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. 　　这是一招堪称高明的“棋”，英雄之所以被称为英雄，常常是因为他的赫赫战功和无比的勇气，所以，选择合适的对象就显得十分重要，而射击曾经是为我们国家恢复奥运资格后获得第一枚金牌的项目，乒乓贵为国球、体操和跳水更是我们国家的运动强项；选择这样的项目，风险系数相对很少，国内的“李宁”消费者会因为英雄不倒、英雄常在而倍感自豪，自然更加会贴近“英雄的提倡者”；更为重要的是：这四个项目都是团队作战的项目，符合现代无论是企业界、政界、甚至娱乐界都很推崇的”团队作战“的时代特性；人们会因为那些 “英雄们的团队精诚合作”自然而然联想到“李宁”品牌团队的凝聚力和美誉度；但毕竟奥运会是全世界人们关注和参与的一个“巨大的游戏”；所以，李宁必须得选择“国际英雄团队”：所以无论是西班牙还是那些其他国家 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. 　　无论是字母“L“代表的luck(幸运)或者LOVE (爱)都是极其富有人性化和带有浓厚生动的正面信息的，人们常常会因为luck(幸运) 或者LOVE (爱)这样的字眼变得不同寻常的积极、从而愿意去拼搏和奋斗，而从营销的角度来说，任何一个产品或品牌，一个符号性的标志总是令人耳目一新、并且能铭刻在心的，无论是一个设计独特的LOGO(品牌标志)还是一个卡通人物做的动态，都会成为”粉丝“们过目不忘，为之称道，从而产生积极传播效应的；现代营销讲究简单、直指人心，无疑， “李宁” 又一次很好的抓住了这一现代营销中的精髓之处；妙就妙在这个字母最初的是从它自身的拼音中寻找出来的；在这个手势的前面冠以“英雄”的字样—英雄手势， 对于我来说，同样相信对于很多很多中国社会的中坚消费群来说，他们都可能会和我一样，因为“英雄手势”而想起在战火 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. 　　无论是中国人千年文化传统中的“荣归故里”还是现在中国社会要求企业承担社会责任、回报社会的需要，在 “英雄荣归计划 ”里面，“李宁”公司可谓费劲心血，积极联手中国运动员教育基金、中国青少年发展基金会在获奖运动员所在家乡捐建一所以运动员命名的体育希望小学；此举体现了一个民族品牌、一个曾经的、或者应该说是一直的奥运英雄对于社会，对于民族的责任感，非常契合国家提出的“可持续发展”的最高战略，这样的战略思维和前瞻的格局意识对于一个品牌企业来说、是基业长青的保证；从营销的角度来说，也是属于高层次的，这样的营销方式在满足着人们实现自我价值、体现了高于一般营销手段只是用来满足消费者需要的营销艺术；同时也实现着“李宁”品牌企业文化，企业价值观的提升，进而也能依赖品牌巨大影响力比较良性的影响 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.