Chinese sponsors take the lead at Olympics

Revenue boost

Ding Shizhong, chairman of the board of directors and CEO of Anta Group, said the company will continue to focus on sportswear, consolidate research and development, and keep developing a multibrand competitive edge to cater to sports-loving consumers in different market segments and fields.

The group can do this due to government policies promoting national fitness and because of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Ding said.

The Tokyo Games also boosted revenue and profits for sportswear manufacturer Li Ning Co. According to its interim report for this year, revenue surged by 65 percent in the first six months to 10.1 billion yuan, while net profits rose by 187 percent to 1.96 billion yuan. The brand sponsored the Chinese shooting, diving and table tennis teams.

Zhang said many Chinese sponsors have explored marketing innovation, for example by inviting gold medalists to take part in livestreaming sessions sponsored by brands.

The winners of the Olympics are "natives of the internet"－the athletes who took part and the internet users who volunteered to develop content based on real-time events at the Games, Zhang said.

Marketing major sporting events is now defined as "emotional marketing", as young athletes and the events themselves create emotions that inspire the public and viewers, Zhang said.

Transforming emotions and traffic generated from such events into business and revenue calls for brand teams to accurately locate the market and respond quickly, he added.

Strong momentum in China's sportswear industry is deeply rooted in government policies aimed at promoting national fitness and building a wholesome and healthy society.

Early last month, the State Council, China's Cabinet, unveiled a five-year blueprint for 2021 to 2025, designed for greater public participation in physical exercise. The guideline includes measures to increase the number of sports facilities in communities nationwide.