Chinese sponsors take the lead at Olympics

However, Adam Zhang, founder of Key-Solution Sports Consulting, a sports marketing and consulting company based in Beijing, said sponsorship for the Tokyo Olympics was not as active as that for previous Games in terms of promotion and integration of online and offline activities. This was due to the constantly changing situation caused by the pandemic.

With the widespread use of mobile devices to watch the Olympics, relationships between consumers, athletes and sponsors have changed significantly, Zhang said.

"From athletes competing and spectators watching events, to audience participation and content creation, a new togetherness requires more long-term engagement and quick real-time response from sponsors," Zhang said.

Chinese beverage producers including Nongfu Spring and leading sportswear brands such as Li-Ning, Anta and Peak were among the sponsors.