At 2:00 PM on May 22, the press conference for Banff China 2016 Outdoor Carnival and Film Tour was held at Megabox in Beijing’s Sanlitun area.
At the press conference, Banff China announced that in 2016, together with co-host Esquire China and premier partner Mercedes-Benz, it will launch a series of outdoor sports, adventure, and nature-themed film tours and events through the Banff Outdoor Carnival, including the "Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour China," "International Ocean Film Festival," "Sunshine Running Film Festival," "China Outdoor Image Project," "Hot Snow Image Festival," as well as the top-tier climbing-focused "Rock Films," using urban outdoor experiences and documentary films to promote a healthy and positive lifestyle to the public.
Representatives from Banff China Zhang Ye, Senior Marketing Director of Esquire China Tang Jie, Senior Marketing Manager of Mercedes-Benz Beijing You Ning,Market Manager of Kailas Outdoor Brand He Haixiang, Marketing Director of Sanfo Outdoor Zhang Chaohui, Chairman of the professional outdoor extreme insurance brand "Dare!" under Xiaoyusan Xu Han, CEO of CORA Outdoor Retail Association and Patagonia China Representative Zeng Weigang, Market Director of Yunhaiyao Yunnan Cuisine Chen Liuwen, Deputy Minister of Olympus Brand PR Department Li Peng, as well as Executive Editor of Outdoor Exploration He Yihong and other distinguished guests attended the press conference. Over 200 guests from the outdoor industry, professional sectors, and mainstream media came to offer their congratulations, along with several top domestic athletes and leaders from the outdoor industry.
At the press conference, Ms. Qian Haiying, founder of Banff China, who was unable to attend in person, expressed her excitement about the upcoming film tour to the audience via a video screen: “Over the past seven years since Banff (Mountain Film Festival) came to China, it has brought real stories from many corners of the world under various extreme conditions to audiences, influencing many people’s understanding of life and living. I am currently on the other side of the ocean, with my family, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new life. This year’s Banff will be the first one I have missed. I look forward to when I return, you can come up to me and tell me the beautiful story that happened to you after watching this year’s Banff.”
As the premier partner of Banff China this year, Mercedes-Benz has joined the Banff Outdoor Carnival for the first time with the GLA SUV. Mercedes-Benz has always been an advocate and supporter of sports and a healthy lifestyle, and the GLA SUV represents a “born fearless” spirit of adventure and exploration. The ultimate self-challenge of Banff mountain sports and the courage to take on nature not only align with Mercedes-Benz’s brand ethos of pursuing excellence and the best, but also complement the personality of the GLA SUV. Therefore, their collaboration is set to spark even more excitement this year.
Following last year’s partnership as co-host of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Esquire China has once again joined forces. Mr. Tang Jie, Senior Marketing Director of Esquire China, stated: “The Banff mountain sports’ ultimate pursuit and exploration of nature perfectly align with Esquire China’s brand spirit of ‘leading the trend of the times and pioneering new frontiers.’ After a year of sincere collaboration, we have built a solid foundation. Leveraging our brand resource advantages, we are confident in making this year’s activities even richer and more exciting.”
From June 10–11, the 2016 “Banff Outdoor Carnival” will grandly kick off at the Mercedes Me Sanlitun Experience Store in Beijing. Founder Tina said that the enthusiasm for the Banff Masters Lecture last year exceeded expectations, so this year more care was taken in selecting guests. Field photographer Xu Jian and Mina, founder of “Thirst Project,” are both “low-profile masters” within the outdoor circle. Xu Jian was a photographer and magazine editor for National Geographic, while Mina is one of the “50 People Who Will Shape Australia’s Future” and has promoted the establishment of international carbon trading systems. They love the outdoors, lead by example, and hope to inspire more people to appreciate the beauty of nature and find ways for humans to coexist harmoniously with it. With extremely rich expedition experience and a willingness to share, they hold great appeal for fans—whether in terms of technical ability or personal inspiration. The carnival will also host its first Outdoor High-end Entrepreneurship Forum, featuring leading figures from both inside and outside the industry, as well as representatives from venture capital institutions, who will deliver themed talks across fields such as venture investment, internet, travel, technology, and competitions.
Undoubtedly, the biggest highlight of the press conference was the unveiling of promotional videos for the Banff Mountain Film Festival, International Ocean Film Festival, Rock Films, and Sunshine Running Film Festival, as well as a nearly one-hour media preview screening. The stunning and thrilling footage in the films further convinced partners, attendees, and media of the power of premium imagery to drive China’s outdoor market.
It is reported that from June to August, the “Banff Mountain Film Festival,” “International Ocean Film Festival,” “Rock Films,” “Sunshine Running Film Festival,” and “China Outdoor Image Project” will tour through four cities—Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. The “Hot Snow Image Festival” will launch simultaneously in Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongli in October. For core audiences familiar with Banff China’s Outdoor Carnival and Film Tour, as well as new fans interested in a lifestyle focus, a full year of high-quality adventure culture journeys await.
(Written by: Banff China Photography by: Hezhong Energy)
