Boon Hau Tan - Asics Night Relay 2019 (Unrealised)

Proposed brand creative direction for Asics’s signature metropolitan night race event, “Asics Night Relay”.

Asics was looking to reboot the Night Relay for this edition; roll-out will be in various Asian cities. Proposing a different approach to the previous editions (where it’s uniform across the different cities) I advocated an inclusive brand framework that could incorporate each city’s distinctive visual vernacular/flair (in the logo and in unique visuals), whilst synergising with the strong brand identity.

Races to take place in metropolitan parts of their respective cities; the visuals for the brand were to adopt a modern/futuristic cyberpunk-ish approach, to give the race a signature distinct identity, and to let racers feel like they’re in a video game — and at an underground club party at the same time.

The reboot was subsequently shelved due to administrative issues.

Run logo variants for the Asian cities in the series.

Selected moodboard images.

Proposed logo applications.

Proposed economised logo versions to be applied on secondary collaterals/visuals.

Proposed Runner's Entitlement, clockwise from top left: Runner's bib; finisher's medal; race tee.

The race tee was intended to be a commemorative item (unlike gaudy tees from regular runs -- a faux pas to wear them out), like a concert tee (with various Asian city locations mapped on the back) with a nod to the street/logo fashion meta in 2019. All cities to have uniformity, save for the side stripe repping the respective cities in their colour.

The medal was proposed to be plated in a neon green, and to glow in the dark. Thus making it a unique collectible and an interesting post-race photo-op opportunity, with participants wearing a glowing medallion on their chests.

All races were to be run in vibrant parts of their respective cities -- in Singapore's case, around Marina with the start/end festival at the F1 Pit Building. I proposed for the race to incorporate a subtle cyberpunk undertone, allowing participants' senses to be immersed in sound and visual, akin to be inside a futuristic race video game.

I proposed a "Checkpoint Stage" where participants in the Race Village can watch performances on stage, after race or awaiting their turn. That would be the central anchor for the festivities surrounding it. This "Checkpoint Stage", which was also a kind of "start arch on steroids", had full LED screens on the sides, with motion graphics for a kinetic immersive experiences, and also to play dynamic brand videos. The platform also had build-in RFID readers to track the relay runners as they swapped out their team runners.