When Roger Federer (罗杰·费德勒) stepped onto the refurbished tennis courts at Shanghai’s Xuhui Youth Sports School this October, it looked like a simple celebrity appearance. In reality, it was the latest chapter in how Swiss sportswear brand On (昂跑) is taking its China brand offline and into the real-life domains of China’s growing sportswear and luxury markets.
The Xuhui project, part of On’s Thanks for Playing initiative, saw the brand and its co-entrepreneur/tennis titan Roger Federer partner with local sports authorities and veteran court engineer Liu Yunzhi to renovate a set of aging school courts. Liu, now 83, is a quiet legend in Chinese tennis, a former national athlete who has spent decades building and restoring more than 4,000 courts across the country. By spotlighting her story and inviting her back to the same school where she once trained, On reframed what could have been a standard sponsorship into a tribute to the unsung figures who literally built China’s sports foundations.
The symbolism was deliberate. Federer’s ceremonial first serve was watched by a group of young players from the Xuhui school, a local training ground for the next generation. The presence of Shanghai’s district sports bureau underlined that this was more than a marketing event: It was a civic gesture served with a healthy wallop of CSR.
Federer helps On close the attention loop in China
For Federer and On, the court refurbishment plays to the tune of multiple layers of China strategy. It roots the brand’s culture of community and fitness in an unmistakably local story. On’s China expansion has so far been defined by its mix of premium retail and grassroots activation. They’ve both opened their first mainland flagship store in Chengdu this year and have taken to producing Chinese-language running guides and community events across the country. The Xuhui renovation extends that narrative from running to tennis, positioning the brand not only as a lifestyle label but as an enabler of physical culture.
Secondly, it turns some very powerful corporate social responsibility into content with emotional weight. Rather than a one-off donation or fix up, On embedded a local personality in Liu Yunzhi, and a specific location in the Xuhui youth school into the storytelling.
The brand later partnered with Chinese podcasts to discuss the ‘hidden heroes’ behind the country’s tennis boom, drawing digital audiences into the human side of sport infrastructure. That content loop, from offline action to online storytelling, is a great example of the power of offline to online activation. And it doesn’t stop there.
Also important is that the court refurbishment stunt extends the Federer association beyond glamour. In China, where western sports icons often function as fleeting campaign faces, On’s use of Federer as co-creator carries more credibility. He is not merely endorsing the brand but embodying its social-sport ambition. He lends both star power and sincerity. His visit to On’s IAPM Mall store in Shanghai later that week bridged the community activation back into retail, creating a seamless circle of publicity, purpose and product.
On the power of memory
What makes this moment significant is its grounding. China’s young consumers are increasingly drifting away from imported brands that were all the rage in the previous generation. Because of this, foreign brands need to do more to stand out. On’s intervention is quiet. It only affects one district of a very big country. But importantly it’s tangible: a set of courts that will be played on, maintained, and remembered by people who live there.
By investing in memory, not just influence, On shows how foreign brands can build resonance in China’s crowded sportswear landscape. Its model shows that offline marketing isn’t just about having a physical presence, it’s about creating a memorable one. Federer’s serve in Xuhui was a fleeting symbol. The real power of On’s campaign lies in the trainer tracks and tennis ball scuffs that will stick around.
