I'm very excited to reveal that from this week I'll be swapping London for China, basing myself at Mailman HQ in Shanghai until the end of May.
It's an important step in further aligning Seven League and Mailman and ensuring we cater for the increasingly global demands of our clients, following the announcement of Mailman's investment in Seven League in September last year.
There's no doubt about it, China is already a major player in the sports industry and the region as a whole offers huge potential to sports organisations with truly global ambitions.
Seven League and Mailman already share several clients and together are committed to forming the world's best global digital sports agency. Even since that initial announcement back in September, there has been further expansion of the Mailman Group into South East Asia.
I can't wait to meet the rest of the talented Mailman team, see first-hand their brilliant work for the world's most recognisable sports brands and immerse myself in their culture.
The digital ecosystem in China is unique and it'll be fascinating to understand more about what drives fandom, how sports organisations are succeeding and how we can help more clients unlock its potential.
I'll be at Soccerex China on the 23rd & 24th May. Shout if you know anyone going or if you think I should connect with (either in Shanghai or Hainan).
Equally, if you...
> Want to know more about WeChat (add me: fwestcombe) , TikTok/Douyin or Weibo;
> Want to know how to reach fans in rural vs urban areas;
> Want to know whether football fandom is more about players or the team;
> Want to know more about monetising audiences in the region;
... or simply want to know how Seven League and/or Mailman can help your organisation, do get in touch.
Really looking forward to sharing all those learnings with 7L clients and colleagues!
这是令人兴奋的时间，咱们中国见！