Yili Group: Twin Sister of Olympic

The Chinese are obsessed with the Olympics, especially after securing the bid to host. In China, becoming an Olympic sponsor not only means gaining immense attention but also unlocking greater sales potential. In a market where products like milk, which emphasize physical health, dominate, the brand that can capture the Olympic spotlight controls both influence and sales. Yili, one of China’s top two dairy brands, was devastated to see its rival, Mengniu, become an official sponsor of the Paris Olympics. To make matters worse, even top Chinese athletes, who symbolize strength and vitality, were signed by Mengniu. Our competitor spent $3 billion to claim the title. Yili, however, doesn’t have that kind of money, but we can afford a celebrity endorsement worth a few hundred thousand dollars. Though we couldn’t afford to sponsor the Olympics, we sponsored the Olympic twins— “LUYU”. “LUYU”, a Chinese star, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Paris Olympics logo, is often dubbed China’s Oprah, having kept the same hairstyle for 30 years, When the Olympics logo was revealed, every Chinese person instantly thought, “That’s LUYU.” We made her the brand’s “Paris Ambassador” and leveraged her shows, personal social media, and live streams to spread the word. Everyone assumed LUYU was endorsing the Olympics, but in reality, Yili wasn’t an official sponsor at all. We designed an Olympic twin logo for her and made LUYU Yili’s Paris ambassador. Together with fans, we had fun playing with the logo and even took her to Paris during the Games, making waves online. A viral brainwashing campaign swept during the Olympics, and no one could escape its grasp.