Mengniu to boost brand awareness with Disneyland deal
supplier to Hong Kong Disneyland, as well as the American
entertainment park's hotels.
The Chinese dairy said the contract will give it access to the international market, with a high number of foreign tourists passing through.
"The co-operation will offer international guests a chance to taste Chinese dairy products, and therefore open up more overseas markets for the firm," Yang Wenjun, president of Mengniu.
Mengniu, established in 1999, is already the world's largest UHT milk supplier and continues to see rapid annual growth. It recently reported a 50.1 per cent rise in sales during 2005 to CNY10.8 billion while net profit was up 43.7 per cent to CNY456.9 million.
The company, which has more than 20 production bases around China, has gained a reputation for innovative marketing campaigns, including the sponsorship of a popular TV song contest last year as well as backing China's first man in space in 2003.
Its new partnership with Hong Kong Disneyland will also see it sponsor some of the kiosks and food and beverage vendor carts found throughout the park, with further joint marketing initiatives to come.
Disneyland president Bill Ernest said the theme park has been actively seeking co-operation opportunities with other mainland companies. "It is always nice to have our visitors see some brands from their own region."
Hong Kong Disneyland, a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong government, opened in September last year to lukewarm demand but a high turnout during the Chinese spring festival shows that there is significant interest from mainland consumers.
The park has been reluctant to reveal actual visitor numbers however and it is not clear how many tourists in Hong Kong have been to the park since it opened.
But given that Mengniu already has a presence in Hong Kong retail outlets, it appears to be targeting international visitors to the park in a bid to increase its brand value.
