During the Euro 2024 matches in Munich, Germany, Chinese brands dominated perimeter advertising. (China Daily)
As Euro 2024 reaches its grand finale in Germany on Sunday, footballers aren't the only ones caught up in the fiercest sporting battles. Advertisers, sponsors, marketing gurus and brands, including several Chinese brands, are vying to make the most impact. The presence of many Chinese companies among the major sponsors is expected to resonate with European consumers.
According to UEFA's official website, this year's tournament has 13 global partners, and an astonishing five of them are Chinese companies: BYD, Vivo, Hisense, Alipay and AliExpress.
This marks a historic record, with Chinese companies accounting for more than one-third of the sponsorship slots. It represents a significant growth since 2016, when Hisense was the only Chinese sponsor. Vivo and Alipay have joined in 2020, highlighting the growing international competitiveness and influence of Chinese companies.
Experts said the participation of these five Chinese companies in this year's Games marks a new milestone in the history of China's sponsorship of major international sporting events.
Chinese companies are keen to expand their international presence and hope to use such events to promote their brands among local consumers.
“For Chinese companies with global strategies, sports marketing is an important driver for increasing their brand influence and international expansion,” said Jiang Han, a senior researcher at the Panghor Institute, a Beijing think tank.
Chinese companies' participation goes beyond financial investment, as they also provide valuable products, services, content and technology that support the Games.
For example, BYD is using electric vehicles as the official fleet of the tournament, providing environmentally friendly transportation solutions; Vivo, the official smartphone partner, is providing flagship smartphones for event staff; Alipay, as the official payment platform, is providing convenient payment solutions for fans and staff; while AliExpress is enhancing the fan experience with exclusive discounts and interactive games for fans, with the chance to win match tickets.
“Our partnership with UEFA allows us to enhance user experience by enabling everyone to enjoy the beautiful game and record their most cherished memories,” said Zhou Yongduan, general manager of overseas product development at Vivo.
“This exciting game brings people all over the world together, and we hope to inspire that passion by empowering our users to become storytellers of their unforgettable journeys,” said Zhou. “We will continue to develop cutting-edge technology that advances mobile photography, allowing everyone to become the storyteller of their own experiences with just one tap.”
