1. Introduction

With the rapid development of Internet technology, brand marketing and operation has undergone profound changes in the new media era. New media platforms such as social media, video-sharing platforms, and blogs have become essential channels of interaction between companies and consumers, dramatically changing the traditional way of brand promotion. Brands must establish a meaningful presence on these platforms to attract and keep consumers' attention. For a well-known brand like Anta, the strategy and effectiveness of utilizing new media platforms for marketing and branding operations are of significant research value. [1] The purpose of this study is to explore in depth the application and effect of new media in marketing and brand operation using the Anta brand as a case study. The specific research goals include analyzing how the Anta brand uses new media platforms to carry out marketing initiatives, including aspects like content creation and communication channel selection; looking into Anta's strategies for engaging with customers through new media to create more personal brand connections; and evaluating the success of Anta's new media marketing initiatives, including the expansion of brand recognition and amplification of its message. A diverse study strategy is suggested to thoroughly investigate Anta brand's marketing and brand operation methods in the new media era. This includes a review of the literature to substantiate the theoretical foundations by looking at the impact of new media on brand marketing and pertinent application scenarios.

2. Media Communication and Brand Marketing

The Anta brand has effectively integrated new media into its brand communication by utilizing a variety of venues, such as social media, internet advertising, and content marketing. Anta has successfully captivated the attention of its target market, which primarily consists of young people high school and college students living in China's second and third-tier cities, by creating intriguing and engaging material, such as videos, photographs, and tales, on social media. Anta, Anta Kids, FILA, FILA Kids, DESCENTE, SPRANDI, KOLON SPORT, KINGKOW, and many other sports goods brands owned by Shanghai Anta Company are now included in the brand matrix, which provides a variety of athletic goods for customers at various levels.

Table 1: Anta company's subsidiary brands and acquisition details.

With the development of new media, Anta changed its strategy for brand marketing, moving away from conventional advertising and toward more interactive and customized techniques. In the new media age, the company actively interacts with customers, pays attention to their input, and cultivates relationships. Thanks to a steadily improving market position, Anta has become a significant participant in the athletic goods business. Anta has successfully built its brand through marketing initiatives like celebrity endorsements and sponsorship of sporting events. As a result, consumers now favor Anta when shopping for sporting goods.

In 2009, Anta Group completed an important acquisition, paying Approximately RMB 332 million for the rights to the FILA trademark and franchise in China. Due to this business decision, Shanghai Anta Company received exclusive rights to the FILA trademark, operational control, and access to its distribution network in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao. At the same time, Shanghai Anta Company started actively creating, researching, and manufacturing FILA's product lines. The mid-2019 performance report first showed off the results of these efforts, showcasing outstanding outcomes following significant improvements to FILA's operations in China. In the first half of 2019, FILA's brand revenue soared to RMB 6.538 billion, an amazing growth of 79.9% year over year. [1] At the time of the acquisition, there were 770 FILA stores in Europe, America, and Asia. After the acquisition and strategic expansion efforts, the number of FILA stores had increased to about 8200 by mid-2022, showcasing a remarkable store count growth of approximately 964.94% over the years. This significant rise in FILA locations underlines the brand's successful development into new markets and geographic areas. This outstanding store count increase was primarily attributed to Shanghai Anta Company's proactive approach to developing, researching, and producing the product lines for FILA, as well as its exclusive rights and operational management. It shows how dedicated the corporation is to the brand and how FILA products are becoming increasingly well-liked and in demand in these areas. [2]

