TCL Develops International Markets Through Golf

TCL Develops International Markets Through Golf

March 15th,2007

(15 Mar 2007) TCL Classic will be unveiled again at Yalong Bay Golf Club in Sanya, Hainan. TCL, a global leading consumer electronics enterprise, title sponsors this European event, which is also one of the most prestigious international golf events in homeland. Approaching like other international companies, TCL aims to establish a business platform by running international golf tournaments in order to develop and explore new international market opportunities.

"Golf is a fashionable, healthy and self-challenging sport event. We are proud of being the first and the only Chinese brand sponsoring a European event," said Li Dongsheng, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TCL Corporation, speaking of why TCL chose to sponsor Golf Classic. Li also says that playing golf is a process of overcoming barriers and difficulties with perseverance, the same quality with which TCL overcomes obstacles in the journey of internationalization. Although both parties strike in different arenas, they share the same dreams and self-transcending spirit.

The golf tournament attracts 156 professional golfers to claim a maiden victory, including Ryder Cup heroes, outstanding European golfers like Ian Woosnam, captain of the European team, Paul McGinley, Lee Westwood, also Liang Wenchong, currently the No.1 Chinese player in Asia. Besides the US$1 million prize, TCL announced it would give away a flat-screen LCD TV to any mainland golfer making the halfway cut.

The tournament telecast arrangement also amazed competitors: the tournament will be telecasted through more than 20 homeland channels including CCTV. The European Tours also arranges to telecast the tournament to numerous countries, covering 1 billion audiences. The tournament attracts strong players in sports and media, top-tier businessmen whom TCL targets globally and partners of suppliers of up and down streams together in the arena.

It proves the extension of TCL's influence from the golf arena to business domain, which also sustains its strategy of international development.

The betterment of sponsoring high level golf tournaments is reflected through its increasing business influence and market benefit in overseas markets. This is the fourth successful year for TCL conducting TCL Classic and the ones who are the most joyous and excited are those managers who are involved in the development of new global markets.

After TCL's big success in hitting the Vietnam market in 2002, it went with the wind and developed other Southeast Asian markets like Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand. Since it lack of branding, TCL came across great difficulties in promotion. However, the distributors started to welcome TCL business executives one day.

"Yeah, we know TCL. You are the sponsor of the Asian Tours. It's great." The executives found that TCL has become the sponsor of Classic Tournaments and sponsored the Asian Tours the same year. Many Southeast Asian distributors love playing golf. They watched the telecast of the Asian Tours and got to know TCL.

It was under such delightful circumstance that TCL broke a new ground with a golf driver. To expand its influence, TCL played a more active role in promoting the tournament telecast and assistant sponsor. In 2006, the world TV audiences enjoy live and recorded tournaments through ESPN Sport Channel, Golf Channel, Sky Sporty and CCTV-5.

The event sponsors gained US$ 70 million return through TV and other media.

Sponsoring sports events has become an important strategy for TCL brand marketing. From 1990s sponsorship of the Chinese Female Volley Ball Team to the TCL Class in 2002, and also being the title sponsor of the Chinese Female Tennis Team early this year, TCL has established an image of healthy, energetic and striking for inspiration through various sports event sponsorship.

The No.1 in Asia and a rising star, the Chinese golfer Liang Wenchong said in a golf stars gathering, "TCL fully supports the development of Chinese golf. It is generous and valuable. It offers Chinese golfers a platform to compete with top golf stars. TCL Classic 2005 was an unprecedented European Tour event as 5 mainlanders made the cut. It meant a lot to Chinese golf. I hope TCL and our young Chinese golfers will become a new rising Chinese power in the world economic stage. And I wish Chinese golfers can transcend themselves and hit a better result in this year of TCL Classic."