ATP World Tour launches Chinese-language site

Developed by EmporioAsia Leo Burnett and US agency Digitaria, the site www.atpworldtour.com.cn will feature the latest news, player information rankings and statistics for the men’s tour; it will also include blogs and BBS forums specifically for China.

In addition to site development, Burnett will be responsible for driving traffic to the destination and ultimately to the tournaments. Vincent Kobler, the agency’s managing director, explained that this would be done through a combination of social networking initiatives via Facebook, MySpace, Kaixin and Xiaonei, online promotions, viral videos featuring tennis celebrities and mobile campaigns.

Kobler said that SMS and email marketing would be employed to communicate with fans on a regular basis and to promote Li Ning and ATP clothing lines.

“One of the main objectives is to promote the game of tennis and get more fans interested in the sport,” Kobler said, adding that, competing against basketball and soccer, tennis was “up and coming but not the most popular sport right now in China”.
He added: “It’s seen as a rich man’s sport, and not that hip. Through online, we’re aiming to make tennis more fun and approachable, and cool for young people.”