Digital marketplace AliExpress showcasing Lausanne 2020 to fans around the world
Alibaba joined the Olympic Movement as an IOC TOP Partner in 2017, announcing a long-term partnership to transform the Olympic Games for the digital era. To celebrate the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the group’s global online marketplace, AliExpress, has launched its first-ever Olympic-themed campaign and created a dedicated website for Lausanne 2020.
January marked the three-year anniversary of Alibaba’s partnership with the IOC and, to celebrate the YOG in Lausanne, AliExpress launched a two-week campaign to promote winter sports around the world, showcasing thousands of related products to spark fan engagement and spread the Olympic message.
AliExpress is used in more than 200 countries and operates in 18 different languages, giving it the potential to engage millions of fans with the YOG and promote the power of sport globally – especially to young audiences.
Engaging fans through technology
The Winter YOG have provided the perfect opportunity for Alibaba to demonstrate how its digital technologies could promote the Games to new audiences and engage fans. “We’re excited to participate in the Youth Olympic Games,” said Chris Tung, Alibaba’s Chief Marketing Officer, speaking at the campaign’s launch event in Lausanne. “We founded Alibaba because we saw the potential of technology to level the playing field for everyone, from small businesses to young people. Supporting youth with technology has been deeply rooted in our mission from day one.
“That’s why AliExpress is activating its Olympic partnership here in Lausanne and launching a global campaign to support the Youth Olympic Games.”
Timo Lumme, Managing Director of IOC Television and Marketing Services, said: “We are very pleased that Alibaba is engaging with our Youth Olympic fans through a dedicated AliExpress platform.
“Lausanne 2020 marks three years of Olympic partnership with Alibaba to promote our values and engage with fans, and we look forward to the new opportunities Alibaba is providing to consumers and fans around the world.”
Focus on the future
With many young athletes at the YOG destined to become Olympic stars, it is fitting that using technology to empower young people is at the heart of AliExpress’s mission.
The campaign is the website’s first Olympic Games-related activation, with Lausanne 2020 marking the beginning of the IOC’s and Alibaba’s joint mission to educate young athletes around the world and help them realise their dreams. Alibaba is the IOC’s official cloud services and e-commerce platform services provider through to 2028, covering the next three Summer Olympic Games, including Tokyo 2020, so the potential for fan engagement is significant.
“Today, hundreds of millions of young people are using our technology to enrich their lives,” said Tung. “Engaging with the younger generation is an important goal for Olympic Agenda 2020.
“We want the Olympic Games to be as interactive and engaging for fans and athletes as possible, especially the younger generation, and we are excited about our work with the IOC and other partners to get there.
“Together, we'll transform the Olympic Movement for the future.”