ASICS Move To Earn Program Gamifies Fitness With Crypto Rewards

By gamifying exercise, Asics hopes to both celebrate sport as well as take the first “step” in building a future where digital goods can inspire physical activity and healthy lifestyles. The company has a rich history of positive-impact and community focused initiatives, recently providing runners and other athletes with an interactive overview of the various ways exercise affects their emotional and cognitive states, among other beneficial programs. The Move to Earn system from STEPN and Asics records user step counts using a GPS-enabled mobile app. Users equipped with digital collectible NFT sneakers can earn tokens and other NFT awards as they “level up” by reaching fitness goals. 

The limited edition STEPN sneakers, designed by Asics, comes in four sneaker types and two varieties, common or uncommon. The four sneaker types are designed to match and complement different user exercise approaches and fitness levels and come in common and uncommon walker, jogger, runner, and trainer versions. When “wearing” the NFT sneakers in the STEPN mobile app, users are able to earn the exclusive tokens and NFT rewards. Sneakers themselves can be leveled up using tokens, and other digital wearable features like NFT Gems can be added to the collectible sneakers in order to boost performance as part of the gamification initiative. STEPN has a built-in wallet and marketplace that allows even non-crypto users to participate in the Move to Earn Asics program. Users can choose to walk, jog or run to earn tokens, depending on what they are most comfortable with. 

The project activity period runs until December 2022, when there will also be a community event celebrating the initiative and its users. At the end, the top 30 users ranked by their NFT transaction volume will also share a bonus prize pool of 3,000 STEPN tokens. 

As loyalty programs continue to evolve for hybrid physical and digital environments, the technology that NFTs provide allows brands and consumers to offer more engaging and rewarding  programs. They provide another way to tokenize NFTs as a tool that rewards customers for their behavior and purchases. Whether the loyalty is rewarded in the form of additional products and services given for free, or gamified to induce further consumption, the use of NFTs and the technology behind them enables brands to consider new ways to retain their customers and develop a strong, repeatable purchase cycle.

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This article originally appeared in the PSFK iQ report, Smart Marketing With NFT Technology.