Australian Open signs Chinese baijiu partner Luzhou Laojiao

The Grand Slam tennis event, the Australian Open (AO) has teamed up with Chinese baijiu brand, Luzhou Laojiao, in a five-year strategic partnership which commences with the 2019 Australian Open. A signing ceremony was held at the Bvlgari Hotel in Shanghai on October 9. The Chinese liquor brand becomes the exclusive Official Global Baijiu Partner of the AO, as well as the highest tier Chinese partner of the Australian Open. One of Luzhou Laojiao baijiu products, Guojiao 1573, becomes the exclusive designated baijiu of the AO. 

This is the first baijiu partner that the Australian Open has had in its history. 

The Chinese website www.gelonghui.com says that Luzhou Laojiao’s Board Chairman Mr Liu Miao disclosed after the ceremony that they had agreed a partnership in the region of USD 12m. 

Under this partnership, Luzhou Laojiao and Guojiao 1573 will have branding at the Australian Open. When players win their match, Guojiao 1573 will have a dedicated display time. One of the main courts at the AO and some event days will be named after Guojiao 1573. The brand will also have an experience booth outside the AO competition venues. 

The brand is also going to develop special baijiu products for the Australian Open, co-produce gifts for fans at the AO and organize tennis competition road shows, in order to spread Chinese culture and increase brand awareness among global AO fans. 

The brand’s aim via this partnership is to assist with its overseas expansion strategy. Over the past years, Luzhou Laojiao have been engaged in many efforts to expand its brand abroad. For example, they have organized a tour around the world to invite the world to have a taste of China and utilized the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia for this goal too. 

The two parties are said to have been in negotiations since March, 2018. 

Luzhou Laojiao is a state-owned liquor company in Luzhou city, Sichuan Province. 

Reference: Weijiu Media  

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick