22 April was the 56th annual Earth Day. Many a brand, Chinese and global, launched its campaigns to commemorate the special occasion, as well as renew its environmental and sustainable pledge to consumers. Chinese sportswear giant Li-Ning also launched its own campaign in the form of an offline pop-up space in Chengdu between 20 and 22 April.
The outdoor pop-up, called LN Nature, was located at Taikoo Li Chengdu, near the Li-Ning shop at the mall. Under the tagline “Li-Ning Nature: Look further run further” (每一步都向前), the space was divided into four areas: “From Nature” (源于自然), “Coloured by Nature” (自然而染), “Renewed Nature” (自然新生) and “Return to Nature” (回归自然). Each area showcased a step in the brand’s product life cycle, from bio-based materials, water-saving natural dying processes, the use of recycled materials, and the afterlife of the brand’s biodegradable trainers.
Aside from the educational exhibition, the pop-up space had Earth Day-themed interactive touchpoints and DIY corners to help visitors immerse themselves in the brand’s sustainable concept. On social media, Li-Ning worked with its global ambassador, Chinese actor Xiao Zhan, to produce a quick video to visually demonstrate the materials and processes from the campaign. On Weibo, China’s Twitter equivalent, the topic “Li-Ning Global Brand Ambassador Xiao Zhan” cumulated over 360 million views.
The brand released its annual financial report for 2024 in late March, which saw its revenue grow 3.9% year-on-year (YoY) to 28.68 billion RMB (3.93 billion USD) and its gross profit margin was up 1 percentage point YoY to 49.4%. It was described by most pundits as stable. However, with its arch-rival Anta growing fast and moving into the league of Nike and Adidas, Li-Ning appears to be left behind. With the latest campaign, Li-Ning is building its brand and marketing on a more responsible platform, other than just premium and “guochao”.
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