Astralis taps agency to help crack Chinese market

Danish esports organization Astralis has tapped an agency to help it enter the Chinese market.

The entrance: While not officially announced by the company, it confirmed the news on LinkedIn.

• Astralis has tapped Danish agency LEAF Digital to help with the task of entering China.
• The exact methods that the agency will employ were not detailed. Whether it'll be establishing a presence on domestic social platforms such as Weibo or investing deeper by competing in the nation, for example, is yet to be seen.
• LEAF Digital has an existing relationship with hummel, the clothing partner of Astralis, to help the sportswear brand crack the Chinese market. The agency's Co-founder, Niels Christian Flintholm, said that he was surprised by how well-known the Danish organization already is in China.

The rationale: If Astralis wants to make it in China, it needs specialist knowledge when it comes to the culture and its media landscape.

• While Astralis and Lead Digital haven't spoken directly about the purpose of the expansion, it's pretty simple.
• The esports industry is well-established in Asia, especially in China and Korea, and with that comes the potential for gaining plenty of eyeballs and, subsequently, money.
• If Astralis can amass hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of Chinese fans then that unlocks a whole new market for potential premium partners and sponsors. This could be pivotal for the Danish organization as it looks to close the gap between the revenue it generates and the cost of operations.