In an era where attention spans are short and authenticity reigns supreme, live experiences remain one of the most powerful ways for brands to build trust, excitement, and emotional connection.
For international brands expanding into Australia, events are more than PR moments — they’re cultural entry points. Done right, they don’t just attract eyeballs; they earn hearts.
As a leading PR agency Sydney-side, Agent99 has seen time and again that the most impactful campaigns are those that turn brand stories into experiences people feel. And our multi-award-winning campaign for ASICS’ GEL-NIMBUS™ 27, which recently took home Activation of the Year at the Communications and Public Relations Australia Golden Target Awards, is proof of how experiential storytelling can deliver results that soar.
Here’s how powerful event marketing can help international brands connect locally, and in doing so, capture global attention.
1. Turning a tagline into an experience
When ASICS briefed Agent99 in late November, the challenge was clear: launch the new GEL-NIMBUS™ 27 in a way that cut through the saturated summer period — when major competitors like Nike and HOKA were all shouting about their latest shoe drops.
The tagline was “It’s like running on a cloud”. The goal? To make that feel real.
Despite ASICS’ reputation as a performance brand, Australian runners didn’t immediately associate the Nimbus range with marathon-level running, the very audience the shoe was designed for. The campaign needed to shift that perception and generate mass mainstream media coverage to drive awareness and sales.
As a communications agency Sydney brands partner with for bold, earned-first thinking, we knew this launch had to be unmissable.
2. Research that grounded strategy in insight
Agent99’s approach always begins with insight. Our team conducted:
- Past campaign analysis, which revealed that TV coverage drove the highest product sell-through — a critical finding in designing our PR-first yet broadcast-worthy activation.
- Informal focus groups with everyday runners, revealing that overly technical language created confusion. They couldn’t visualise the product’s benefit — they wanted to see and feel it.
- Competitor analysis, which showed that rival brands were hosting major Sydney-based events to coincide with their own launches. That meant ASICS had to think differently, and act boldly.
This insight phase informed a creative strategy centred around one key idea: make the product promise tangible — not through words, but through a breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime moment.
3. Strategy: Elevate the message, literally
Given our findings, the strategy had to be visual, high-impact, and inherently newsworthy.
We knew that to generate mainstream coverage and drive sales, ASICS needed an activation that visually represented the sensation of “running on a cloud” while cementing the Nimbus range’s connection to endurance running.
The result? The ASICS Marathon on a Cloud.
Two of Australia’s top long-distance athletes — Reece Edwards and Leanne Pompeani — ran a half marathon 2,500 feet in the air on a treadmill inside an ASICS-branded hot air balloon.
The activation brought the tagline to life in a literal sense, creating an image so striking that media couldn’t ignore it. It was bold, it was visual, and it perfectly encapsulated the Nimbus product promise.
By combining strategic storytelling, athlete credibility, and flawless logistics, the campaign proved that even in a cluttered market, a well-conceived activation can deliver global-grade impact.
(Explore how Agent99 helps international brands localise big ideas in Top Challenges International Brands Face When Entering the Australian Market)
4. Execution: From ground to sky
The campaign rolled out in three distinct phases — each executed with precision.
Phase 1: Making the impossible possible
Agent99 researched flight regulations, altitude safety, and logistics to ensure the concept was viable. Due to restrictions, Melbourne was the only city where the event could take place — a move that turned out to be strategically sound, as competitor activations were concentrated in Sydney.
Within two weeks, our creative was finalised, suppliers confirmed, and balloon branding approved. We worked around the clock with hot air balloon and treadmill suppliers to meet strict safety and broadcast standards.
Phase 2: Generating anticipation
After the Christmas break, we secured top-tier athletes and began inviting key media. Demand quickly exceeded expectations, prompting us to add a second balloon exclusively for media and camera crews — ensuring the activation could be captured from every angle.
Phase 3: Managing the moment and maximising amplification
On the eve of the launch, extreme weather forced a last-minute date change. Within 24 hours, we secured replacement athletes, reconfirmed every media attendee, and executed the event flawlessly the following day.
Drone footage captured the ethereal “running on clouds” visual — which became a media goldmine. Within hours, it was broadcast nationally across breakfast TV, online outlets, and social platforms.
(To see how we measure these outcomes, read How to Measure Impact When Launching in Australia)
5. Results that reached new heights
The Marathon on a Cloud didn’t just deliver visually — it delivered.
Over the 10-week campaign:
- 30+ pieces of earned media were secured, exceeding targets and achieving over 20 million cumulative reach.
- 80% of coverage appeared in top-tier national media, including TV segments and high-profile lifestyle publications.
- ASICS earned a top-three share of voice among major running shoe brands during the activation window.
Most importantly, it generated tangible results — repositioning the Nimbus as a premium long-distance shoe while deepening emotional connection with both athletes and everyday runners.
6. The ripple effect: local action, global attention
What began as a local activation quickly caught the eye of people globally, with it generating significant traction in media, social media, and community forums like Reddit.
This underscores the power of combining local insight with global storytelling. When brands partner with a digital PR Sydney agency that understands both markets and mindsets, the results reach far beyond borders.
(Discover more on cultural adaptation in Understanding the Australian Consumer: What International Brands Need to Know)
7. Lessons for global brands entering Australia
The ASICS Marathon on a Cloud wasn’t just a one-off stunt — it was a case study in how international brands can use events to:
- Localise global brand messages with cultural relevance.
- Create content that drives both emotional engagement and tangible outcomes.
- Overcome saturated media cycles with earned creativity.
- Turn a single activation into sustained digital and global visibility.
For global brands entering Australia, this campaign demonstrates that success here requires more than replication — it requires reinvention.
The takeaway
In today’s world, experiences speak louder than ads. Events that embody brand purpose not only build local connection — they become stories worth sharing worldwide.
At Agent99, we specialise in helping global brands land in Australia with meaning, momentum, and measurable impact. Through our earned-first approach and full-service communications agency Sydney offering, we turn insights into unforgettable experiences that drive real-world results.
Because as ASICS proved — sometimes, the only way to stand out is to rise above it all.
Want to explore more insights from Agent99?
Check out these related reads:
- Top Challenges International Brands Face When Entering the Australian Market
- Understanding the Australian Consumer: What International Brands Need to Know
- How to Measure Impact When Launching in Australia
- After the Launch: How International Brands Can Grow and Build Loyalty Once They Enter the Market
Agent Nic
