Asics Logo PNG
The ASICS logo resembles the trace of a runner’s quick turn, leaving behind Japanese quality and lightness. The brand’s line reflects the style and comfort of its sports products, helping athletes move faster and more easily.
ASICS traces its origins to 1949, when Kihachiro Onitsuka founded Onitsuka Co. in Kobe, aiming to promote sport among Japanese youth after World War II. The first products were basketball shoes, developed with early attention to grip and stability.
During the 1950s, the company focused on running and basketball footwear, working closely with athletes and adapting designs to their needs. This approach shaped its product development strategy.
In 1964, the Tokyo Olympics brought international visibility, as athletes competed in Onitsuka Tiger shoes. Around the same time, interest in running began to grow outside Japan.
In 1966, Phil Knight distributed Onitsuka Tiger in the United States through Blue Ribbon Sports, before founding Nike in the early 1970s. The partnership later ended as both companies pursued independent paths.
In 1977, Onitsuka Co. merged with GTO and JELENK to form ASICS, named after the phrase “Anima Sana In Corpore Sano.” The Onitsuka Tiger label remained as a separate line within the group.
In the 1980s, ASICS invested in biomechanical research and introduced GEL cushioning in 1986, which was applied to models such as the Gel-Lyte. This became a core technology for the brand.
During the 1990s, competition with Nike and New Balance intensified, while ASICS focused on performance credibility rather than mass marketing.
In the 2000s and 2010s, the company expanded into multiple sports categories and global markets, while Onitsuka Tiger gained traction through retro releases and lifestyle demand.
Meaning and History
Herb Lubalin designed the emblem. He created a stylish sign with a unique character and unmistakable charisma. Over the years, the company’s logo changed only once. Otherwise, the company used the original version.
What is Asics?
It is a Japanese sports clothing and footwear brand that uses high-tech materials to enhance comfort and safety. For example, the sneaker cushioning systems reduce vibrations during running. The company has maintained such high standards since its founding in 1949 and has continually perfected its products for various sports.
1977 – 1987
In 1977, the companies Onitsuka Co., Ltd., GTO, and Jelenk merged to form Asics and introduced a new logo to the public. The design was created by the renowned Herb Lubalin, with contributions from designer Alan Peckolick and the PAOS studio.
The symbol was based on the well-known tiger stripes borrowed from the side of the shoes. They were combined with the brand name’s original lettering, which consisted of five letters: a, s, i, c, s. All letters are lowercase and set tightly together, forming a single continuous shape. The wordmark uses a bold custom typeface with uniform stroke thickness and smoothly rounded forms. Visually, each letter appears to echo the shape of the one next to it.
On product packaging from that period, the Kabel typeface was used to emphasize the company’s athletic and active nature. Introduced in July of the same year, the Asics mark remains relevant today in the Asics Sportstyle footwear collections designed for everyday wear and skateboarding. In 2015, the corporation reused it during the revival of the Asics Tiger line, alongside the modern symbol featuring a lowercase letter a.
1987 – 2006
In 1987, the Japanese brand Asics marked 10 years since its merger by updating its logo. The changes were subtle. The appearance of the wordmark remained the same, with the five lowercase Latin letters keeping their tight spacing and smooth contours. The main update affected the line thickness. The previously heavy strokes became thinner and more refined, giving the symbol a lighter, airier feel.
At the same time, the primary color was changed. Instead of ultramarine, the logo adopted a bright blue tone that emphasized the brand’s athletic character. The typeface retained its original style, while visually moving closer to experimental versions of Eurostile Rounded.
The updated mark reflected continuity with the established visual style while highlighting the brand’s readiness to evolve with the times.
1992 – 2006
In 1992, the ASICS brand introduced an updated logo that included an additional symbol. The foundation remained the wordmark designed by Herb Lubalin five years earlier. The typeface, featuring narrow lowercase letters with slightly elongated proportions and smooth rounded edges, stayed unchanged. A key addition appeared to the left of the name in the form of a large spiral oval symbol.
The spiral first appeared in the Japanese market as part of the visual identity for the exclusive BEZA sportswear line, developed by the Nippon Design Center studio. It later became the brand’s main corporate symbol.
Visually, the spiral resembles a track mark and also recalls a stylized letter A. The image reflects the brand’s core values: sport, speed, development, and progress. With the new symbol, the visual identity felt more cohesive, and the brand gained a more striking image.
The spiral-shaped letter reinforces the company’s athletic nature, evoking the movement of an athlete along a running track. Despite the strong new element, the original type style and wordmark layout were preserved.
2007 – today
In 2007, the Japanese brand ASICS unveiled an updated logo to the public, though attentive fans first noticed it in December 2005 on the company’s official website in Japan. That was when the outlines of the future mark first appeared.
The brand is known for athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment, and its emblem traditionally includes both a symbol and the name. The entire composition is now rendered in a deep, dark blue color.
On the left sits the familiar oval shape with a smooth, curved end. In the new version, the symbol was slightly flattened at the top, making it appear more compact. The most notable change, however, concerns the brand name. A completely new typeface was developed for it, distinct from previous versions.
The name is still written in lowercase Latin letters. The typeface became bolder, denser, and wider, with the letters slanted to the right while preserving the familiar smoothness and rounded forms.
Font and Colors
The Japanese company’s logo is directly related to its name, which, in turn, has its roots in Latin. It’s an acronym of the famous Latin phrase “Anima sana in corpore sano,” meaning “A healthy mind in a healthy body.”
Moreover, this phrase became the brand’s key motto, as its range of sports goods is designed to support the body and spirit. The company’s logo uses two shades of blue. The debut version is painted light blue, and the current one is dark blue.
The old “ASICS” inscription design, from 1977 to 2003, was conceived by Herb Lubalin. Subsequently, it served as the basis for the unique ASICS Tiger font. This development is a collaboration between the Kontrapunkt studio and Bruce Mau Design. The new logo uses a completely different typeface: a strict italic sans serif. Notably, the modern version has lost the dot over the letter “i.” Also, the elongating element (tail) to the right of “a” disappeared, and “s” became symmetrical.
After the 2003 redesign, not only the font but also the color changed. If previously all parts of the logo were blue, now a dark shade of blue is used, which contrasts sharply with the white background.