3. Anta's New Media Marketing Strategy

Anta has cleverly delved into the power of social media on several different platforms, such as the well-known Weibo, WeChat, and the captivating Jitterbug. Anta engages its audience through these platforms with captivating content, interactive contests, and open communication, forging strong customer bonds. Jitterbug, a video-sharing website, serves as a key channel for Anta to enthrall viewers with brief, engaging videos that highlight product attributes and reflect the company's ethos. Anta aggressively creates and distributes brand messages on social media sites like Weibo and WeChat, forging stronger customer bonds through interesting content, engaging contests, and open communication. The company also broadens its audience by using video-sharing websites like Jittery Voice, where it enthralls viewers with brief, engaging videos that showcase product attributes and reflect the company's ethos. However, Anta's strategy goes beyond merely disseminating content. To provide customers with a seamless, practical, and flexible shopping experience, it seamlessly integrates mobile applications, e-commerce, and online shopping. The mobile app gives customers access to quick product details, allows them to participate in exclusive events, and offers them 24/7 online buying options, improving the entire customer experience. Anta's successful foray into the new media era is built on its expertise in social media marketing, creative content creation, and the seamless blending of mobile and e-commerce. It is essential to note the connection between changes in WeChat's popularity and a brand's flexible marketing approach. Anta's 'Turbo' brand thrives on Weibo and is gaining a significant competitive advantage through celebrity endorsements and involvement in well-liked variety shows. 'Turbo' represents a specific product line within Anta's portfolio, and its success on Weibo illustrates how Anta effectively utilizes social media marketing to promote and distinguish this particular brand. Recognizing that trending subjects' popularity may change across different social media platforms is essential. Cross-referencing data from various sources, such as the Baidu Index, enables a more comprehensive insight into the real level of interest in hot topics in this dynamic new media environment. [3]

Anta is dedicated to achieving integrated brand communication online and offline, ensuring that messages are coordinated and consistent across various media platforms. Consumers may perceive the Anta brand's consistent values and image in various settings thanks to the seamless communication between online and offline channels, increasing brand recognition and influence. Anta attaches importance to the maintenance of brand reputation. Through active new media monitoring and rapid response mechanisms, it can respond and deal with crises or adverse events quickly, effectively reducing the impact of crises on the brand. In addition, actively conveying positive brand messages, high-quality services, and social responsibility also help build a positive brand image. Through integrated brand communication, user interaction and engagement, and brand reputation and crisis management, Anta has successfully operated its brand in the new media era, maintained brand consistency and vitality, and effectively managed various brand risks and challenges. Through a complex strategy that includes complete retail, store live, KOL engagement, and other traffic-attracting techniques, Anta is actively working on enhancing turnover rates, and this strategy is also being applied to the FILA brand. FILA is expanding its online presence by establishing storefronts on platforms like Tmall and Jingdong. Anta is additionally exploring avenues such as live e-commerce, social e-commerce, and leveraging private domains to attract visitors. Their strategy revolves around integrating public and private domain initiatives.

As the official sponsor of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Anta has contracts with 12 Chinese teams competing in 15 different sports. Anta substantially increased the popularity of its intellectual property (IP) by leveraging the Olympic fervor and the outstanding performances of athletes like Gu Ailing and Wu Dajing. The business gained a lot of exposure through reads, video views, clicks, engagements, and a soaring fan base on numerous social media channels. Notably, its stock price increased 11.32% during the year, defying the decreasing trend experienced by many firms with a sports theme. For the years 2021 and 2022, Anta had outstanding results. With year-over-year solid growth rates of 40.0% and 23.1%, Founder Securities predicted Anta would reach revenue milestones of RMB 49.71 billion and RMB 612.1 billion for the corresponding years. Looking ahead to 2023, the estimate shows that with a robust growth rate of 19.6%, it is expected to generate RMB 73.22 billion in sales. These outstanding accomplishments offer a strong base for Anta's continuous private domain market share growth. In 2020, the business started a thorough Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) reform and digital transformation program. [4]

4. Anta's New Media Brand Operation Strategy

Anta's strategic use of various online platforms, such as social media websites like Weibo, WeChat, and TikTok, distinguishes its approach to new media brand operation. Through strategic social media participation, including product, price, promotion, distribution, public relations, and branding, Anta has increased brand recognition, fan connection, and website traffic. [5] Consumer surveys and marketing environment assessments, which highlight the success of these tactics and the opportunities presented by favorable macroenvironmental conditions while also recognizing the difficulties posed by severe competition and product homogenization, highlight the effectiveness of these initiatives. Anta's marketing strategy's primary goals align with those of new media brand operations, emphasizing building a solid brand image, increasing brand loyalty, and growing market share. According to “c,” suggestions that perfectly complement Anta's new media approach include increasing investments in the female market, stepping up technological research, boosting social media involvement even more, and utilizing sports resources to support its online branding and advertising campaigns. [6]

