ASICS America Reorganizes Marketing Department: Kevin Wulff Makes his first move at the iconic brand, release, note by Larry Eder

It was less than two months ago that Richard Bourne, who had lead the ASICS America brand for nineteen years, retired. His replacement, Kevin Wulff, had shadowed Mr. Bourne for a couple of months. Now, less than two months after taking over at the helm of the number one brand in performance running in the U.S., Kevin Wulff has made his first changes: reorganizing the Marketing Department.

ASICS announced the reorganization of the Marketing department at ASICS on March 31. This was announced to the industry through a story on SportsSourceone.com, which was taken from an ASICS press release the same day.

Gary Slayton, the VP of Marketing has been moved into the new area titled Emerging Markets and Erik Forsell has been named as his replacement as Vice President of Marketing Communications. Mr. Forsell has a wide area of experience in the performance sports equipment and youth sports business. Mr. Forsell is from outside the running industry.

Gary Slayton, one of the most experienced members of the ASICS America team, has headed up a very successful marketing communications department that has produced quality advertising, marketing and events for ASICS for the past two decades. His move into the emerging markets, while making much sense for ASICS, was greeted with both surprise and some concern by associates of Slayton across the industry. Slayton has been at ASICS America for 25 years and is well respected across a very close and competitive performance sports footwear industry.

Shannon Scott, the manager of marketing communications at ASICS America, has been promoted to the director of Marketing Communications.
Shannon Scott has been at ASICS for 22 years and has been an able and successful manager of the marketing communications department.

ASICS America is facing huge challenges at this time, with competition in the performance running footwear business bearing down on the number one brand. Over the past year, ASICS lost a key manager in sports marketing, Ben Cesar, to a rival brand, Nike. The major news, however, was the retirement of Richard Bourne, along with the naming of Kevin Wulff as CEO. This news has focused industry eyes and ears on the brand.

How will Kevin Wulff react to the challenges his brand is facing? The brand has been known for the closeness and the longevity of the staff, under former President Richard Bourne. Under Bourne’s leadership, ASICS
America was number one fifteen of his nineteen years at the helm-how
does one live up to that type of legacy?

The eyes of the industry will be on Kevin Wulff as he stears an iconic brand through rough waters over the next years. Sometimes, changes are needed, and sometimes, changes are the last thing needed. Mr. Wulff will have to determine his next moves…..

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Asics America Reorganizes Marketing Department

SportsOneSource Media
Posted: 3/31/2011

Asics America Corp said Erik Forsell has joined the company as the new
vice president of marketing communications. He will replace Gary
Slayton, who will become the vice president of a new department called,
Emerging Businesses.

In addition, Shannon Scott will become the director of marketing communications.

Forsell’s previous sporting goods marketing experience includes: vice
president
of marketing and e-commerce at Anchor Blue (2010-2011), vice
president of brand development at La Jolla Group where he oversaw brands
such as O’Neill, Rusty, Lost and Metal Mulisha (2005-2009), and
marketing director at the Action Sports Retailer Tradeshow (2004-2005).
Forsell also has extensive experience in youth marketing.

“I am
excited and honored to join the Asics team,” said Forsell. “I am looking
forward to building on the current success of a strong brand with
outstanding products.”

Slayton will manage a new department
called Emerging Business, where he will oversee the Asics businesses in
North and South America excluding the United States. In addition, he
will manage Asics corporate retail development in the United States.

“Slayton
has been with Asics for 25 plus years and his experience with the brand
and company will help build the Asics business in the regions,” says
Kevin Wulff, CEO and President of Asics America Corporation.

Scott
will be promoted from senior manager of marketing communications to the
director of marketing communications where she will take on the added
responsibility of global communications. Scott has been with Asics for
22 years.

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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