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SCMP Reporter

Lenovo Group, the mainland's largest information technology company, will end its worldwide  Olympics sponsorship after next year's Beijing Games in a move that could herald  the pursuit of other major sports-related marketing ventures.
The computer maker announced yesterday that its role as a worldwide sponsor of  the Olympic Games would end next December, four months after the closing ceremonies of the Beijing Games.
No specific reason, except  a re-thinking of its marketing initiatives, was given.
'As Lenovo grows, the company's marketing strategy is evolving to pinpoint opportunities that serve strategic needs in targeted geographies,' the company said in a statement.
It added: 'Lenovo's sponsorship of the Olympic Games in Torino and Beijing has helped the company build a global brand.' As the  worldwide computing equipment partner, Lenovo is providing the information technology backbone for the Beijing Olympic Games.
Including more than 500 technicians and  20,000 pieces of infrastructure hardware,  such as desktop and  laptop computers, servers and monitors, it is the largest hardware commitment  for any Olympic Games in history.
'Lenovo's decision should not come as a surprise,' said China Everbright Research analyst Wong Chi-man in Hong Kong. 'The company's involvement with the Olympics  is largely because  the event is being held in China.'
'As a global company, it would be better for Lenovo to switch its sponsorship to other large sporting events, to attract more [consumer] eyeballs, and widen the reach of its brand,' he added.
In August, Lenovo chairman Yang Yuanqing said in a media interview that Lenovo was keen to sponsor other major sporting events in various markets, a development that would augur well for the international launch of new consumer products early next year.
Lenovo president and chief executive William Amelio said in July that the firm's branding efforts were already 'ahead of schedule' in helping to generate new sales.
Lenovo started its worldwide Olympics sponsorship with last year's Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy. The company is also the first worldwide sponsor to design an Olympic Torch, developing one for the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay.
Yao Yingjia, executive director at the Lenovo Innovation Design Centre in Beijing, said his team would like to create more sports-themed designs for Lenovo products and was considering other sporting enterprises that the company sponsored.



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Lenovo to bow out of Olympics sponsorship after Beijing Games