Olympic swimmer has won hearts worldwide, and offers a lesson in how to better engage with empowered Chinese consumers

As the 2016 Rio Olympics flame flickers out, it is now that European businesses need to reflect carefully on the Games and the implications for changes in the brand building process.

European companies continue to struggle with the changing Chinese consumer, especially with the shift in their media consumption.

The Rio Olympics, despite China's relatively disappointing overall performance, has delivered a perfect reminder of just how China's society and media environment is changing, and the need for European and global brands to adapt.

Social media and Chinese consumers - in particular, younger people - are now inseparable. Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like service in China, has more than 600 million users. But to say European brands just need to appear more on Chinese social media platforms would be a gross oversimplification.

Chinese consumers, most notably younger generations, are changing. While there is still, and probably always will be, a strong national and regional Chinese identity, it's more apparent that emotional self-expression and the need for individuality are fast emerging as distinctive features of the typical Chinese consumers.

No one exemplifies this more than Olympic medalist and now global sports personality Fu Yuanhui. It is almost impossible not to be aware of the Chinese swimmer and her quirky, vivacious, addictive personality, but to gain an idea of the global reach this incredible 20-year-old has achieved, one need look no further than social media.

Fu's followers on Sina Weibo soared from 100,000 to more than 5 million in less than a week. In addition, she did an hourlong live stream that drew a whopping 10 million viewers.

However, European brands would be foolish to simply adjust their brand building campaigns to include Sina Weibo and other Chinese social media.

It is Fu's genuine, almost spontaneously passionate personality that magnifies and magnetizes her appeal around the world.

In a live interview in Rio de Janeiro, having literally just climbed out of the pool, Fu appeared genuinely shocked when she was told she had finished third.

At once, "Brand Fu" was born with essential emotional brand values such as sincerity and excitement, the most important personality traits in Jennifer Aaker's so-called Brand Personality Construct. "Down to earth" also features heavily in that theory, and is another a key part of Fu's appeal.

European companies should take note and pounce immediately on Fu's massive potential for endorsements and brand ambassador opportunities. Market penetration and brand building in the Chinese mainland could benefit hugely from any association with her brand image.

During an interview after one race, Fu declared unashamedly that her monthly menstrual cycle had just started, which was partly to blame for her relatively poor individual performance - an incredibly frank admission, and most unexpected.

Moreover, in a follow-up interview, she was asked if on reflection she felt embarrassed about her comments, to which she replied calmly: "No, not at all. It's the truth." Down to earth and refreshingly sincere are two values that resonate greatly with Chinese consumers.

If European companies remain a little unsure and hesitant where Brand Fu is concerned, they need look no further than British cycling gold medalist Laura Trott. She, too, has won hearts worldwide. Already a double gold medal winner at the 2012 London Games, she bagged another brace in Rio de Janeiro. She has also demonstrated a quirky, down-to-earth and infectiously cheerful personality.

No further evidence of the appeal of "Brand Trott" is needed than the reported 11 million-plus viewers who tuned in to the BBC to watch her win another Olympic gold.

Both Fu and Trott's personalities have transcended sport and even entertainment. Together with the prevalence of social media, such sports stars' brand personalities are increasingly valuable brand associations.

Both appear comfortable with themselves, even when using (as they frequently do) self-deprecating humor, which almost certainly endears them to their adoring public.

Chinese mainland consumers, especially younger people, are seeking more brands that empower them to express themselves and their own increasingly individual and changeable identities. Sports stars like Fu, therefore, present an ideal opportunity for European brands to reach and resonate with this new and ever-changing Chinese consumer.

Not that Fu is the only opportunity for European brands in their quest to penetrate the mainland market. Businesses should also focus on other relatively unexpected successes at the Rio Games, which tend to capture more media coverage and carry greater consumer awareness and impact.

However, European businesses, with their eyes surely focused on Trott's antics, may well have missed Team China claiming its first Olympic gold in cycling. This news led to a huge media splash across the mainland - perfect promotional material.

Chinese cyclists Gong Jinjie and Zhong Tianshi were victorious in the women's team sprint in Rio de Janeiro. Not that victory came easily. The Chinese team fought bravely to defeat their strong Russian and German rivals.

Brand managers across Europe should now pounce. The cycling team's success is magnified massively by the fact that this is the first-ever cycling gold for China, and even more so by the fact that the team members are not at all ostentatious media tarts.

Gong and Zhong are also down to earth, and so any brand attachment could lead to a similar, highly valued product brand image. European brand management teams take note.

Overall, perhaps the volume of medals won by China in Brazil is slightly less than expected, but this should not be the news on which European businesses, keen to penetrate further into the Chinese mainland market, should focus.

Chinese consumers firmly believe they are in control of their destinies, and are far less susceptible to following the crowd. Global brands remain highly valued by Chinese consumers, but only if their image fits with this new self-belief and self-determination.

If brands are to adapt to meet the needs of this new, self-seeking Chinese consumer, their image has to be nurtured carefully, and associations with an equally new, no-nonsense celebrity such as Fu is pivotal.

Not since retired tennis star Li Na, victorious at both the French and Australian majors, has there been a Chinese sports celebrity with the natural charisma of Fu.

Brand Fu's humble public portrayal is the key to unlocking the Chinese mainland market for European brands.

Companies should brace themselves for more of the same and be prepared to move rapidly and include these new, refreshing Chinese sports celebrities in their brand building plans.

The author is a visiting professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing and a senior lecturer at Southampton University. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily European Weekly 08/26/2016 page10)