On April 2, 2014, the promotional conference for the second China Off-Road Rally was held in Beijing, officially kicking off this event touted as China’s version of the Dakar Rally. The press conference was quite interesting — former CCTV sports anchor Sha Tong, known as the “CCTV Anchor Racer,” took on the role of host, while pool champion Pan Xiaoting crossed over as the promotional ambassador for the ‘Great Off-Road’ race. To lend legitimacy to her endorsement, the beauty even declared her ambition to become an outstanding racing driver. But after all, Pan isn’t Lin Chi-ling, so her bold words are best taken with a grain of salt.
Compared to these star-studded celebrities under the spotlight, a few attendees in the VIP stands were comparatively low-key. The key difference between them and Sha Tong and Pan Xiaoting is that the latter came to make money, while these spectators were here to burn it. Four sponsors — Aeolus Tires, CAMEL骆驼, KouSheng, and Liri Tents — sponsored the race for the second consecutive year. What’s on their minds, we may never know, but we do know that sponsorship fees for a race co-hosted by CCTV-5 don’t come cheap. We also know that continuous sponsorship takes guts — if the money doesn’t yield results, it’s the boss who’ll have your head, especially when the first edition didn’t make much of an impact.
Frankly speaking, the first China Off-Road Rally in 2013 didn’t attract much attention, just like many people have only seen Pan Xiaoting’s face but never watched her compete. The reason lies in the sport’s ‘niche’ appeal. Just look at the gridlocked traffic on Beijing’s Third Ring Road through Eighth Ring Road every afternoon after 5 PM — not even bicycles can move, let alone race cars. The Chinese dream of racing, and off-road racing in particular, exists only among a ‘niche’ crowd. So is it really worth burning money to sponsor the ‘Great Off-Road’? Are Aeolus Tires and CAMEL骆驼 visionaries or just suckers? It’s worth analyzing.
Aeolus Tires entered the passenger car tire market in 2012. Compared to other brands in this field, it’s still a new player. But Aeolus itself is an old brand — how so? Before 2012, Aeolus mainly manufactured truck and bus tires, and its brand identity had already been established. Now, moving into the passenger car segment, what strategy should it adopt? Start from scratch or build on its strengths? The author believes the latter is the way to go — truck and bus tires obviously outperform regular passenger car tires in enduring harsh conditions. Therefore, Aeolus shouldn’t follow the trend of sponsoring speed-focused circuit races, which isn’t its strong suit. If it’s going to sponsor anything, it should be China’s grueling ‘Great Off-Road.’
CAMEL骆驼, a traditional brand rooted in outdoor gear, has in recent years ventured into e-commerce. It’s one of the few brands that successfully translated its physical retail success online. During the 2013 Tmall Singles’ Day, it achieved an outstanding sales figure of 380 million yuan. While leading in sales is certainly commendable, maintaining that lead in China’s outdoor market — home to over 500 outdoor brands — and elevating its brand positioning to ‘professional outdoor’ requires constant action. CAMEL骆驼 hasn’t stopped — in early 2013, it signed racer Han Han, who had just emerged from a ghostwriting controversy. Through Han Han, it partnered with the Shanghai Volkswagen 333 Racing Team, becoming its strategic partner and official apparel sponsor. It also sponsored the prestigious Peking University Mountain Eagle Club, equipping these elite students with full CAMEL骆驼 gear for scaling snowy peaks and venturing into mountainous terrain. Plus, the ‘Camel Walker Program’ selected 80 professional outdoor enthusiasts nationwide for full-year gear sponsorship… These massive endorsement and sponsorship fees have elevated the brand, gradually forming CAMEL骆驼’s unique branding approach — to show consumers how tough your product is by putting it through extreme tests.
So what ultimately convinced CAMEL骆驼 to open its wallet again for the ‘Great Off-Road’ wasn’t more coverage from CCTV-5 or guaranteed exposure, but the race’s ‘niche’ characteristics: ultra-long-distance off-roading, significantly increased difficulty, harsher weather conditions, and higher equipment demands... All of these pose a serious challenge to CAMEL骆驼’s outdoor products, but they’re also a prime opportunity to showcase their outdoor performance. That’s why, for two consecutive races, CAMEL骆驼 opted for the ‘Official Exclusive Outdoor Gear Sponsor’ role, providing custom-made gear worth tens of millions for all racers and organizing staff.
‘Niche’ may seem to have limited influence, but it’s highly focused. Warm sunlight is very ‘mainstream,’ but people often don’t notice it shining on them. However, focus that sunlight through a magnifying glass into a tiny pinpoint, and it becomes impossible to ignore. The same logic applies to the ‘niche’ China ‘Great Off-Road.’ Though it may only impact a small group of off-road and outdoor enthusiasts, through the ‘halo effect,’ it can introduce and earn recognition for the professionalism of brands like Aeolus Tires and CAMEL骆驼 among the broader population interested in ‘light outdoor’ activities. That’s exactly what companies and brands aim for.
Marketing burns money, sponsorships burn money, and the more famous the event, the more it burns. But sometimes, pouring money into the most well-known projects isn’t the best strategy. In this era of the ‘micro,’ Aeolus and CAMEL骆驼’s ‘niche’ marketing for the Great Off-Road might just be the unexpected shortcut to success.