As seems the trend in China’s youth marketing; messages tend to focus on super-fantasy elements (check out a full article on this here).
So are these ads done well? I would say yes, when we consider our target audience: teenage Chinese boys. Basketball/hiphop is popular the world over, and mixing pop culture with ancient warfare imagery / demon battles does appeal to the “fantastic” side of the imagination.
The end branding result gives LiNing an almost “supernatural” appeal does it not? Cause not only can you play basketball, but suddenly you’re also a kungfu hero capable of destroying armies of bad guys (with a basketball).
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Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett, Shanghai, China
Creative Directors: Eddie Booth, Attlee Ku, Tao Lei
Art Directors: Huang Haibo, Kevin Wu, Ocean Ye, Ricky Xu, Mellow Yu, Gordon Wang
Copywriter: Ray Lei
Illustrators: Zhang Minsheng, Lu Min
Photographer: Adam
Published: January 2009
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice. Good find. You are pretty good at finding interesting advertisements.
Amongst today’s westernized Chinese youth, it’s not uncommon for Kung Fu and 3 kingdoms to be associated with the “Hero.” But even in 2nd tier cities, many of the youth I’ve spoken to have taken kung fu classes at least for a few months, and all are too well familiar with the Kung Fu Myths.
In fact, some of the most popular video games in those same cities are those of 3 kingdoms, and of traditional chinese legends. Thus, I believe this ad should have good response in those medium sized cities.
It’d be interesting to find out the result. DO you know any way to get that info?
@marc,
Ya I agree, when I go to internet cafe’s I always see a lot of students playing Chinese games, and the WoW – you don’t really see much else – and all these have the ancient Chinese war/magic themes to them. Results for this campaign aren’t available unfortunately.
The heroic, romantic figures that prevailed during the early daze after ‘49 seemed bent on service to nation. Now, the new heroic, romantic figures seemed designed more to service the individual self. Does this transition speak to the change in attitudes among the Little Emperors?