Beijing Li-Ning Sports Goods Company is China’s most famous sports brand. Over the past 13 years, Li-Ning has become China’s largest Sporting Goods Company and is currently poised to create world-class products for China’s best athletes globally. Known for their award-winning slogan, ‘Anything is Possible’, Li-Ning is committed to becoming China’s number one sporting goods brand.
In 1999, Li-Ning officially announced their vision to become an International brand. Today, for the purpose of creating products that meet the needs of the world’s best athletes, Li-Ning will sign an unprecedented product and marketing agreement with English Premier League Everton FC Player, Li Tie. The agreement encompasses product creation and marketing.
Li Tie is one of China’s most famous football players and one of two Chinese players in the English Premier League. Considered by some to be the face of China football, Li Tie is known for his playmaking skills and tenacity often tormenting the opposition with pinpoint passing and aggressive defending. According to Li Ning, 1984 Olympic gold medallist in gymnastics, Li Tie is the perfect representative for Li-Ning’s ‘Anything is Possible’ brand positioning.
Li Tie said, ‘Li-Ning has the largest market share in the sporting goods industry in China, and is also a growth company. The chance to work with Li-Ning is an opportunity I am very happy about. I believe together we will be able to create technically advanced football products that meet the needs of the world’s best athletes.’
Li-Ning sees cooperation with Li Tie as a building block for the development of their products and their brand. As a part of the agreement, Li-Ning will create a special line of football products for Li Tie, cooperate on grassroots football development and other marketing programs that support the Li-Ning brand message, ‘Anything is Possible’.
‘Li-Ning’s strategy is to develop authentic sporting goods products in China and Li Tie will be an important part of our plan to begin engineering products for World Class Chinese athletes playing at the highest professional level overseas. This is the first time a Chinese sports goods manufacturer has thought about the unique product needs of our own athletes and there is no better person to start working with in football (soccer) than Li Tie, China’s 2001 player of the year, a regular starting midfielder for Everton, and the player that helped lead China to its first World Cup Finals appearance.’ Li Ning, President Beijing Li-Ning Sports Goods Company Ltd.
‘Li-Ning is China’s first sports products manufacturer to start thinking about how to become a marketing driven organization. What we have realized over the past few years is that great products should not only be engineered to athlete specifications, but also our ability to link our athletes and products with ‘consumer wants’ in China will be a key success factor for us. Li Tie brings us legitimacy as China’s premier football player and offers us a key to the hearts and minds of Chinese consumers.’ Zhang Zhi-Yong, General Manager, Beijing Li-Ning Sports Goods Company Ltd.
‘Young people in China are looking for heroes to look up to. Since the 1950s and 1960s, there has been a void in roles models for young people to aspire to and sports stars have often taken a back seat to music and movie stars. Li Tie, who grew up in a humble working class family in Northern China, serves as an inspiration to kids who want to see their dreams comes true. Li Tie’s self-confidence, his work ethic and his ‘never say die’ attitude are the pillars of Li-Ning’s slogan, ‘Anything is Possible’.’ Xu Wei-Jun, Marketing Director, Beijing Li-Ning Sports Goods Company Ltd.
For more details contact:
Tor Petersen
ZOU marketing
tor@zoumarketing.com
(t) 852-2834-6540