How American Skier Eileen Gu Will Cash In On Competing For China
"American Eileen Gu said she decided to compete for China to honor her mother, who was born there. It turned out to be a great financial choice, too.
After winning a gold medal in the women’s freeski big air competition at the Winter Olympics in Beijing on Tuesday, Gu can count on endorsement deals and sponsorships from both countries, U.S. marketing experts say.
“Gu is in an interesting position where she can support both American and Chinese brands because she is passionate about both,” says Cheyenne Cantor, a marketing executive at MediaLink, a UTA company, in Los Angeles. “Gu has the opportunity to highlight brands in China that may not have the popularity that other American brands have and vice versa.”
In China, skiing is not the popular sport it is in the West, and Gu is seen as a personality who can spread the word while growing a fan base that’s loyal to her and will buy the products she endorses, Cantor said. . .
[...] Gu already has plenty of affiliations with luxury brands on both sides of the Pacific. Last year, Tiffany & Co. named her as one of three new global brand ambassadors, . .In China, her endorsements include Luckin Coffee, Bank of China, Cadillac China and China Mobile. Campaign Asia estimates she has dozens of brands working with her.
> Her face has graced the covers of Elle and Vogue China. During this month’s Games, Red Bull—another sponsor—has been releasing footage of Gu in Beijing, including a new digital series called Everyday Eileen about her ascent to stardom. This week, China-based luxury brand publication Jing Daily descried Gu as “China’s hottest commodity.”
US-born Olympic freeskier Eileen Gu dodges questions about citizenship after winning gold for China
China does not allow dual citizenship, meaning Gu would have had to give up her U.S. citizenship
The 18-year-old Olympian, born in San Francisco, was asked several times by reporters during a press conference if she had relinquished her U.S. citizenship to compete for China. Her response, each time, avoided a direct answer. . "
Ricardo Fort, who managed Olympic sponsorships for Coca-Cola and Visa during past Games, said he’d be surprised if Gu’s decision to ski for the Chinese team in the Olympics was a commercial one rather than simply sentimental. However, the decision was smart financially and can only expand her appeal in the world’s most populous country.
“If I had to choose between Chinese sponsors and American sponsors, the pool of money for endorsements in China is more interesting for any athlete,” said Fort, who’s the founder of Sport by Fort Consulting. “I don’t know if that was a motivation, but I think she’ll benefit exclusively from brands from China and not much more from Western brands.”
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