ZTE kicks off Mobile World Congress activity with product launch and tie-up with Sevilla FC
Mobile devices manufacturer ZTE has kicked off its Mobile World Congress activity with the unveiling of a portable projector, plus the announcement of a sponsorship deal with Spanish footballing side Sevilla, as the China based outfit seeks to further its brand identity in Europe.
A day ahead of the official opening of Mobile World Congress, hosted in Barcelona, the smart devices manufacturer unveiled its Spro Plus, a portable smart projector running on the Android operating system, which many are comparing to a tablet, that connects to the internet either via Wi-Fi or cellular networks.
The launch comes ahead of the expected unveiling of the latest Samsung Galaxy device later this evening (21 February), kicking off a week of similar devices launches, which take place amid an expected dip in consumer demand for smartphones and tablets.
In order to position itself as strongly as possible in these toughening conditions, ZTE (the seventh largest smartphone manufacturer in the world according to Strategy Analytics) has struck a deal with Sevilla FC to become its official technology partner.
The deal will see ZTE’s branding on display at the Sevilla football stadium and the pair will carry out several events throughout the season to engage with the club’s fans. Apart from advertising space in the stadium, Sevilla FC fans will also receive the latest information about ZTE products and participate in exclusive sweepstakes to win smartphones, tickets or merchandising from the team.
Jacky Zhang, CEO of ZTE EMEA and APAC, said: “Sevilla FC and ZTE share the same vision and beliefs that brought us to where we are today: passion, creativity, dedication, talent, as well as imagination and beyond. We look forward to having even more sports fans become ZTE fans, to forge new legends for the mobile century.”
ZTE’s partnership with Sevilla, the current reigning UEFA Europa League Champions, forms part of a wider charm offensive on the European market that will also see ZTE engage in a “travelling roadshow across the continent where consumers can experience ZTE devices on its “Experience Bus” in cities throughout the region. In addition, ZTE plans to expand its number of stores in EMEA and APAC to 80,000 by the end of 2016.