Manchester United are expanding their plan to conquer the Chinese market, with culturally friendly merchandise including lanterns and lai-see packets in the team's colours.
The lanterns will go on sale at this year's Mid-Autumn Festival.
GOfort Enterprises, Hong Kong and Macau distributor of the team's official merchandise, said they plan to launch a range of Chinese culture-related merchandise in the coming months to make the team more appealing to its army of Chinese fans.
The change in marketing strategy comes amid strong sales of Red Devil jerseys and other related souvenirs in Hong Kong ahead of today's friendly match with Hong Kong. Sales of statuettes of forwards Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo lead the charge in sales.
'When we suggested to the team producing lanterns for the Mid-Autumn Festival, they were puzzled initially,' manager Evans Choy Wai-yuk said.
'But we explained to them our desire to make Manchester United a popular brand which is not just about football-related [products] and that lanterns belong to one of the traditional Chinese festivals which we celebrate every year.'