Italian sports brand LOTTO first pair of lace-free soccer shoes

At the close of the 2006 World Cup, the football boom started again. However, many fans have seen very creative and technology-free shoes without laces? Recently, such products have been launched by the famous Italian sporting goods company Lotto. In addition, Lotto China Ltd, a joint venture between Lotto Sport Italia and Shinwa International Group, announced the official launch of the joint venture. Lotto China Ltd was established in Hong Kong in July 2005 and is dedicated to the development and development of businesses in China.

It is learnt that the joint venture company will set up branch offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Nanjing respectively to provide professional sporting goods and leisure products that are designed by Italy and equipped with superb technology that are completely unmatched in China and Hong Kong. In mainland China, Lotto is planning to distribute products to counters of self-operated stores and department stores. In China, Lotto products include not only the special lifestyle created by the close relationship between Lotto and sports, but also a special edition dedicated to the Chinese market, including global products. In Hong Kong, China, Lotto’s marketing strategy includes opening flagship stores in the second half of 2006 and distributing products to independent sporting goods stores as well as tennis and football supply stores. The products sold will include Lotto’s professional sporting goods and Leisure product series.

In Lotto's history, the main sponsorship project is often a successful marketing strategy, and this tradition will continue in China. Lotto has just reached a sponsorship agreement with Shenyang Jinde Football Club, one of the China Football Super League teams. From January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2008, it became a sponsor of the team. Football is the focus and expertise of Lotto. Since the end of the 2002 World Cup, the Lotto Research and Development Center has begun to continuously analyze and carefully study each game and each player's performance in the stadium, in order to further improve the function of shoes. After three years of efforts, Lotto launched an absolute global unique product for the 2006 World Cup in Germany: Zhero Gravity, the world's first pair of shoelaces without laces. It is reported that Zhero Gravity is only part of the Zhero Project. Other models include Zhero Evolution and Zhero Leggenda. Each section is equipped with unique technical performance and features to meet the different needs of players.

Andrea Tomat, president and chief executive officer of Lotto Sport Italia, said that Lotto Sport Italia believes that the Chinese market is very important for the company's global business expansion. Therefore, it decided to re-develop its marketing strategy in China through a new joint venture company. In addition to the five recently opened stores, Lotto plans to open 12 more self-operated stores and 50 dealerships in major cities in China in the first half of 2006, and to open 50 more outlet stores by the end of 2006. The goal is to obtain $15 million in sales in 2006 and increase retail sales to $100 million in 2010.

〔Background information〕

Andrea Tomat

Andrew Tomato was born in Udine, Italy in 1957 and graduated from the Department of Business Administration of Venice University in 1982. He started his career in Germany, worked for the American multinational company Eaton, and became the manager of an Italian holding company in Milan in 1985.

Lotto is a major brand in Italian sports and is a leader in football and tennis. Andrew Tomat's work at Lotto began in 1987, initially as a franchise manager, and was directly responsible for managing the franchise rights of all trademarks, and later served as a marketing manager. In his four years as a marketing manager, he witnessed the development of the Leto brand and linked Leto to the celebrities of world sports, including tennis players Beres Becker and Martina Navratilova, as well as football players Luther. Gullit.

In early 1993, Andrew Tomato became CEO and Managing Director of Stonefly SpA, a company that manufactures urban footwear under the Lotto Group. In a short period of time he successfully cited high-tech products to reorganize the brand, making Stonefly the flagship brand of the group. In July 2005, he was appointed President of Fondazione Nord-Est.