Olympic Marketing: Lining's Heroic Strategy

"In the history of Olympic development, countless exciting moments were written by Olympic heroes of the past, present and future. They continue to convey and carry forward the Olympic spirit, to fight hard and to surpass themselves. The Li Ning Co is an enterprise founded by a Chinese Olympic hero. So when the Olympic Games came to China, we expressed our respect for all heroes who contributed to the Olympic Games and sports undertakings by using the more humane and emotional words of "hero". It also represented that we regard the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as a new starting point for the development of the company, making progress and surpassing ourselves and becoming a hero's determination. This is the speech of Mr. Zhang Zhiyong, chief executive of Li Ning Co Ltd, when he released the 2008 Olympic strategy in November 8th at a new headquarters in Beijing. The following will be a series of detailed Olympic strategic plans based on heroes, which will be presented in 2008, and the three important plans of "heroic team", "hero gesture" and "hero return" will take the lead. We must admire the accuracy and penetration of the Lining team in the application of modern marketing tools, whether it is "borrow marketing" or "experience emotional marketing" has been brought to a fairly high standard. Heroic team plan - "Lining" strategic wisdom in 2008, Li Ning Co will sponsor the Chinese table tennis, gymnastics, diving and shooting 4 gold dream team, Spain, Argentina basketball 2 world champion team, and the Sultan track and field team, Sweden Olympic delegation, Spain Olympic delegation, Ethiopia's special Rosa sports resources composed of "hero team", together for the Beijing Olympic Games. In 2008, Li Ning Co will take these "heroic teams" as the core of Olympic strategy. In addition to strengthening the preparation of Olympic related equipment for the "heroic team", a series of marketing activities with the theme of "heroic team" are also in progress. Next year, the "heroic team" will continue to make an anticipated appearance to spread Lining's brand proposition "anything is possible" in a way to break through the challenge. 　　這是一招堪稱高明的“棋”，英雄之所以被稱為英雄，常常是因為他的赫赫戰功和無比的勇氣，所以，選擇合適的對象就顯得十分重要，而射擊曾經是為我們國家恢復奧運資格后獲得第一枚金牌的項目，乒乓貴為國球、體操和跳水更是我們國家的運動強項；選擇這樣的項目，風險系數相對很少，國內的“李寧”消費者會因為英雄不倒、英雄常在而倍感自豪，自然更加會貼近“英雄的提倡者”；更為重要的是：這四個項目都是團隊作戰的項目，符合現代無論是企業界、政界、甚至娛樂界都很推崇的”團隊作戰“的時代特性；人們會因為那些 “英雄們的團隊精誠合作”自然而然聯想到“李寧”品牌團隊的凝聚力和美譽度；但畢竟奧運會是全世界人們關注和參與的一個“巨大的游戲”；所以，李寧必須得選擇“國際英雄團隊”：所以無論是西班牙還是那些其他國家 It can be imagined: first, their sports in certain areas must be in line with the "hero standard" and are likely to be team projects; two, according to the logic of business logic, these countries or regions are selected, which may be related to the commercial operation of Lining in the local layout. As for a series of heroic group activities in the "Olympic field", although we can not know the specific content, we can conclude that it is related to the "heroic complex" that arousing people's hearts. What's more, Lining's series of heroic team activities will effectively eliminate the negative impression that many people often criticize the Chinese as "Chinese team is worm". In a few ways, the Lining team is undoubtedly a "heroic team". The heroic gesture plan, the unique marketing of Lining, is one of the most important contents for the 2008 Olympic Games strategy. Lining also issued a unique "L" gesture. The significance of this gesture is that it represents the initials of Li-Ning with the capital letter "L". The deep core information is a set of words beginning with the English letter "L": Luck, Love. In the recent Li Ning Co advertisement, Lining's heroic gesture has been constantly appearing. Lining hopes that this vivid hand potential can be used as a way to encourage Chinese athletes to work hard on the field and bring good luck to athletes, and win more people's love. Around the "hero gesture", Li Ning Co will also plan a series of activities, so that the gesture that was born in Lining belongs to all those who support the Chinese Olympic Games. 　　