A speedy catwalk

Backed by Beckham

The wagon was certainly not Jaguar's only eye-catcher.

Leading the star-studded line-up of Jaguars in Beijing's auto show in April was its first ever brand ambassador for China- David Beckham.

The former England soccer captain, who is a household name in China, was the talk of the town for the role that he took up in March.

Beckham's retirement as a professional athlete was not the end of his career, but marked a new start for his work in fashion, investment and philanthropy, including contributions to Jaguar's social responsibility work.

David Beckham represents the 'never stop achieving' spirit that the brand stands for. CHINA DAILY

As part of the Beckham-backed Jaguar China Youth Football Development Initiatives, the first Jaguar Football Public Open Day kicked off in Shanghai this month after the thrilling final of the World Cup.

About 400 guests, including around 300 local children, experienced the fun of football in friendly matches. Half the children are from schools for migrant worker's children, an underprivileged group to which Jaguar Land Rover China Children & Youth Dream Fund dedicates its help. Jaguar said Beckham was the perfect embodiment of the "never stop achieving" spirit that the brand stands for.

In a China-exclusive TV commercial released in June Beckham drives a series of Jaguar cars through time to show how the C-Type, D-Type, E-Type and F-Type have built up the brand. The commercial illustrates Jaguar through decades - a showcase of British style, elegance, craftsmanship and mix of its 80-year history with a modern flair.

Aspirational shoppers in China, who resonate well with Jaguar's image, are typically aged between 25 and 40, according to the company.

The group represents a much younger demographic than the brand's traditional fan base and they are harder to reach through the usual communication models the brand formerly relied on.

More customer engagement was Jaguar's answer to reaching out to the digital generation.

On China's popular social networking platform Wechat, the brand launched an official account called XFriday to promote British lifestyle to Jaguar XF fans through sports, travel and music.

Online relationships created with potential customers can be extended into the real world.

Based on a series of offline events, like the XFriday Football Night hosted in eight cities during the World Cup, a community of Jaguar owners and would-be buyers is in the making. This month, under Jaguar's sponsorship, pop singer and songwriter Jessie J, from the United Kingdom, hosted her first China concerts in Shanghai and Beijing.