Yao’s international appeal help grow our brand globally
(9) That’s saying a lot in a league where anyone under six feet five inches would be considered short. But Yao Ming (Yao is his surname) is seven feet five inches tall, a giant among giants. Just a couple of years ago, Yao left his home in China, where he played basketball for the Shanghai Sharks, to become the star center in his rookie year for the Houston Rockets. Just as quickly,
(10) Yao whose presence is hard to ignore, appeared in his first television commercial for Apple Computer, in which he promoted the firm’s new PowerBook G4 computer. (His star in the advertisement was the diminutive Verne Troyer, the actor who played Mini Me in the Austin Powers films. ) Viewers loved him.
(11) which aired during a recent Super Bowl. In that ad, Yao sparred with a petite actress playing a clerk who wouldn’t let him cash a check, saying, "Yo!" and pointing to a sign indicating no personal checks. A few months later,
(12) for which he appeared in ads along with other sports celebrities like base-ball player Derek Jeter and football. Star Peyton Manning.
(13) But Yao is different. He speaks very little English, relying heavily on a translator to help him communicate. Yet says Tom Fox, vice president of sports marketing for Gatorade, "What’s truly exciting to us is Yao’s ability to connect with American fans and transcend American culture. But Yao’s international appeal and the NBA’s international marketing strength present potential opportunities to also help grow our brand globally. "
(14) As they develop their promotional strategy, they can incorporate this strength into the overall plan. "Gatorade does have aspirations around the world, and there is application for Yao if we choose to go that way, " notes Fox.
A. But his slam dunk came in a commercial for Visa
B. Marketers view him as a global spokesperson rather than someone who reaches only the U. S. market
C. Yao signed an exclusive deal with Gatorade.
D. Yao Ming is the National Basketball Association’s tallest player
E. Being an advertising star makes him more popular in the U. S.
F. he became a U. S. media celebrity-and a sought-after advertising spokesperson
G. Hiring sports celebrities as part of a promotional campaign is nothing new
H. Many advertisers strive to invite him to be the spokesperson of their product