Alibaba’s global arm signs David Beckham as international e-commerce brand ambassador

BEIJING – Football star David Beckham will promote AlibabaInternational e-commerce platform AliExpress, in its largest global brand ambassador partnership to date, announced the business unit on Monday.

The deal comes against the backdrop of China-based rivals PDD companies‘ The rapid global expansion of Temu and online fashion startup Shein, with the former also advertising on the Super Bowl to gain traction with US customers.

AliExpress, which did not disclose how much it paid Beckham to be its global brand ambassador, has joined several Chinese companies sponsorship of the UEFA European Football Championship which will start in mid-June.

“AliExpress is investing millions of euros in discounts, deals and engagement during the games,” the company said in a statement, adding that planned promotions include a chance for users of the AliExpress app to win tickets to games.

“AliExpress is helping fans get even closer to UEFA EURO 2024™ this summer, offering them great prizes while the action takes place on the pitch,” Beckham said in his only statement in the press release.

Beckham’s company, DRJB Holdings, said in its latest available filing that it would earn revenues of 72.6 million pounds ($92.5 million) in 2022.

Alibaba’s international e-commerce company, which includes AliExpress, is called Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.

The international unit’s revenue rose 45% year-on-year to 27.45 billion yuan ($3.79 billion) in the first three months of 2024. That contrasts with 4% sales growth at that time from China-focused Taobao and Tmall Group to 93.22 billion yuan, according to Alibaba.

However, the international business unit reported an increase in losses to 4.1 billion yuan, compared with 2.2 billion yuan a year earlier.

Company “made aggressive investments” in the Middle East and other emerging markets in the first three months of the year, Jiang Fan, co-chairman and CEO of the international unit, said in an earnings call earlier this month.

AliExpress said it spent about $7 million in South Korea in 2022 to attract local consumers with lower product prices. Last year, AliExpress signed actor Don Lee as its first brand ambassador in South Korea.

Other China-based companies have also stepped up efforts to expand abroad as domestic growth slows.

Chinese sponsors of UEFA Euro 2024 include Alibaba-affiliated electric car company Alipay BYDbrand home appliances Hisense and smartphone company Vivo.

Hisense became the first Chinese sponsorfor the European Championship in 2016. Three other Chinese companies subsequently signed partnerships for the 2020 games.