At the start of the second session’s discussion, Mr. Zhong from Kailas immediately shared his experience with investing in sports events and how to analyze the returns such investments bring to a brand. After introducing the competition events organized by his company, Neo, Mr. Wang Baoshun also shared his views on brand investment. Mr. Wang Baoshun believes that the events a brand invests in should first align with the brand’s own culture and temperament. Moreover, brands shouldn’t be fickle but should instead maintain long-term cooperation with events that match their identity. Mr. Wang Baoshun thinks that brands should not view sports events merely as promotional channels but rather treat them as their own products — to be built and collaborated on for mutual success. Later, Ms. Zeng Hua from Skyleader shared that in the early days, Skyleader’s investment in sports events did not yield very obvious results. However, after sponsoring multiple events, the company gradually began to see direct shopping benefits from these sponsorships.
They also gained advice from key opinion leaders at the events regarding various aspects of the products. Ms. Zeng believes that if all you do is sponsor a product and get a news mention about the event, then it’s not worth doing. She emphasized that it’s better to engage in events where there can be high-level development and alignment with the organizers. Later, the host Cai Yingyuan asked Ms. Zeng about her “self-endorsing” approach over the past few years. The humorous Ms. Zeng said the biggest advantage of self-endorsing is “saving money,” but she added that the greater benefit is that it helps her maintain a good working state. Ms. Zeng also felt she wasn’t trying to build herself into an IP. If Ms. Zeng Hua is seen as an endorser, she doesn’t just want to be the face of Skyleader — she hopes to become an ambassador for outdoor activities in China. Through her persona as the “Outdoor Big Player,” Ms. Zeng hopes to take more outdoor enthusiasts out to explore.
The second question revolved around the relationship between sponsoring events and organizing one’s own events. Mr. Zhong not only sponsors multiple domestic sports event IPs but also, along with Kailas and Vade, has created its own event IP — Qi Chuang Tian Lu (Ride the Sky Road). The investment in Qi Chuang Tian Lu is huge and may not seem cost-effective at first glance, but Mr. Zhong believes that given his company’s resources and capabilities, building its own event IP is well worth it. However, sponsoring other events might yield immediate returns, whereas creating your own requires a long-term commitment, much like developing a product. Mr. Zhong said that Qi Chuang Tian Lu is not just an event he’s invested in — it’s also his dream. A great road deserves a great event — using a top-tier event IP to pay tribute to a great road. Ms. Zeng noted that every brand hopes to have its own event IP. Skyleader has had plans for years but hasn’t yet implemented them due to the lack of high-quality event initiatives, although the company’s outdoor club has been operating continuously.
Mr. Wang Baoshun believes that the reason so many people are willing to participate in and engage with Mr. Zhong’s events is actually quite simple: because his events offer participants challenges and aspirations. Therefore, Mr. Wang Baoshun believes the relationship between event organizers and brands is the same — the relationship should be collaborative.
The final question was about brand promotion. Mr. Zhong believes that no matter what, your perspective should never stray from the product itself. In today’s society, there are many broad channels for promotion, which is precisely why people should focus more on the product itself. Brands that rise quickly purely through hype may grow fast but could collapse even faster if the product isn’t solid enough. “You also need to show your sincerity toward the product — consumers will respond to that,” he said. But Mr. Zhong also admitted that this path is very difficult. Ms. Zeng Hua agreed with Mr. Zhong’s viewpoint, stating that only brands that put in a lot of heart and slowly cultivate their presence can survive in China’s outdoor community. At the same time, China’s outdoor circle also needs this kind of dedicated outdoor brand. Ms. Zeng concluded that customers are your best teachers. By focusing on your customers, you can not only gain promotion but also improve your products.
