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November 7, 2015

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Home » Business » Autotalk Special

BMW shares JOY of marathon as lifestyle

By Anna Lu | November 7, 2015, Saturday | Print Edition

WITH the 2015 Shanghai International Marathon ready to start tomorrow, 35,000 participants are gearing up to run and create their miracle along with BMW — the honorary sponsor of this most important annual sports event in the city for a third consecutive time.

The BMW i3, a born electric car that leaves limited carbon footprints throughout its lifecycle, will again run as an official timekeeper and leader of this big demonstration of sustainable mobility and joyful lifestyle which BMW shares as its own set of values.

The race will progress along a scenic route in Puxi area dotted by historical and modern landmarks. Starting from Financial Square on the Bund, it will pass Shanghai Exhibition Center as a stop for the 5-kilometer health run, Fuxing Park as the 10-kilometer run finishing line, and Shanghai Stadium as the final field for half and full marathons.

More than 120,000 people signed up for the Shanghai International Marathon this year, leading to a draw of luck with 27 percent success rate for quota allocation. As a sport event, the marathon has indeed evolved from its origin as a pinnacle competition for athletes to a celebratory gathering of runners at all skill levels, especially in China where running is increasingly seen as much of a sport as of a lifestyle.

During the past three years, China’s marathon events increased from 22 to nearly 100, attracting over 1 million people. And more than 10,000 Chinese people joined this sport through BMW, which also supports international marathon events in Xiamen and Lanzhou now for a third year.

The brand’s strong commitment to this sport can be traced back to the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, where BMW’s first EV 1602 served as the lead car for its marathon competition. This special connection has been growing deeper ever since, leading to BMW’s sponsorships of eight international marathon events, 19 city competitions and various games for fun around the world.

The brand’s active presence in marathon, as well as golf, motorsport and Olympic Games, is set against the backdrop of a special sports communication strategy to spread its philosophy of innovation, dynamics and aesthetics.

In every sportsman’s unremitting pursuit of personal best, there is a reflection of BMW’s own perseverance in perfecting driving performance. A process of going beyond oneself, rediscovering oneself and creating miracles is an emotionally engaging and fulfilling journey which BMW calls JOY.

“We want to share this JOY through long-term commitment to promoting marathon as a lifestyle that is healthier, more active and more sustainable, thus bringing our brand closer to our customers,” said Karsten Engel, CEO & President of BMW Group Region China, who oversaw the brand’s sponsorship of the Shanghai International Marathon from the very start.

This year, BMW has adopted a new brand claim “Innovation Powered by JOY,” as a re-interpretation of “JOY is BMW.” Its emotionally fueled creativity is what drives the development of the BMW i3 as a pioneer of green mobility.

As a mega-city vehicle, the BMW i3 electric car is expected to lead the runners symbolically toward a revolution of urban mobility in tomorrow’s mega-event in the city, said Engel. Born electric, it bids farewell to an age when gas-guzzling big displacement engine is seen as a symbol of luxury. Instead, it boasts of the first industrialized application of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) as a cutting-edge lightweight design to cut energy consumption and emissions, a critical environmental task for metropolis with growing vehicle population.

As the latest rendering of BMW’s Next Premium, the car is given the privilege of representing BMW in the Shanghai International Marathon for a second year.

In China, running is particularly popular in the first-tier cities like Shanghai and among the 30-to-45-year-old well educated and high-income group attracted by BMW’s premium status. But the carmaker finds itself resonating strongly with running being a sport for all. Because the JOY of running is for all.

One doesn’t need to pay too much money for memberships to start practice. He simply grabs a pair of running shoes, steps out of the door and takes on a self-challenge. And it is not a sport as lonely it seems. Running is a very social experience, especially within the community of BMW.

The brand’s running club has drawn hundreds of members. And tomorrow, BMW partners, owners, staff, media friends and fans will make up a 1,600-people phalanx at the marathon. Engel, a marathon lover himself, will also be present.

A test of perseverance and also art and science of pacing, marathon reminds people of running a time-honored brand like BMW, which will celebrate its centennial birthday next year. Just as an enduring marathon runner, BMW insists running further with the passion to innovate and the ability to continue improving its incredible brand.

Autotalk Special


 

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