Project instructions:
1. Background of Jeremy Shu-How Lin:
Jeremy Lin (English: Jeremy Shu-How Lin, 1988/8/23 ), was born in the United States, California Torrance. Lin is an American professional basketball team player, and now a part of NBA Los Angeles Lakers as the functional point guard. Jeremy Lin is one of a few Asian-American players in the NBA history and he is the first Taiwanese-American and Chinese-American basketball player.
2. Career development
2.1 High School Career
Lin got “the best player in Northern California B” and was named “Best five people throughout California lineup.”
2.2 College Career
Harvard and Brown were the only teams that guaranteed him a spot on their basketball teams, but Ivy League schools did not offer athletic scholarships. Thus, Lin chose to enter Harvard University.
2.3 Professional Career
2010-2011 Golden State Warriors
2011-2012 New York Knicks
2011-2011, 2012-2014 Houston Rockets
2014-present Los Angeles Lakers
3. Messages & Recommendation
3.1 Chinese Face
As the ?Chinese Face?, Lin earns great number of fans from China, which also affects on television audience rating and other relevant NBA products? sales volume. Since Lin?s becoming famous, huge number of Chinese people know his name and start to pay attention to NBA, though they are not basketball fans. It is obvious that Chinese fans feel proud of this Chinese face NBA player.
Recommendation:
With current situation, Lin should follow the trend closely, and because of the internal advantage, it is not hard for Lin to win more fans from China.
a. Do not over mention Taiwanese than Chinese. Lin?s families are from Taiwan, though he grows up in the USA. However, the word Taiwanese? is still a sensitive word for Chinese fans. If Lin wants to maintain his fans, do not let Taiwan instead of China ever.
b. Take part in Chinese galas. For the next China spring festival in 2015, Lin shall endeavor to join the spring festival gala, which is the highest audience rate evening, so that every one will know the name Jeremy Lin after that night.
c. Keep in touch with Chinese sport media is another important work for Lin's PR group in order to build good relation with China social media to gain more positive reports and bigger layout of the newspapers.
d. Do the marketing through Chinese social platforms. Weibo as the Chinese Twitter is quite popular in China now, which has over 5 billion users, and Lin also has over 4 million followers in Weibo. Hence posting Lin's picture & new information and answering questions are good ways to connect with Chinese audience.
4.2 Successor of Yao:
As the one of greatest players in rocket's history, Yao Ming is loved by all Chinese people even not a basketball fan. However, at present, there is no basketball player can replace Yao, so Lin ought to catch the chance and fill up the position.
Recommendation:
a. To be clever as Yao. When Yao was popular and taking much advertising in China, he always stayed far away from japan?. No Japanese commercial activities, no Japanese sponsor, because Japan is also a high sensitive word in China and the relation between China and Japan is really subtle. Thus, in order to avoid the influence by two-country relation, Lin has to do the same as Yao.
b. To be a real person not only a star. Yao always did public service advertising, and Lin also can do the same as Yao, because make public notice that Lin does care about his fans life rather than their pocket.
c. Be present in the huge public service activities like Wenchuan earthquake performance. As a star, Lin shall feedback to society with practical action and support.
d. Cooperate with Yao and Jet Li, who are famous ex NBA player and movie star, to establish a foundation, because they are both international celebrities, and set up their own foundations after they come back to China as Yao Foundation and One Foundation. Besides, their networks and good relation with media surely help Lin enlarge his influence.