The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will not be just the greatest
sports event watched by billions. They will also be a golden
marketing opportunity for some Chinese brands.
Some of China's biggest known brands, including Lenovo and dairy
firm Yili Group are already part of the official sponsors of the
Games.
The marketing opportunities offered by the Games is
unparalleled, Chairman of the IOC's Marketing Commission Gerhard
Heiberg told an Olympics economic forum yesterday. "The
opportunities are numerous, the benefits many and the legacy
outstanding," he said.??
"As the world's most powerful and recognizable brand, the
Olympics will partner China and a host of the world's leading
brands in delivering an unrivalled marketing platform," Heiberg
said.
Sina.com reports quoted Heiberg as saying last month that the
Beijing Olympics could generate revenue of about US$3 billion, that
is, twice as much as the last Games in Athens.
Lenovo is one of the Games' top sponsors because of which its
brand goodwill has risen 18 percentage points in 12 countries of
Europe, the Americas and the Asia Pacific.
Its market presence in China rose to 36.7 percent in 2006. And
its international turnover has of late showed very encouraging
signs.
"Our achievement is because we have Olympics as our platform,"
Lenovo Group's Senior Vice-president Chen Shaopeng said. "It's
worth (the sponsorship)."
The Games' organizers have benefited, too. Yuan Bin, director of
the marketing department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for
the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), said the 2008 Olympics have
achieved a substantial number of its marketing targets.
"The market revenue can fully meet the cost of organization and
operation," Yuan said.
In return, BOCOG has set up many platforms and services for
sponsors. For example, during the Games, the organizers will
earmark product demonstration zones in the Olympic Village and
encourage public interaction over sponsors' products.
(China Daily August 7, 2007)