After making significant strides in North America last year, German athletic powerhouse Adidas is ramping up its marketing campaign in China by bringing two star athletes on board as brand ambassadors.
Adidas has picked freestyle swimmer Ning Zetao and volleyball standout Hui Ruoqi — both of whom have won gold medals in their respective sports — to represent the brand in China. They’re now set to star in the brand’s new “One in a Billion” campaign, according to WWD. The spot is intended to “boost creativity in sport,” a theme that has also been prevalent in Adidas’ stateside marketing.
“The two represent not only success in sports, but also stand out for their individuality as stars of the post-’90s generation,” Adidas said of the Chinese stars. “Creativity is the core of our business and part of everything we do. We remain strongly committed to working closely with our ever-expanding portfolio of sports assets to accelerate the pace of sport development nationwide and inspire more Chinese to embrace their individuality through sport.”
Zetao made headlines in 2015 by becoming the first Asian to win the 100-meter freestyle gold medal at the World Championships. Although he failed to capture gold at the 2016 Olympics, he’s still regarded as one of the top competitors in his field. Meanwhile, Ruoqi took home gold in Rio de Janeiro as part of Team China.
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With 10,000 doors throughout China, Adidas hopes to become the nation’s No. 1 sports brand and plans to open an additional 2,000 stores by 2020.
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