The pitch is expected to be contested by Saatchi & Saatchi, Dentsu and an IPG subsidiary.
Anta’s in-house team is expected to remain in charge of media planning and buying, both of which are done in conjunction with MindShare.
While Anta has shown exceptional financial returns in the run-up to the Olympics - boasting more than 200 per cent increases in revenue in the first half of 2007 compared to the same period in the previous year - triumphs by competitors such as Li Ning, adidas and Nike during the Olympics can hardly be welcome news.
“Li Ning, for example, comes with the name of a Chinese icon. The challenge of marketing Anta is that it is a whole different ballgame,” said an industry insider.
Although Anta has an impressive distribution network of nearly 5,000 retail outlets in mainland China, its strengths are still mainly in third- and fourth-tier cities.
Making a mark on first- and second-tier markets will require the brand to face competition from Li Ning as well as a host of international competitors head on.
Sources from JWT have expressed confidence in the agency’s work for Anta, a brand it has been instrumental in building since winning the account a few years ago. “This pitch doesn’t seem to be about solving any particular issues but is more about finding opportunities for the brand,” said a source.
The client has yet to confirm the presentation date.