The Uniform Is Part of the Participation Problem

ASICS’ 2024 State of Mind Study highlighted the connection between physical activity during adolescence and mental wellbeing later in life. The brand also points to a troubling figure: 64% of UK girls drop out of sport before turning 16.

The campaign identifies school PE kit as one barrier worth addressing. Traditional uniforms can leave little room for personal preference, different body shapes, changing weather or the practical concerns that come with growing up. When clothing makes participation uncomfortable, the experience of sport can become less inviting.

According to the campaign research, 70% of girls said they would be more likely to take part in PE if their kit made them feel more comfortable, while only 12% were completely satisfied with what they currently wore. The research also found that 63% believed it was time to reimagine the PE kit. Together, these findings put the uniform itself under scrutiny.

ASICS The Undropped Kit Starts by Listening to Girls

ASICS developed the kit concept with Inclusive Sportswear, mental health charity Mind and input from more than 2,000 teenage girls across the UK through a co-creation and testing process. Focus groups, surveys and a school trial helped identify what students wanted from their PE clothing.

The resulting concept was designed around different body shapes, weather conditions and personal styles. Its central proposition is straightforward: girls should be able to concentrate on playing sport without their clothing becoming a source of discomfort or distraction.

The collaboration reflects the principles of Inclusive Sportswear, which places comfort, practicality, choice and personal expression at the centre of sportswear design. Rather than asking girls to adapt to a uniform that may not suit them, the campaign asks what the uniform should do for the people wearing it.

From Sportswear Design to a Wider Conversation

The campaign connects ASICS’ interest in physical activity and mental wellbeing with a practical issue in everyday school life. The PE kit becomes the tangible expression of a broader question about access: who feels comfortable enough to participate, and what could schools change to make that experience more welcoming?

Partner athlete and contributor Tess Howard MBE OLY brings a sporting perspective to the initiative. The involvement of Inclusive Sportswear, Mind and teenage participants also places lived experience alongside the design process.

The campaign invites schools and other decision-makers to reconsider the choices available to students. But a prototype and a persuasive campaign are not the same as widespread adoption. Its long-term value depends on whether schools can translate its principles into practical uniform choices that are comfortable, affordable and accessible to pupils.

The concept is not currently a retail product. ASICS presents it as a way to demonstrate what a school PE kit designed around girls’ needs could look like and to encourage broader change.

Rethinking What Girls Need to Play

ASICS The Undropped Kit makes a compelling case for looking beyond the obvious barriers to participation in sport. A PE uniform may seem like a small detail, but for the girls expected to wear it, comfort and choice can shape the experience of taking part. By involving teenage girls in the design process, ASICS turns their everyday frustrations into the starting point for a different approach.

The campaign’s most interesting move is to shift the question from why girls drop out to what might make staying in sport easier. That change in perspective gives the work its relevance, connecting a tangible design problem to a wider conversation about inclusion.

Whether the concept leads to lasting change will depend on what happens next: whether schools adopt more flexible kit options and whether girls feel the difference. For now, the campaign offers a useful reminder that participation is not only about encouraging people to play. It is also about removing the things that make playing harder than it needs to be.

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Credits
Brand: ASICS
Campaign: ASICS The Undropped Kit
Creative Agency: GUT Toronto
PR Agency: Golin Ketchum London
Partner Athlete & Contributor: Tess Howard MBE OLY
Pilot Testing Partner: Burnley High School, UK.

Asics has launched a new brand platform, ‘Want it more’, featuring real people pushing themselves hard physically to achieve their fitness goals.

Want It More

Credits:
Campaign: ASICS: Want it More
Client: Asics
Senior General Manager, Global Brand Marketing: Paul Miles
Global Advertising Manager: Eva Sutter
Agency: 180 Amsterdam
Executive Creative Dir: Dan Treichel, Dave Canning
Art Director: Tony Bartolucci
Copywriter: Joe Craig
Executive Producer:
Producer: Bethany Papenbrock
Asst. Producer: Davide Janssen
Account : Jim O’Regan
Business Affairs: Akvilina Jaskunaite
Planner: Ben Armistead
Production Co.: Smuggler/Gatehouse
Director: Henry Alex Rubin
DP: Ken Seng
Producer: Ben Link
Executive Producer: Chris Barett
Editorial Co.: Marshall Street Editors
Editor: Spencer Ferst
Producer: SJ O’Mara
Assistant Editor: Jake Armstrong
Online Facility: MPC Amsterdam
Colorist: Jean Clemant