“The Impossible is Nothing” Campaign of 2008 Essay Example

out from Nike and Li Ning.

The latter is a local rival that back some of China’s top athletes and Olympic teams. Some consultants believe that if sponsors tailor their creative to specific athletes instead of bigger trends and themes, it’ll probably be “a safer bet” (Beckett, 8).

For Adidas, Yao Ming, center for the Houston Rockets, is the Reebok basketball star.  Adidas acquired Reebok on January 31, 2006 (“History”, n.d.).  Ming is looking to play in the Beijing Olympics.  For Ming’s American fans, the excitement may in fact spread to the U.S.

To come out ahead of the competition and to draw attention, a sponsor needs to be smarter and more strategic (Madden, 37).  It also needs to “be both pro-Olympics and pro-change in China in a way that’s nonpolitical” (Beckett, 8).

Some consumers may equate sponsorship of the Beijing Olympics with a backing of communist Chinese policies. The Chinese government controls their access to 1.3 billion new consumers with an interest in commercial goods (Beckett, 8).

Adidas was built on a passion for sports and a sporting lifestyle (“Our Values”, n.d.).  It has a clear strategy to generate consumer excitement and enhance brand profitability.  The Adidas Group strives to understand consumers to better enhance their athletic experience (“Our Values, n.d.).  As it has already been stated, Adidas will be the only sponsor that can sell its products co-branded with the Olympic logo.

In 2005, it “unveiled 1,000 shirts, designed with the Olympics ‘Five Friendlies’ mascots, which embody characteristics of some of China’s most popular animals—the fish, panda, Tibetan antelope and swallow” (Hargrave-Silk & White, 8).  Most people

love shirts; they sold out very quickly.  With this in mind, this campaign should be a huge success.

References

1. Beckett, Whitney. (April 16, 2008). The Games Prevail For Active Firms.  WWD: Women’s Wear Daily 195 (82). Retrieved June 1, 2008 from http://web.ebscohost com.
2. Hargrave-Silk, Atifa and White, Amy.  (December 2, 2005). Adidas kicks off Olympics marketing. Media: Asia’s Media & Marketing Newspaper. Retrieved June 1, 2008 from http://web.ebscohost com.
3. Madden, Normandy. (October 30, 2006). Marketers limber up for 2008 Beijing Olympics. Advertising Age 77(44).  Retrieved June 1, 2008 from http://web.ebscohost com.
4. Retrieved June 1, 2008 from http://www.adidas.com.