By Li Fangfang (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-28 14:48

Although it's not an official partner of the Beijing Olympic Games, Li-Ning Co Ltd, China's biggest sports brand, has its own way to celebrate the approaching event.

The company founded by Olympic gymnastics champion Li Ning hopes to use the Games to increase its pace toward the goal of becoming a top-five global brand.

Last weekend, Li-Ning officially inaugurated its flagship store on Nanjing Road, the most prosperous business district in Shanghai - a city in which it has 59 other outlets - after it opened its first flagship operation last November in Beijing.

The four-floor, 3,000-sq-m Shanghai store, the largest sports brand store in China, integrates retail displays with interactive experiences to promote Li-Ning's brand image.

"This kind of interactive store is definitely the best way for us to communicate with our customers as well as help more people experience the Olympic Games," says Zhang Zhiyong, CEO of Li-Ning.

In the interactive zone of the store personalized embroidery services are available to young consumers, while electronic games are offered for customers to take a break from their shopping.

The store also organizes events for clients to meet and have items signed by sports stars.

"It closes the distance between ordinary people and Olympic champions," says Zhang.

He declines to disclose the amount of investment in the Shanghai store, noting only that "it cost a lot indeed for us to set up such a big store in the most expensive commercial district".

In addition to a store opened four days before in Qingdao, Zhang hopes to have more city flagship stores where there are Olympic venues - including Tianjin, Shenyang, Qinhuangdao and Hong Kong - before the opening ceremonies in August.

"Just like our Beijing and Shanghai flagship stores, others will also be located on the most bustling commercial streets of the cities."

According to a research report by Harvard Business School, the rapid development of the sports market in China has pushed sports apparel makers into an unprecedented battle.

Li-Ning's rival Nike, the leading sports brand in China with a one-third market share, announced the opening of its first wholly owned flagship store in Beijing last August to mark the one-year countdown to the Games.

Its 1,200-sq-m store is on the capital city's bustling Wangfujing, the same street as Li-Ning's flagship store in Beijing.

"In the future we will launch interactive flagship stores in more cities as the model for our wholly owned retail distribution network to better serve the customers and promote our brand image," says Zhang.

"At the same time we also consider the 2008 Beijing Games as a golden opportunity," he adds.

According to Zhang, in the next five years, even wider exposure of its brand will be the focus for Li-Ning.

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