Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has enlisted former England captain David Beckham as its brand ambassador to spearhead its UEFA Euro 2024 marketing campaign.
Beckham will serve as a global brand ambassador for Alibaba’s low-cost marketplace AliExpress. The deal is touted as the company’s largest endorsement to date.
Alibaba announced the partnership on Monday, as part of its promotional campaign for Euro 2024, which kicks off next month. Alibaba is also a sponsor of the tournament.
Beckham will lead Alibaba’s “Score More with AliExpress” campaign, which will feature special deals to celebrate the tournament.
The financial details of Beckham’s earnings from the deal have not been disclosed. Alibaba is widely known for its founder Jack Ma’s rapid rise and subsequent fall after conflicts with the Chinese Communist Party.
“AliExpress is helping fans get even closer to UEFA Euro 2024 this summer, by offering them great prizes as the action takes place on the pitch,” Beckham was quoted as saying.
AliExpress joins other major Chinese companies, such as electric vehicle maker BYD and electronics giant Vivo, in sponsoring the Euros.
Although Alibaba has been slower to penetrate the international market, it has recently reported strong earnings. In the January to March quarter this year, the company’s international division (AIDC) saw a 45 percent year-on-year increase in revenues.
“The strong performance was driven by growth of AIDC’s cross-border businesses, in particular growth contributed by the Choice business on AliExpress,” said the firm’s earnings report.
The Beckham endorsement deal follows a formal investigation launched by the European Commission in March against AliExpress. The investigation concerns the dissemination of illegal and harmful goods, including fake medicines and non-compliant products with EU regulations.
An AliExpress spokesperson said at the time that the company has “been working with, and will continue to work with, the relevant authorities on making sure we comply with applicable standards and will continue to ensure that we will be able to meet the requirements of the DSA.”
“AliExpress is committed to creating a safe and compliant marketplace for all consumers,” the spokesperson added.
