Peak strives to reach top of US market

In November last year, Peak also announced a partnership with the Canadian NBA team Raptors in Toronto - a four-season partnership which marked the first time a professional Canadian sports team has been sponsored by a Chinese company.

"Wherever you try and sell the products, everyone wants to know who in the NBA is wearing your shoes," Su explained. Maintaining the company's relationships with these top players remains one of his major jobs in the US.

So far, Peak is reported to have spent tens of millions of dollars on its player sponsorship deals.

Kenny Carroll, the brand director of Peak Sports USA, said: "Marketing is everything to US consumers. You have to make sure US consumers know how strong your products are."

Carroll is one of 23 local employees hired by Peak in the US. Before working for the company, he had owned his own footwear store, before working for Nike for 13 years.

Having been in the industry for two decades, he knew the business and said one of the mistakes companies often make is trying to reach too many people.

"Research shows it takes a US consumer a minimum of 20 minutes to start recognizing a logo before they start to remember it.

"You have to make sure your message is consistent, otherwise consumers forget very quickly everything that you have thrown at them previously," Carroll said.

Peak produces and manufactures goods in a variety of sports, but it's the branding of its basketball products that remains paramount.

"What we want to say is: 'Hey, no matter who you are, no matter what your skill level is, when you are with Peak, you can play'," Carroll added.

To better publicize its "can play" slogan, Peak has sponsored the Drew League, a teenage basketball league based in southern Los Angeles, with the aim of encouraging local teenagers to live a healthy life, free of drugs and violence.

Peak is not the first Chinese sports brand to tackle the highly competitive US sportswear market.

In 2005, Li Ning, another major Chinese sports firm, became the NBA's first Chinese official partner.

Peak's development in the US has had various similarities to Li Ning's: both set up a separate US company, signed NBA stars, and even entered the same sports retailer, Footlocker.

In October, Li Ning signed Dwyane Tyrone Wade, a star with the Miami Heat, in a 10-year contract reported to be worth $100 million, a figure that surprised many industry insiders.

"But domestically, Li Ning has had to face a tough headwind in the apparel industry, and it's also been caught in an embarrassing position, where it has largely failed to become an international high-end brand, after attempting to deviate from its traditional medium and low-end market position," said Tan Ke, an industry analyst with Dongxing Securities Co Ltd.

Previous reports on Peak

Peak announces partnership with NBA's Toronto Raptors

Peak Sport closes 1,067 outlets

Peak Sport says order growth will stay strong

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Adidas to close only wholly-owned factory

China's sportswear brands nurse Olympics hangover

Jordan trademark infringement suit accepted