“A recent study by ASICS found that nearly three-quarters of people believe that society’s obsession with the perfect body is damaging our mental health. 80% are demotivated by exercise transformation images and nearly half (48%) feel insecure about their bodies after seeing ‘before and after’ images.”
But despite the traditionally strong physical focus of sports, most of the noticeable effects of working out are mental. “Regular physical activity is proven to improve mental health. It uplifts mood, improves sleep, helps manage stress and can also reduce the risk of depression.”
That’s why Asics decided to create a new ‘before and after’ format. Instead of the usual shocking physical improvements, they opted for the mental aspect of transformations. The most important changes are mental ones after all.
Advertising often shows us what or who we are not, but want to become. But this ad shows us something more realistic: the only result you’re going to get directly after you’ve exercised is a positive feeling, not a slim body. We’re curious to see if these realistic ads also lead to more positive associations with that brand, as people won’t have false expectations of their workouts and could therefore be more satisfied with the outcome instead of disappointed.
This is a cool example of a perspective change. And with mental health increasingly taking a prominent role in society alongside physical health, it comes at the right time.
Image credits: Asics #DramaticTransformation
