Bank Signs With Rockets For a Reason

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East West Bank is hoping that a basketball team can help bolster its marketing to customers abroad. But it’s not the Lakers or the Clippers that the Pasadena bank is turning to. It’s the Houston Rockets.

The bank has announced a two-year marketing partnership with the Rockets that includes in-arena advertis ing and sponsored community service projects.

East West, a Chinese American bank with locations throughout China, believes that the Houston Rockets share the same international outlook as the bank, said Emily Wang, director of marketing for East West Bank.

The Rockets have a strong following in China because they’ve signed some players from that country. Chinese center Yao Ming played with the Rockets until his retirement last year. The team also recently signed rising star Jeremy Lin, whose parents emigrated from Taiwan, after his breakout season with the New York Knicks.

Because of the team’s Chinese fans, many of its games are broadcast there. The official Rockets website also includes a Mandarin translation.

“They see the opportunity between the U.S. and China,” Wang said. “They share the vision that East West has.”

That’s not to say East West is against working with other teams. It’s had a longstanding community service partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers.

East West created the marketing partnership with the Rockets in part to advertise to its Chinese customers. The deal includes East West advertisements in the Rocket’s arena, which can be seen on TV. In addition, East West will set up a financial literacy program with the Rockets to help underserved students in the Houston area.

“We hope we can repeat the experience we’ve had with the Lakers,” Wang said. “We hope this can be a long-term partnership.”

– Natalie Jarvey

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