...how did that even happen?!

In case you missed it or jumped right into this section here,
let me remind you of the timeline + milestones.

2017

With any decision you take (in life), hence also when selecting your brand's + company's sponsorship asset...

You will never make everyone happy, however you can (and should!) enable stakeholders to follow your Thinking + 'Decision Making Process'. Implies, you better have one 😜

I started working on Midea's 'Global Sponsoring Strategy' (although some stakeholders/decision makers told me not to 'waste my time on it' because all too early for the brand + I would anyway never be able to convince the senior management to invest in brand building!).

In my respective 'Global Sponsoring' section, I have elaborated how I went form 'broad to narrow' until I had clear: Manchester City is what Midea needs = what I want!

During that from 'broad to narrow' funneling comes moment you decide between Club or Player... and when the 'Opportunity' came in 2022, I was able to go back to the very same deck + showcase, how 2017 + 2019 a 'Club' was the right decision and how in 2022 a 'Player' would perfectly 'round up' the Midea brand's 'Sponsorship Portfolio':

(2018)

...I had to 'focus' my very limited resources (human + financials) on the Refresh + Rejuvenation of the acquired 🟥 TOSHIBA Home Appliance Brand. Don't be side-tracked, click + open the 'New TOSHIBA Brand Positioning' link in a new window but keep your eyes + brain on Haaland! #YesYouCan! 😇

2019

I was asked + allowed to re-visit my 2017 'Global Sponsoring Strategy' work, which I re-freshed...

We signed Manchester City...

2020

We went 'with' Manchester City 'through' the Global 🦠 Pandemic + created several award-winning activations which became successful + famous = often shared examples on 'How to best activate + maximize you sponsorship asset(s)'...

2022

In June Manchester City signed Erling Haaland with a 5-year deal.

Midea, as an 'Official Partner' of Manchester City, literally 'behind' the deal 🤪

Brando (me, myself & I) where since then literally behind Haaland, too!

Trying, as a Top Manchester City Sponsor also get a 'hand' on the Superstar...

Negotiations + Contract took months...

2023

In July 2023, Midea signed Manchester City’s superstar Erling Haaland as its 'Global Brand Ambassador'.

Haaland said, “Midea is a proud partner of Manchester City and I’ve enjoyed being part of campaigns during my time with the club so far. I’ve noticed the Midea logo across the Etihad Stadium and having learned about their size and ambitions, I am pleased to become a Global Brand Ambassador today. The first video we shot a few weeks ago was really fun and I am looking forward to working together moving forwards.”

Within just one month, right after 🏆 Champions League Title, a few days of summer break and just before leaving for Manchester City's Asia Tour through Japan + South Korea, we managed to arrange the 1st Video Shooting with Haaland.

The film’s global social media activation reached in Q3 2023 alone already 500 million fans.

Here the (my) Official Launch Video