Guide
China Is Winning a World Cup It Isn’t Playing In - TONG Global
Despite not participating in this year's World Cup, China's presence is incredibly strong. We take a look at the influence of China on the tournament, and the event's impact on China - from social media trends to consumer insights to what international brands can learn about marketing in China successfully.
This year, China has been participating in the tournament in nearly every way despite not actually playing in the World Cup.
From some of its biggest sponsors to the shirts advertising it to the Chinese referee who went viral, China, it seems, truly is in the World Cup. And, parallel with that, the World Cup is in China – adverts and trends around footballers and the sport have been taking over the country over the last couple of months.
For brands, this provides an interesting insight into China. It indicates that promotion, commercial relevance and cultural participation can sometimes be more important than having a team to root for.