Nike will launch "a pretty prominent" ad campaign in all media to coincide with the Olympic Games in Beijing this August, according to Charlie Denson, Nike's brand president. China is the second
largest country market after the US for Nike, as well as being a significant source of manufacturing for its shoes.
While Adidas has invested millions in being an official sponsor of both
the Beijing and the 2012 London Olympics, Nike has continued a strategy of sponsoring individual athletes and sports federations. In Beijing, 22 Chinese Olympic teams will be wearing Nike shoes or
uniforms in sports ranging from
wushu to wrestling. The brand is also sponsoring leading Chinese athletes, including Liu Xiang, a gold medalist hurdler at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Efforts to control marketing by non-sponsors have become part of the modern Olympics. Beijing Olympic committee marketing officials have said local media would be advised against allowing advertising
from non-Olympic sponsors.
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