During the Paris Olympics, Chinese sportswear brand Anta once again became the sponsor of the Chinese sports delegation’s medal-winning equipment, and on 25 June released the official team uniform for the gold medal ceremony, known as the “Champion Dragon”. Anta Sports also sponsors the Chinese National Swimming Team, the Chinese Gymnastics Team, and other Chinese national teams, and has signed athletes such as table tennis player Fan Zhendong and swimmer Zhang Yufei, who are strong contenders for Olympic gold medals, as its spokespersons.
On 4 August, Fan Zhendong won his event, wearing the Anta “Champion Dragon” and standing on the highest podium. The Weibo topic #Fan Zhendong is the spokesperson of Anta chosen by God# (樊振东天选安踏代言人) gained 21.43 million views, with netizens praising Anta’s extraordinary foresight. The related discussion #Anta is Too Godly# (安踏太神了) also gained 18.2 million views.
It wasn’t just Fan Zhendong who ignited interest in Anta’s prize-winning attire. Chinese table tennis players Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, wearing their red outfits, drew attention from netizens after their victory on 30 July. The official price of this uniform is 1,199 RMB (approx. 167.5 USD) much higher than the public perception of Anta products at 100 RMB (approx. 14 USD) level, but the Tmall platform shows that more than 4,000 people have added it to their purchase list.
In 2021, Anta applied to register the “Anta Champion” trademark and announced its five-year strategic goal of launching new stores in mainstream shopping districts of first- and second-tier cities, focusing on high professionalism and quality image design. This initiative has become a key aspect of Anta’s “brand elevation”. In the Champion Store, the national flag pattern on the product serves as the most recognisable logo. The more than 1,000 RMB (approx. 140 USD) price range also clearly differentiates these stores from ordinary Anta shops, leading to the joke on social platforms that “not afraid of Nike and Adidas, afraid of Anta with the national flag.”
Anta’s marketing efforts around the Paris Olympics go beyond equipment. Brand spokesperson Wang Yibo participated in the torch relay, and Anta co-branded with Heytea to release “Winner’s Slimming Bottle”. They also partnered with Xiaomi to launch the “Xiaomi Anta Champion Surge Gift Box”. Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun wore the Anta champion jacket, revealing his Anta running shoes in a vlog. It’s clear that beyond traditional Olympic marketing, Anta aims to align with the most popular individuals and brands among today’s youth.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the Chinese delegation’s medal uniforms were still branded by Adidas. Since 2009, Anta has been a partner of the Chinese Olympic Committee and has helped Chinese Olympic athletes reach the podium 293 times. This brand shift reflects the rise of domestic sports shoes and apparel brands. According to Anta’s financial report, in 2013, Anta’s sports revenue was less than 8 billion RMB (approx. 1.12 billion USD). In 2023, the company’s revenue has reached 62.36 billion RMB (approx. 8.71 billion USD).
In addition to its partnership with the Chinese Olympic Committee, Anta has been an official partner of the International Olympic Committee since 2019, with the latest contract lasting until 2027. The undeniable fact is that sports culture in Europe and the United States is more mature, and consumers there have a higher appreciation for brand spirit. Strengthening brand spirit is the next challenge for Anta.
