The index from TNS partner, CSM Media Research, sees a mix of Chinese and international brands rank in the top-ten, with Coca-Cola followed by Yili – a prominent dairy products brand in China and an Olympics sponsor. Third place has been taken by Lenovo, a manufacturer of PCs and other technology products. Fourth is China Mobile, the telecoms company, while fifth place goes to adidas, the sports footwear, apparel and accessories brand.
Business Development Director at CSM Media Research, Matthew Brosenne, said: “The official slogan for Beijing is ‘One World, One Dream’. It would also be fair to say ‘One World, One Dream, One Huge Investment’. For big companies putting their sponsorship money behind the Olympics, this is a real battle of the brands and financial commitments to marketing are significant. Coca-Cola brings 86 years of history and experience to the Olympics, and more experience than any other company. It sees these Olympics as a rare opportunity to position Coca-Cola as China’s most aspirational brand. Coca-Cola is winning because it started early, has shown good strategic planning and regularly refines its work.”
Yet, according to the OP index, many brands are failing to maximise the value of their heavy sponsorship investments. Companies like Atos Origin, GE and BHP Billiton have had low OP index scores over the last two years – although it should be noted that these companies may be more focused on business customers than general consumers in their marketing efforts.
CSM Research has also tracked companies which respondents mistakenly believe are sponsors. It found that over 70 per cent of consumers agree they are more likely to purchase products associated (either rightly or wrongly) with Olympics sponsors.
More than 60 companies have invested around US$3 billion in sponsorship rights for Beijing. TNS estimates that additional promotional spend by corporations looking to ride Olympics interest will exceed US$5 billion from August 2006 to August 2008, making the Olympics the world’s biggest marketing ‘bet’ worth more than US$8 billion.
TNS Media – has collated the OP index through a quarterly poll of 1,500 consumers in 10 Chinese cities, analysis of the creative treatments of Olympics advertising in China and associated media spend and measurement of China’s TV audiences for Olympics programming. CSM Media Research has conducted 8 waves of research to date and will complete its analysis with Wave 11 in October 2008, some two months after the Olympics finish.