Anta's integrated brand communication strategy ensures that its brand name, packaging, and advertising methods are expanded into various foreign markets, thus boosting the business's success. This method distinguishes between narrow and broad definitions of brand internationalization, with the latter emphasizing the growth of a company's brand equity and good brand image in foreign markets. [5] This all-encompassing viewpoint emphasizes the necessity of a comprehensive and integrated strategy for brand communication. The strategy of Anta is in line with debates about the elements of brand equity, stressing the significance of unified and consistent brand communication across a range of media to influence consumer perceptions and experiences across the globe. Furthermore, Anta's attention to elements like cultural differences and the country of origin effect emphasizes its dedication to flexible brand communication techniques, ultimately strengthening its attempts to develop an international brand. In conclusion, Anta's success is based on its cohesive and flexible brand communication, which aligns with the larger context of brand internationalization and global brand creation. [7]

Customers interact with these brands actively through their favorable assessments, experiences, and preferences and by asking about where to buy these brands' items on social media. This is evidenced by its switch from the less memorable "Chuang Running 3" to the more iconic "Olympic Champion" running shoes. Anta aggressively promotes user engagement and involvement in creating its brand.[7] The company readily adapts marketing strategies and product ambitions based on real-time and direct client input. Anta's use of social media platforms like Weibo, which has 1.8 million users, is an excellent example of the necessity for creative consumer interaction in the ever-evolving new media environment. This emphasizes user interaction's importance in creating brand awareness and loyalty in global marketplaces, especially in the fiercely competitive sportswear sector. [5]

Implemented over 3,500 outlets, Anta's hybrid operational approach was a key component of its shift. Retail procedures and operational standards were reduced, leading to a significant increase in total efficiency thanks to the company's successful implementation of a full Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) model. During this transformation, Anta experienced considerable organizational changes to promote cross-brand synergies, developing common platforms for supply chain, retail management, and digital operations. Even though these adjustments increased staff expenses, they highlight how crucial effective management and organizational design are for promoting quick advancements in DTC and private sector strategies. Anta's commitment to research and development, notably in crucial sectors like women's sports, kid's products, and young consumer segments, further solidifies its private domain approach. The integrated strategy's combined online and physical parts support user engagement and revenue growth. [5]

Developing a brand includes several stages, with brand equity essential for product distinctiveness based on consumer perception. Brand equity includes perception, a positive or negative experience, quality, associations, preferences, and loyalty. A strong brand identity, consisting of several aspects like a name, symbols, and packaging matched to positioning, will help a company gain recognition when entering new markets. This identity is the foundation for a brand image promoted through marketing. Entering international markets necessitates reevaluating the brand because of customer behavior, competition, and legislation variances. It's critical to strike a balance between regional branding and global branding. Anta uses a variety of strategies, demonstrating a dynamic marketing strategy by utilizing online platforms and events to improve user connection and sales. [5,8]

