It is officially the one week countdown to the Summer Olympic Games. As sponsors of the Olympics, dairy brands Mengniu and Yili have launched their marketing campaigns, utilising the most popular memes of late. The logo of the Paris Olympics resembles the face of famous Chinese host Lu Yu, which has become a widely shared meme on the internet. In response, Yili officially declared Lu Yu as the ambassador for the Paris Games. Meanwhile, Mengniu invited Chinese singer Han Hong to be its brand ambassador. Han Hong recently gained attention for advocating Chinese singers to compete against foreign artists on the show Singer 2024, aligning with Mengniu’s spirit of national pride.
Yili, the official dairy brand of the Chinese sports delegation, has embraced the meme with its campaign. The Paris 2024 logo, which incorporates the Olympic flame, gold medals, and an anthropomorphic image of France’s Marianne, sparked a huge debate online due to its resemblance to Lu Yu.
On 17 July, Yili announced Lu Yu as the ambassador for Paris Games Watching and released an advert that humorously portrays the brand ambassador in a short, captivating film. People of all ages, after seeing the Olympics logo and Lu Yu, exclaimed, ‘It’s too similar! Can’t unsee it!’ This campaign has effectively tied Yili to both the brand ambassador and the Olympics.
The Weibo topic #Yili Announces Lu Yu As The Ambassador For The Paris Olympics# gained 130 million views. Yili’s quick use of the meme to announce Lu Yu as the ambassador has promoted the spread of the competition among the public in a popular way, reinforcing the brand’s playful image and consolidating Yili’s position in Olympic marketing.
Mengniu has also made a strong impression. On 13 July, as part of its global Olympic partnership, Mengniu launched the ‘Nutrition World, Everyone’s to Be Strong’ strategy, inviting Chinese singer Han Hong as the brand ambassador. Han Hong’s first advertisement for Mengniu features the song ‘All the Way to the Flower – China’s Team to Be Strong Expedition Edition’, celebrating the spirit of strength and unity from Olympic athletes to everyday people.
Han Hong recently made headlines with her passionate declaration on the show Singer 2024, where she expressed her desire for Chinese singers to compete against foreign artists. In the public’s mind, Han Hong is closely associated with ‘Team China’. The Weibo topic #Han Hong Sings China’s Team To Be Strong For The Expedition# garnered 1.63 billion views.
Mengniu’s campaign has successfully built and stimulated people’s emotional resonance with the Olympics. As a beloved singer known for her commitment to public welfare, Han Hong perfectly represents Mengniu’s spirit of strength and resilience.
