Chinese Consumers Have Greater Affinity With Olympic Sponsors Than Non-Sponsoring Brands

Chinese Consumers Have Greater Affinity With Olympic Sponsors Than Non-Sponsoring Brands

October 18, 2006

68% of Chinese Say the Olympics Makes Me More Interested in the Brands That Sponsor According to Latest WPP Study

    BEIJING, Oct. 18 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Beijing 2008
Olympics sponsors take note: 68% of Chinese would be
significantly more interested in brands that sponsor the
world's biggest sporting event.  That's nearly four times
more than US consumers (17%) and five times more than
European consumers (11%).  This finding emerges from
SPORTZ(TM), a new study commissioned by WPP Group and
conducted by Millward Brown, a leading brand, media and
communications research company.  More than 11,000 sports
fans in China, US, UK, France and Germany were questioned
about their interest, participation, views and impressions
about 45 sports, 50 sporting events and 60 world teams in
this year's survey. 

    While it may not be surprising that virtually all of
Chinese respondents (94%) for SportZ believe that the
Olympics unites the whole nation, how quickly that belief
is strengthening is amazing. Since the survey was last
conducted in 2004, the number saying that Olympics is
growing more popular has increased to 84% from 30%. 

    According to Peter Walshe, global director at Millward
Brown and lead researcher of the SportZ study: "This
dramatic shift in awareness means that China is doing an
incredible job educating the public about the Olympics.  It
also means that Chinese consumers don't take Olympics
sponsors for granted."

    The study further elaborated that China is moving neck
to neck with global averages on relationships with sports
events. This means more sports events in China, combined
with the local consumer's affinity in brands sponsoring
major events, could be a winning combination for companies
looking to increase profits and market share. 

    According to Esmond K.L. Quek, Chief Executive of Hill
& Knowlton China, whose company is a founding sponsor
of the SportZ survey, "The data from the new SportZ
survey helps our clients make informed decisions about
where and when sponsorship money is best allocated in order
to improve brand awareness, drive brand growth and impact on
the business' bottom line."

    Who are those Chinese consumers interested in brands
sponsoring Olympics?

    -- Tend to be more male than female (68.7% versus
67.4%)
    -- Use the internet more than once a day (67.4%)
    -- Is a regular cinema goer (65.9%)
    -- Tend to work full time (70.3%)
    -- Believe using a famous brand can improve his/her
image (69.2%)
    -- Often read advertisements in newspapers and
magazines (68.8%)
    -- Usually the first one to buy the latest technology
(68.9%)

    Other highlights from the survey

    -- Badminton, table tennis and swimming are the most
favorite sports in 
       China, thanks to strong equity amongst females. 
This is different from 
       other countries where major sports are driven by
men. 

    -- Basketball is the game most watched on TV by males,
71% of the 16-24 
       year olds are interested in Basketball, the majority
of whom actually 
       play it (62%).  FIFA World Cup and NBA Finals are
the most favorite 
       events amongst males.

    -- F1 motor racing is the most exciting sport, among
both male and female 
       respondents.  It is growing more popular but cost
too much for fans to 
       follow.

    -- Men's golf is perceived as too boring and cost too
much to follow.

    -- Few Chinese have actually been to a major sporting
event in person 
       (Chinese Premier League tops by 10%).  But more than
half Chinese say         
       they want to see the Beijing Olympics (12% very
likely and 41% quite 
       likely).  This was highest amongst the young people.
68% of 16-24 year 
       olds compared to 36% of the 55-65 year olds. 

    About SPORTZ

    SportZ is part of the BrandZ(TM) survey conducted
annually by Millward Brown for WPP operating companies such
as Hill & Knowlton and 141 Premiere. BrandZ provides
brand equity measures for more than 30,000 consumer-facing
brands and interviews 650,000 consumers globally.  SportZ
asks nearly 2000 Chinese sports fans about their interest,
participation, views and images of key sports, events and
teams.  It then fuses (through rigorous statistical
analysis) common questions that add additional, common,
statistical results from TGI's (Target Group Index)/CMMS
(China Market and Media Study) data (format least 70,000
people in China) on brand usage and media consumption.  

    About Millward Brown

    Millward Brown ( http://www.millwardbrown.com ), one of
the world's top 10 marketing research organizations, is
recognized as a leading authority on advertising, marketing
communications, media, and brand equity research. Through
the use of an integrated suite of validated research
techniques - both qualitative and quantitative -- Millward
Brown helps clients build strong brands and services. 
Millward Brown has more than 70 offices in 45 countries and
also has several specialized global practices including
Millward Brown Optimor (a global unit focused on helping
clients maximize the returns on their brand and marketing
investments), a Global Media Practice (a global media
effectiveness unit), Millward Brown Precis (a global PR
measurement practice), Dynamic Logic (an online research
firm specializing in measuring advertising and marketing
effectiveness), and KMR (provider of global Target Group
Index [TGI] the world's leading media and market profiling
tool). Millward Brown is part of Kantar, WPP's insight,
information and consultancy arm. 

    About Hill & Knowlton

    Hill & Knowlton is a leading international
communications consultancy, providing services to local,
multinational and global clients.  The firm is based in New
York with 71 offices in 40 countries, as well as an
extensive associate network.  The agency is part of WPP
Group plc (Nasdaq: WPPGY), one of the world's largest
communications services groups. About 141 Premiere 141
Premiere is the sports and entertainment marketing division
of 141Worldwide, with offices in the US, UK, Europe, the
Gulf and Asia. We believe that evidence led sponsorship
activation can help transform consumer behavior for the
benefit of brands. 

    About WPP Group

    WPP (Nasdaq: WPPGY) is one of the world's leading
communications services groups, providing national,
multinational and global clients with advertising; media
investment management; information, insight &
consultancy; public relations & public affairs;
branding & identity, healthcare and specialist
communications.  Our worldwide companies include JWT,
Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, Y&R, The Voluntarily
United Group, Grey Worldwide, Bates Asia, MindShare,
MediaCom, Mediaedge:cia, Millward Brown, Research
International, Kantar Media Research, OgilvyOne Worldwide,
Wunderman, 141 Worldwide, Hill & Knowlton, Ogilvy
Public Relations Worldwide, Burson-Marsteller, Cohn &
Wolfe, CommonHealth, Sudler & Hennessey, Ogilvy
Healthworld, Enterprise IG, Landor and Fitch among others. 
Our companies provide communications services to clients
worldwide including more than 330 of the Fortune Global
500; over one-half of the NASDAQ 100 and over 30 of the
Fortune e-50.  We work with over 330 clients in three or
more disciplines; more than 130 clients in four disciplines
and over 100 clients in six or more countries. 
Collectively, WPP employs more than 92,000 people in 2,000
offices in 106 countries. For further information, visit
http://www.wpp.com .

    For further information or additional results from the
study please contact: 

     Tzyy Wang
     Hill & Knowlton China
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Hill & Knowlton