"Toronto, Cincinnati, New York, Tokyo, Beijing, Istanbul." more ›

Rich kids in China who don't play basketball that much are incensed! Nike China has admitted to engaging in false advertising for their 2011 edition of the Nike Zoom Hyperdunk, after a consumer advocate discovered that only one Zoom Air Cushion was embedded in each shoe, rather than the double-cushion that was originally advertised. The shoes, which had been on sale since July, can be refunded for all customers with valid receipts dated before September 9th. The American version of the Hyperdunks do indeed come with the double-Zoom Air Cushion, while in China it's just the one (just like with kids, sigh). Meanwhile, the American Hyperdunks are also approximately $80 USD cheaper than the Chinese edition. more ›

The Quitness King himself is in Shanghai again as part of his Nike China 2011 tour, and will appear at the Nike Festival of Sport beginning tomorrow at Shanghai Stadium. The Knicks' pre-Carmelo franchise savior Amare Stoudemire and recent number one draft pick (and former Duke diaper dandy) Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers will also be in attendance, along with Shanghai's own sole-representative-of-athletic-anything-now-that-Yao's-retired, Liu Xiang. Event details (including info on the Georgetown Hoyas vs. Bayi Rockets game!), and a Lebron-centric video after the jump... more ›

Because nobody under 30 in China watches TV anymore, we thought we'd point you towards this new and rather aesthetically pleasing little montage of athletic behaviors from the corporate monolith good people at Nike. more ›

Talk about having your cake and eating it, too. more ›

And another huge retailer bows down to the Chinese market...this time it's Nike - they're putting out a limited edition pair of Zoom Kobe VI kicks especially for China. While the American version comes in either black-and-yellow or black-and-green, the China edition is gray-and-purple and was inspired by traditional Chinese blue and white porcelain. It also includes a number of Chinese elements such as the special lace buckle featuring Kobe Bryant's team number 24 and a Reishi mushroom to symbolize good luck and happiness. If you're hoping to grab a pair, it goes for 1299 RMB and hits store February 2nd. more ›

Goodness knows, we're subjected to enough terrible commercials here in Shanghai - so it's sweet when we find something that's actually pretty cool. This one features Olympic gold medalist and Shanghai sweetheart Liu Xiang in cartoon form, dreaming up a storm, for Nike's aw77 sports line. Found on Chinasmack's new Advertising section. more ›

We've always been big fans of Liu Xiang, even when he was starring in really silly Coke commercials, even when he ruined the dreams and hopes of a billion people with his bum leg during the Beijing Olympics. So it comes as a great relief to us that he's back on top now, after his great showing at both the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix and China's 11th National Games. more ›

For sports apparel brands, the Olympics are arguably the most important stage for marketing. So how did the sports marketers fare with the Chinese market in these Olympics? Here's a look at how things played out for Adidas, Li-Ning, Nike, Puma and Speedo. more ›

It's hard to name a global brand that has had smarter China marketing practices than Nike. The series of advertising shorts above, first posted on YouTube two years ago, features everyday Chinese who can't help but turn their day-to-day lives into athletic showcases. A flat round cracker in a university cafeteria becomes a discus; a pair of boys use a repairman's bucket as a basketball hoop; a young woman uses judo moves to take down her boyfriend and snatch a bouquet of flowers from him. The commercials have a raw look, like they could have been shot by amateurs. And they will ring true—and funny—to anyone who has spent time in China. more ›