brendon Stubbs of King’s College London, delivered a 21% greater uplift in mental wellbeing than a week-long retreat.
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The real ‘mental reset’ doesn’t need a plane ticket
The research paints an unflattering picture of an industry built on instant gratification. Asics surveyed 11,000 people who had taken a wellness holiday: 67% said the trip failed to meet expectations, 32% found it more stressful than soothing due to cost and 25% cited long travel distances as anxiety-inducing.
Dr Stubbs’s findings instead point to consistency, not extravagance, as the true source of recovery. “Small movement breaks can boost mood and reduce stress more effectively than a wellness holiday,” he said. “A week away may give a short-term boost, but exercise delivers long-term benefits.”
Rothwell, appointed Asics’s “Everyday Escape Concierge,” brings humor and relatability to the idea that wellness shouldn’t be exclusive. “We wanted to show that the most effective way to reset your mind doesn’t require money, miles or mineral water flown in from the Alps,” said Al Wood, chief creative officer at Golin.
From sound mind to everyday escape
Gary Raucher, Asics’s head of global marketing, said the campaign continues the brand’s long-held mission: “At Asics, we believe you don’t need to go far to leave it all behind. A simple 15-minute movement break can take your body and mind to a happier place.”
That ethos is literally in the name Asics, an acronym for ‘anima sana in corpore sano,’ the Latin for ‘sound mind in a sound body.’ And this time, the brand is turning science and skepticism into a lifestyle message that’s as accessible as a walk around the block.
Because, as Rothwell and Asics are reminding the wellness world this week, the best escape might just be the one you can take every day.