Tony Parker, the four-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic representative of France, was named a Global Ambassador for Alibaba.com’s “Same Player, New Game” creative campaign for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 on Wednesday, July 10. Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. The Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 have Alibaba.com as its official e-commerce services partner.
As per Alibaba, the collaboration with the former point guard of the San Antonio Spurs would demonstrate to “aspiring entrepreneurs – including athletes and former athletes – how they can set up their own businesses.”
The partnership between Alibaba and Parker will be very advantageous to both as the Olympics get closer to starting on July 26. Parker has a wealth of marketing expertise. In 2009, he purchased a 20 percent share in the French basketball team ASVEL. A few years later, in 2015, he opened his own basketball academy in Lyon. In 2017, he acquired the majority of shares in Lyon Basket Féminine, which is now ASVEL Féminin.
Photo Credit: South China Morning Post
According to PR Newswire, the “Same Player, New Game” campaign reflects an idea of bringing attention to the chances that Olympians and players have to go from winning sports careers to business. As a Global Ambassador, Tony will draw attention to how simple it is for ambitious business owners, including athletes and ex-athletes, to launch their own companies, create supply chains with international buyers and sellers, and spur long-term growth on Alibaba.com.
Simona Galik Moore, a former professional in the Women’s Tennis Association, and Elias Schwärzler, an exuberant mountain biker who has held the Guinness World Record for “Fastest Bicycle Towed by a Motorcycle” since 2022, will be joining Tony in the campaign. Both sportsmen, like Tony, have gone on to succeed in careers unrelated to athletics.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to put a spotlight on the business opportunities available to former professional athletes, and how platforms like Alibaba.com can help them realize their entrepreneurial dreams,” stated Liz Wang, Global Head of Marketing at Alibaba.com.
David Beckham was appointed as the worldwide brand ambassador for Alibaba’s online shopping service last month. The signing of well-known athletes might indicate Alibaba’s intention to grow its user base outside of China.
Big sporting events may be a fantastic way for Chinese companies to grow their clientele. For instance, Temu, another Chinese retailer, witnessed an increase in brand recognition in the US of about 8% following its appearance in a Super Bowl advertisement, according to the Harris Poll.