German Manager Magazine: European Football Championship 2024: This is how EM sponsor BYD wants to reach the fans003379

As Uefa introduced to football fans in January communicated in stilted words 

The fact that the Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD would replace the Volkswagen Group as mobility partner and global sponsor of the European Championship was a big blow. BYD displaces VW. Not only in the world’s most important car market, China, but also at the European Football Championship in Germany. Of all things.

One thing is clear: four weeks of the European Football Championship are a great opportunity to make your own brand better known – especially from a still modest level. For BYD it is now about becoming a household name for football fans and consumers. “We are not yet a household name,” says manufacturer circles. From “Who is Büdd?” to “BYD – you’ve heard it before” it would be a step forward.

One suggests that a mega sporting event like the European Championships can help Study by the management consultancy Horváth Hin: In October 2023, in a representative survey, only a tenth of the European customers surveyed said they would consider a BYD car their next car purchase. In the next survey in April 2024, buying interest rose to 36 percent. BYD also knows that there is still a long way to go from interest to purchase.

Avoid model cars in the middle circle

A “big bang” from the Chinese electric car attacker is therefore not expected during the European Football Championship. After the recent turbulence in the industry, BYD marketing experts may remember the football anthem “This road will not be easy” from the summer fairytale year of 2006. There is no longer any talk of “rolling over” shortly before the start of the tournament, according to the motto by Otto “Rehakles” Rehagel they rely instead on a controlled offensive. It is often said that we are “planning for the long term” on the European market.

Fanfare would be out of place: Unlike VW, BYD will probably not drive the game ball to the center circle in the opening game on Friday using a remote-controlled model car. At BYD they prefer to impress with “real” cars. Various BYD models will be presented around the games: in the stadiums, in the official fan zones and as a means of transport to bring important and less important celebrities and UEFA officials from A to B without emissions.

Around Euro 2024, the manufacturer will also advertise its electric cars with special leasing rates. BYD is still silent on specific figures, but it is to be expected that not only the duels on the pitch, but also the price wars in the electric car industry will continue from Friday. “The interest isn’t bad at all,” is what we hear from retailers. “But it is still difficult to convert interest into sales.”

Long-term plan with several building blocks

Around the game between Germany and Hungary on June 19th in Stuttgart, BYD is also inviting people to test drive the BYD Tang and BYD Seal U DM-i models. Interesting: Both models are plug-in hybrids and not purely electric cars, even if, according to the manufacturer, the combustion engines are only on board to recharge the battery if the juice runs out. Originally, these models were only intended for markets in which e-mobility does not yet play a role. Apparently BYD is now reacting to e-fatigue in Germany. People close to the manufacturer say that they are “happy” to be able to get the cars to Germany.

Despite BYD’s slow start, German competitors like VW have no reason to gloat – their own problems are too great. Even with the still very small customer base in Germany and Europe, the EM is an important step for BYD to be perceived as a car manufacturer for the masses. In addition to the EM sponsorship, BYD also plans to gradually expand the number of its sales locations. The opening of the plant in Hungary is planned for 2025. It shouldn’t stay that way: BYD now consistently speaks in the plural about “works in Europe” with which it is planning. These are all parts of a long-term strategy to one day become visible not only in the stadiums but also on the streets.

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