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There is another competition being played out at the Beijing Olympics, which started Friday. Japanese makers of sporting goods see the Olympic Games as a global stage from which they can attract the attention of audiences worldwide.
Although billboard advertising is not allowed at any of the Olympic events, logos on competitors' shirts and shoes fall outside this rule. Japanese makers of sports goods have been quick to take advantage of this loophole to boost awareness of their brands.
A company official at Mizuno Corp., which has kitted out Japan's baseball team and marathon runners, said that if Japan takes home baseball gold, the company can expect a surge of sales of uniforms modeled after the national team's pinstripe uniform.
After Japan's ski jumping team won gold at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, the Mizuno ski suits the team wore became a big hit, with sales totaling 2.4 billion yen.
Soon after Mizuki Noguchi crossed the finish line to take the women's marathon gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, she kissed her Asics Corp. running shoes, and by doing so boosted public attention to the sportswear maker's shoes.
Asics marketing manager Arata Ikeda believes Noguchi's success in Beijing would again lift shoe sales at the company.
In addition to the effects on sales of individual products, Mizuno and Asics hope that the Olympics will help raise awareness of their brands overseas.
Ikeda emphasized the Olympic effect, pointing out how the Games strengthen recognition of a Japanese brand overseas more than at home.
Overseas sales account for 30 pct of Mizuno's overall sales and 60 pct of sales at Asics. The two are competing with world-class brands such as Nike, Adidas and Puma.
Before the opening of the Beijing Olympics, the Japanese public was curious to know which maker's swimsuit Japanese swimmers would wear in the competition.
Kosuke Kitajima, who won his second straight Olympic victory in the men's 100-meter breaststroke by breaking the world record on Monday, chose the high-technology LZR Racer developed by British maker Speedo, instead of Mizuno brand swimsuit he has worn in the past.
A Mizuno spokesman vows to take its revenge when the next Olympic Games open in London in 2012.
© JCN
12 Comments
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LIBERTAS
All due respects Mizuno, but I think Speedo topped you this time around.
DeepAir65
Hope they weren't banking on her because in other news she has pulled out...
USNinJapan2
LIBERTAS
Only in swimwear. Mizuno is all over the uniforms and gear of numerous national teams in a slew of different sports. Same with Asics...
northlondon
Shouldn't they be assisting their home athletes with developing sportswear technology to help them win medals, instead of wanting to gain revenge over rival manufacturers ?
northlondon
Mizuno seemed far too interested in getting the contracts to kit out Japanese teams for the Beijing Olympics, instead of developing better sportswear. Speedo did not concentrate on getting deals to kit out the British team, but developed sportswear that was far advanced than any other manufacturers.
Raja Kumar
Olympics may be said to be a great sport brand competitions also.
On the field is between Mizuno,Asics,Nike,Puma and Adidas/others. The oldest sport brand in world is adidas.
Puma brand is actually , brand adidas founder son's company.
In the water there is the competition between speedo,mizuno and others.
Athletes today can lose because of choosing obsolete gear brands.
techall
I remember when they weren't allowed to have brand names showing on their clothing or gear at all. My how thing change.
racid
Their home swimteam didn't want to wear the home products, they wore the speedos... yep Speedo won this one.
Sarge
"A Mizuno spokesman vows to take its revenge ( vows Mizuno will get revenge )
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
cleo
A Mizuno spokesman vows to take its revenge when the next Olympic Games open in London in 2012.
Sounds like they're thinking of taking out a contract on Kosuke....
Bad, bad translation. All it means is that they want to do better than Speedo in London.
USNinJapan2
rajakumar
The founders of Adidas and Puma were brothers, not father and son.
Raja Kumar
USNinJapan2- Thanks for corrections.
ADIDAS founder is ADI DASsler and PUMA by brother Rudolf dassler.
Horst dassler son of ADI founded ARENA brand.
Adidas gear first used in 1928 amsterdam olympics, where german olympic team was ranked at 2nd highest position.
Adidas also helped germany in 1936 olympics ,where germany became ranked 1st.