Greater China: Zenith China unit scoops CBA deal

BEIJING: ZenithOptimedia has clinched a PR deal with the China Basketball Association (CBA) in a pitch that included PR agencies and sports marketing firms. Zports, a Chinese sports subsidiary of the media agency, will provide brand communication consultancy, PR and media buying services. The unit first started working with the CBA two years ago providing market research and business development advice. Adam Zhang, Zports associate director, said that ZenithOptimedia's changing focus from media to communications enabled it to provide the CBA with a range of services such as strategy research, communication channel planning and brand evaluation, while Zports supplied specialist sports knowledge. "We have plenty of skills and experience in the sports marketing field, which is very different to media planning or buying," he said. The CBA will intially focus on promoting itself through events marketing and media relations, though it will be increasing the money it spends on marketing.

by | 10/08/2004

Zhang said the agency would be adopting a "532 Project" as a PR strategy to support the new basketball season: maintaining five core relationships, with fans, sponsors, the media, the community and within the CBA; making three commitments, to serve fans, the sponsors and the media; and establishing two pillars of the brand image - youth and commonwealth.

The appointment is thought to be the first time an official Chinese sports organisation has engaged an external public relations advisor. The association's vice-president and chief executive of National Sports Bureau Basketball Management Center, Li Yuanwei, described the move as "another great step made by CBA League towards professionalism".

The increasingly multi-faceted nature of professional basketball in China made professional marketing and public relations services necessary, he added.

The CBA, founded in 1995, recently held a camp for prospective American players to join the Chinese League in conjunction with the US Basketball Assocation at the US Basketball Academy in Oregon.