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Shanghai underwear firm gets Disney magic
By Chen Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-12-21 06:41
Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters are popular in many countries, and
China is no exception.
Now the Walt Disney Company has given permission for the Shanghai-based
underwear company Three Guns to produce and sell children's underwear featuring
some of the cartoon characters.
Three Guns opened its first Disney store last week in Shanghai's Xujiahui and
donated the first batch of underwear to the Shanghai Children's Welfare Centre.
Disney's cartoon figures are becoming increasingly popular in China thanks to
such things as DVDs, theme parks and Internet games.
"We already know Disney's great impact on Chinese children and believe this
will be a win-win collaboration," said Cao Chunxiang, vice-managing director of
Three Guns. He said Three Guns plans to open around 30 Disney Kids Underwear
Stores and retail counters throughout China by the end of 2006.
The co-operation with Three Guns is a good example of how Disney wants to
focus on and expand its business in China. Earlier this year it opened the
Disneyland theme park in Hong Kong. Recenlty, Disney relocated the regional
headquarters for Disney consumer products from Hong Kong to Shanghai.
"China has become a strategic market for the Walt Disney Company and has
recently become our 10th largest clothing market globally," said Disney's Lester
W. Lee, regional director, Asia Pacific Region. "So, we are committed to making
China one of our company's biggest growth drivers; this success is dependent
upon Disney having key local partners like Three Guns which is the leading
company in China in their sub-category of underwear garments. Three Guns will
help deliver the Disney brand promise to consumers of creativity, quality and
trust, with a bit of "Disney magic'," said Lee.
(China Daily 12/21/2005 page10)
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