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2014). This worked to increase awareness in participants and attendees alike, as well as
enhance the brand by creating a strong association with the games (See Exhibit 5).
Exhibit 5. Ambush marketing.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics demonstrated a clear representation of how ambush marketing
is often more aggressive and effective at reaching the consumer and creating a lasting
impression than official sponsors (Pitt, Parent, Berthon & Styen, 2010). What has been
coined as the “Li Ning Effect” shows how effective ambush marketing can be, with the Li
Ning brand incorrectly identified as the sponsor by 67.4% of participants. This effect
describes the outcome where a brand ambushes a sponsoring competitor, resulting in
higher sponsorship recognition than the official sponsor (Pitt, Parent, Berthon & Styen,
2010). This increases awareness, market penetration and minimizes financial risk due to the
lack of initial investment ambush marketers face versus the millions of dollars sponsors pay.
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