5. Market Response and Effectiveness from a New Media Perspective

The four main elements that make up Anta's successful e-commerce operation techniques are as follows. 4.1 Acquiring Traffic First, they thrive at acquiring traffic by utilizing their strong brand, product, and marketing resources. On social media sites like WeChat, Weibo, and TikTok, they actively interact with customers, increasing brand recognition, fan engagement, and traffic. Additionally, to draw in customers and improve brand recognition, they place a high priority on search engine optimization and make use of brief video live streaming. 4.2 Enhancing Conversion Rates Second, it is clear that they are concentrating on improving conversion. In addition to bringing in traffic, they also work to increase conversion rates and turn it into orders. This is accomplished through improved User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX), marketing initiatives, and ongoing product innovation. 4.3 Strategic Brand Marketing Thirdly, Anta places a lot of attention on brand marketing since it sees it as the basis for the growth of e-commerce. By carefully establishing brand positioning through market research and user analysis, they increase the effectiveness of their advertising through various promotional avenues and enhance their brand's reputation through sponsorships, adverts, and brand ambassadors. 4.4 Data-Driven User Operation Lastly, they take a precise and data-driven approach to user operation. Through thorough data analysis, they build comprehensive user profiles, encourage customer loyalty and repeat business through membership marketing, and improve the overall shopping experience through data-driven marketing. These four pillars make up Anta's successful e-commerce operating plan, highlighting its ability to innovate and adapt in the new media age while bolstering its position in the industry. [9]

6. Brand Marketing Trends in the New Media Environment

Brand marketing trends are rapidly changing in the dynamic world of new media, emphasizing modern media platforms like short films and live broadcasts. The digitalization and revitalization of Anta's brand is an example of how the distance between consumers and brands is closing. Traditional marketing strategies are no longer effective, needing quick changes to communication channels. Because of Anta's active participation on microblogging sites like Weibo, real-time and direct customer input has been made possible, enabling quick adjustments to marketing and product initiatives. The change from the somewhat generic "Chuang Running 3" to the more evocative "Olympic Champion" running shoes, which align with notions of professionalism and technology, illustrates this. Even the debut date was carefully selected for National Fitness Day, increasing the product's appeal and relevancy. [10]

Additionally, Anta's innovative use of Weibo, where she has 1.8 million fans and makes good use of advertising tools, highlights the value of creative consumer interaction in the constantly changing new media landscape. The collaboration between Anta and Weibo highlights both companies' versatility. Weibo has become more than just a communication tool; it now provides marketers with more thorough content-level planning. Weibo has enhanced its live streaming capabilities in response to the increasing demand for online launches, adding features like timing and reservation to improve accuracy in reaching consumers. This dynamic marketing environment demonstrates how a brand or platform model is only a short-term fix. Business plans, product plans, marketing plans, and platform tools constantly evolve. The consumer is the sole constant component. With its priceless collection of authentic consumer opinions, Weibo remains a crucial resource in this constantly shifting marketing landscape. [10]

Ongoing development and flexibility serve as identifying elements in the field of brand marketing under the new media paradigm. The emergence of new channels like short films and live streaming, together with the adaptation of changing consumer behavior and market preferences, have highlighted the need for businesses to be adaptable and creative. The quick development of new media channels offers exceptional opportunities for businesses to develop closer, more engaged relationships with their viewers. By utilizing these platforms, brands can dynamically define their storylines, connecting with modern customers on a deeper level. The evolution of user behavior and the customized content generation method highlight the critical need to put customers at the center of brand strategy. Brands can establish their presence in the new media system by responding to preferences and establishing individualized interactions. Successful brand marketing in the new media era is built on adaptation, watchful user trend tracking, and the astute integration of emerging technology.

7. Conclusion

In conclusion, Anta's voyage through the dynamic world of new media highlights the company's exceptional inventiveness and adaptability in the digital era. The study has emphasized Anta's critical competitive advantages, such as its skill in driving traffic through a strong brand identity and social media engagement, boosting conversion rates through user experience enhancements, emphasizing strategic brand marketing, and utilizing data-driven user operations. Anta's sustained growth has been facilitated by its seamless integration of online and offline channels, aggressive brand reputation management, and dedication to research and development. However, it's critical to recognize the study's limitations, namely the data cutoff date and its emphasis on Anta as a case study. We may expand our understanding of brand marketing and customer engagement in the new media era by doing longitudinal analysis, industry comparisons, in-depth consumer behavior studies, and financial assessments. Anta's journey is an insightful illustration of the changing dynamics of brand marketing and the critical importance of adaptability to survive in today's competitive digital environment.