無論是字母“L“代表的luck(幸運)或者LOVE (愛)都是極其富有人性化和帶有濃厚生動的正面信息的，人們常常會因為luck(幸運) 或者LOVE (愛)這樣的字眼變得不同尋常的積極、從而愿意去拼搏和奮斗，而從營銷的角度來說，任何一個產品或品牌，一個符號性的標志總是令人耳目一新、并且能銘刻在心的，無論是一個設計獨特的LOGO(品牌標志)還是一個卡通人物做的動態，都會成為”粉絲“們過目不忘，為之稱道，從而產生積極傳播效應的；現代營銷講究簡單、直指人心，無疑， “李寧” 又一次很好的抓住了這一現代營銷中的精髓之處；妙就妙在這個字母最初的是從它自身的拼音中尋找出來的；在這個手勢的前面冠以“英雄”的字樣—英雄手勢， 對于我來說，同樣相信對于很多很多中國社會的中堅消費群來說，他們都可能會和我一樣，因為“英雄手勢”而想起在戰火 The flying years, the stories of heroes that we are familiar with, and even the classic gestures that great men will not disappear from our minds will naturally remind us of the heroic gestures of the Olympic heroes who have been dancing for the first time on the international stage and won the gold medal when China has just returned to the Olympic qualification. Can you not cheer up when all these strings are linked by "Lining" with the string of memory to restore our national strength? You even need to take practical action to appreciate "Lining". Similarly, we are not aware of a series of activities of "hero gesture", but we will not doubt that "Lining" will be rewarded for this "heroic gesture" regardless of the national character or the final result of commercial marketing. Lining's responsibility and mind at the press conference, Li Ning Co repeatedly stressed that in 2008, "Lining" should not only develop in the market, but also need to show the responsibility and mind of a Chinese brand in front of the world. In addition, after our profound exchanges with athletes, we find that the success of sports fields brings flowers and honor to Olympic athletes. These heroes deserve the rewards after sweat and hardship, but at the same time these heroes can also give back to society with more meaningful actions. To this end, the Li Ning Co jointly joined the Chinese athletes Education Fund and the China Youth Development Foundation to launch the Olympic hero return plan next year: as long as shooting, table tennis, diving and gymnastics, four Chinese national athletes won the gold medal in the 2008 Olympic Games, and the above structure will be donated to a sports hope primary school named by the athletes in their hometown. Li Ning Co will spare no effort to promote the "return project", hoping that more athletes and enterprises will be involved in similar operations. 　　無論是中國人千年文化傳統中的“榮歸故里”還是現在中國社會要求企業承擔社會責任、回報社會的需要，在 “英雄榮歸計劃 ”里面，“李寧”公司可謂費勁心血，積極聯手中國運動員教育基金、中國青少年發展基金會在獲獎運動員所在家鄉捐建一所以運動員命名的體育希望小學；此舉體現了一個民族品牌、一個曾經的、或者應該說是一直的奧運英雄對于社會，對于民族的責任感，非常契合國家提出的“可持續發展”的最高戰略，這樣的戰略思維和前瞻的格局意識對于一個品牌企業來說、是基業長青的保證；從營銷的角度來說，也是屬于高層次的，這樣的營銷方式在滿足著人們實現自我價值、體現了高于一般營銷手段只是用來滿足消費者需要的營銷藝術；同時也實現著“李寧”品牌企業文化，企業價值觀的提升，進而也能依賴品牌巨大影響力比較良性的影響 The values of Chinese enterprises, sports circles and even the whole society drive more people to participate in the actions of "Chinese successors". "Heroic team", "hero gesture", "hero return plan", 2008, such a strategic thinking with strong impact, appeal and influence, has begun to show that Chinese brand enterprises are playing a prelude to the "Hero Road", playing a prelude to the charge, and breaking through the traditional way of thinking. It has brought many inspirations to all our brand marketing enterprises: 1) modern marketing pays attention to the spirit of consumers, and the concept of "heroic team" is very good and easy to accomplish. 2) modern marketing pays attention to grasping, filling and covering the minds of consumers. "Heroic gesture" and "hero return" undoubtedly can well grasp this point. During the whole process, the audience experiences all kinds of heroic plots which are difficult to express and are difficult to give up. They are naturally deeply attracted, and the mental mode will quietly cling to the brand. 3) all enterprises can do "borrow marketing" and "borrow things marketing", but if we want to have a good response and feedback, we must learn "Lining", seize the pulse of the times, seize the time and connotations given by the great climate and environment, so as to properly integrate into the entire product strategy marketing system of the enterprise, and exert tremendous influence and dissemination power. Of course, such a strategy is not without defects. For example, "Heroes" are the minority in the crowd. Is there any overall consideration in this strategic system? Although, from the marketing level, we only need to concentrate our resources on target customers; but this is, after all, the first time that China has hosted such a grand event in the Olympic history. The people who run the enterprise have fully integrated the national sentiments and feelings of the whole nation in the whole brand strategy system. Are they also taking a comprehensive look at the commercial operation level? Another example: is the integrity of the strategic system in the post Olympic era intact? Can we guarantee the influence of "Heroes" after the Olympic Games? Of course, these are the reminders of the subjective assumption of our national brand when we are not aware of it. We have reason to believe that "Lining's heroic team" will bring us more sense of achievement, more gains and breakthroughs, more luck and love. Let's shout, applaud and cheer for our Olympic athletes, our heroes.