The matchmaker

[Photo provided to shanghai Star]

"For example, a five-star luxury hotel is a good match to sponsor a Formula 1 racing event while a fast fashion brand works better with soccer games as they have the same target consumers that share interests and lifestyles," Mazet says.

He takes a different approach to many other agencies that specialize in specific sports events and try to make different brands on their books fit together. Mazet claims that thanks to his wide network, he can match up two companies that complement each other.

Mazet claims Mandaray probably has the largest network of foreign sports properties and regional celebrities and is one of the few international sport market agencies in China working with leading brands nationwide and worldwide.

"We do not specialize in one sport in particular, which allows us in turn to recommend the best fit for sponsorship, based on brand strategy and business objectives. Our objective is to associate Chinese brands with foreign sport teams and vice-versa," Mazet says.

In order to provide a suitable celebrity or an event for a brand to work with, Mazet has developed a long list of contacts with agencies of more than 200 celebrities throughout Asia, and over 400 Western personalities in entertainment, fashion and sports.

He jokingly refers to himself as a control freak, and insists on being very hands on with the business. He does everything from the initial consultation with the clients to the final decision on which celebrity to use.

"We're doing the hidden hard work behind the event or the final showcase of the projects for the brands – we act like a star's personal stylist to help the brand shine in the spotlight," Mazet says.

Currently, Mandaray deals with more foreign than Chinese companies, which have not yet realized the importance of linking their brands with celebrities and popular events.

"We are looking forward to working with more local brands to achieve both high-quality products and high-end reputations by applying our strategy consulting framework to identify the best asset for those brand and their objectives in the near future," Mazet says.