China: Tsingtao Brewery will spend 100 million yuan to increase Olympic Games popularity

Tsingtao Brewery Co. Ltd will spend 100 million yuan (US$12 million) to increase Olympic knowledge among ordinary people, China Daily reported on January 19.

The company, an official domestic beer sponsor of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, said the money will support people across the country taking part in sports exercises and competitions until 2008.

A nationwide trekking competition was started by Tsingtao Beer in the middle of last year, with eight regional contests. The competition, which encourages residents to take part in a 48-hour walk, has attracted thousands of participants. After the regional contests are completed in 2008, 20 people will take part in the final, trekking around China for 30 days.

In another development, Tsingtao Brewery will sponsor a road show to increase Olympic knowledge in 36 cities of China through various entertainment performances.

Tsingtao Beer will not spend a lot of money signing up superstars for brand building, but instead finance community-based sports activities, said Jin Zhiguo, chief executive officer of Tsingtao Brewery Co. Ltd.

"Our goal is to stir stronger enthusiasm for the Olympic Games through many grassroots and community activities," Jin said.

Jin noted that these activities will help spread the message that the Olympic Games is not something high above ordinary people, but instead something that belongs to and benefits everybody.

"Tsingtao Beer, a 100-year-old brand, has made great contributions to the cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world in the past century," said Wang Wei, executive vice-president and secretary-general of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

As an official sponsor of the Beijing Games, Tsingtao Brewery will also provide funds, beer products and related services to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, BOCOG, the Chinese Olympic Committee and the Chinese sports delegations.

Tsingtao is the largest beer maker in China, taking about 13 per cent of the fragmented Chinese market and operating more than 40 breweries.

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