How Do Shoe Companies Play Online Game Marketing?

　　我國網絡游戲近兩年風生水起。據統計，2009年中國大型網絡游戲用戶規模為6931萬人。龐大的網游人群，吸引了眾多企業開始牽手網游，涉水網絡游戲營銷。 

As early as in 2006, XTEP announced a high-profile cooperation with the most vigorous online game company at that time, forming a strategic partnership between dragons and dungeons OL.

But just half a year ago, when the industry was called the "new mode of marketing and marketing of domestic sports brands and online games", there was no news.

The shoe company is the earliest Internet Marketing Company in Jinjiang, and has a high popularity on the Internet.

But in the face of a super human recreational platform, they chose to refuse.

Now Lining is holding hands on "Fantasy Westward Journey" to enter the Online Games marketing.

But they have been low-key cooperation, which is not in line with their style for the two heavyweight national brands.

It is estimated that there should be lessons learned. Lining, a shoe maker, is careful to test the water online game marketing, hoping to create magical effects.

The different attitudes of shoe companies to test the online marketing of water show that online games marketing is still recognized by shoe companies.

They hope to use the high viscosity and interaction of online games to pform virtual culture into true corporate brand communication, improve product visibility, convey product information, and make game players into loyal corporate brand consumers, followers and disseminators.

But the cautious attitude of Lining and 31st degree also shows that Internet marketing has its drawbacks.

First of all, online game users are characterized by low age, low education and low income.

Statistics from the CNNIC report show that China's online game users account for 52.5% of the total number of users under the age of 22; online games users account for 77.1% of the total number of professional and academic degrees; the number of non income groups accounts for 30%, while those with income are mainly concentrated in the income range of 1001 to 2000 yuan.

When shoe companies enter a certain online game, they should consider whether their users are potential customers and whether they match the brand culture.

If shoe companies only pursue multi-user arrival and do not match their users, then they will run counter to the concept of shoe enterprises, and can not conduct deep marketing better.

Secondly, the choice of online games.

According to statistics, the most popular type of online games in China is MMORPG (multiplayer interactive role play), represented by World of Warcraft and big talk westward journey.

XTEP chose MMORPG on the choice of online games, which is understandable from its business strategy. But marketing experts believe that MMORPG is not compatible with the brand culture that shoe companies are elaborately building.

When choosing the online games, the green and healthy sports leisure online games are the preferred type of sports shoes enterprises.

Finally, the longevity of online games has also become the focus of attention of shoe companies.

According to online professionals, the life span of an online game is usually 3~5 years, which is even shorter in the Chinese market, and some even less than two years.

Such a short life makes the shoe enterprises take a lot of risks when they go online.

Experts suggest that choosing a strong online game operator can reduce the risk of brand bundling a game to a certain extent.

In short, online game marketing revenue and risk coexist.

At present, the marketing of most large-scale online games is still in the trial stage, mainly based on casual games.

Shoe companies should pay attention to the above problems when choosing online game marketing, but in addition to those, they should also pay attention to the postponed release of online games.

Shoe companies should also pay attention to product landing. Online Games marketing is not only a penetration of corporate brand culture, but the most important thing is to sell products. Therefore, how to connect online game marketing to reality, shoe companies also need to think more.