The Canadian activewear brand Lululemon has named Zhou Guanyu as their latest brand ambassador in an announcement on January 11th.
Zhou shot to fame when he became China’s first ever formula one driver in 2021, snagging a place on Alfa Romeo’s Formula One team, ORLEN, alongside Poland’s Robert Kubica and Finland’s Valterri Bottas. Zhou’s collaboration with Lululemon marks his first with an activewear brand – to date he has already acted as China brand ambassador for Dior, Hennessy, and HSBC which all feature prominently on his Twitter profile.
The partnership also signals Lululemon’s latest bid to raise brand awareness among Chinese consumers. Lululemon experienced a boom in popularity among Chinese consumers in 2022 when yoga pants, which Lululemon is best known for, came under high demand as more and more Chinese took to at-home exercise during lockdowns.
Speaking to Jiemian News, a spokesperson for Lululemon praised Zhou’s “professionalism” and “vitality” and expressed their hope that their partnership will “encourage people to value the physical, mental and social dimensions of good health.”
Zhou echoed the brand’s core value of holistic well-being, saying “In daily life, I think it is very important to slow down and listen to your inner voice. I look forward to cooperating with Lululemon to bring you an active and positive lifestyle, and help you continuously adjust your body and mind in the face of unknowns and challenges”.
An initial promotional video for the collaboration features Zhou lifting weights and doing cardio in Lululemon clothing cut with clips of him describing his favourite Lululemon products. It will be interesting to witness whether this partnership succeeds in raising the brand’s profile in China, particularly among male consumers.
