Companies going for the gold with Olympic links

More businesses are embracing the idea of sports marketing by jumping on the Olympic bandwagon to make a quick buck and enhance their brand image.

In the hopes that the Olympic rings will convince sports lovers to manifest their support through buying merchandise, local companies are releasing souvenirs to mark the Olympic Games in Athens.

President Chain Store Corp (統一超商) yesterday showcased 50 different commemorative items featuring the nation's baseball team players, which will be available in its more than 3,600 7-Eleven outlets from tomorrow through Aug. 31.

The limited-edition products range from T-shirts, caps, watches, digital cameras, baseball-shaped mugs, figurines of players, to snacks, instant noodles and drinks.

"Through our retailing channels around the nation, we hope to heat up public passion for the Games and provide more financial support to promote baseball, Taiwan's most popular sport," said Wang Wen-hsin (王文欣), director of President Chain's public affairs department.

The company's expanded network has helped it become the only retailer to secure authorization from the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association to manufacture the commorative items.

"Be it up a mountain or in the countryside, everyone will be able feel the power [of baseball] and therefore contribute something to help cultivate baseball. This is very meaningful," said Richard Lin (林宗成), secretary general of the baseball association.

Several sports fans said they couldn't wait to collect the souvenirs bearing the photos of their favorite players.

"I will buy most of the products, especially those featuring Brother Elephants' players," said David Tsao (曹之翰), a 33-year-old office employee.

While President Chain is targeting young people with its lower-priced souvenirs, the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp (台灣菸酒公司) rolled out specially designed liquors last month which costs between NT$1,800 and NT$2,300 a bottle.

Releasing three kinds of liquor -- totaling 120,000 bottles -- the nation's largest brewer said part of the sales revenues would be donated to the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association.

The Taipei Smart Card Corp (台北智慧卡票證公司) has launched a mini-sized MRT EasyCard featuring baseball players while Chunghwa Post Co (中華郵政公司) and Hua Nan Commercial Bank (華南銀行) have cooperated to mint gold and silver coins to celebrate the baseball team's appearance in Athens.

Even though 88 Taiwanese athletes are competing in 14 events, the vast majority of corporate sponsorship is going to the baseball team.

The Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee's sports marketing group said the donations made to the committee will be divided among its various sports but companies can specify which sports teams they prefer.

Since the baseball team is believed to have a good chance of winning a medal, most businesses prefer to have their name connected with the team.