Left: The UnionPay logo appears at the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris. Right: UnionPay International lights up the Christmas tree along the Singapore River.

By partnering with big cultural names, UnionPay International, the international business arm of China UnionPay, is making efforts in the field of culture and art for its overseas brand promotion.

By partnering with big cultural names including the British Museum and the Louvre Museum, UnionPay International, the international business arm of China UnionPay, is making efforts in the field of culture and art for it overseas brand promotion.

Chinese visitors who went abroad recently will find the “UnionPay” logo, used to be frequently seen in overseas shopping centers now appears at the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris, along the banks of the Singapore River, on the souvenir guides of the British Museum and the Chinese maps at the Louvre Museum in France.

Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International, said “culture and art is a language beyond borders. The active participation of UnionPay International in the field of culture and art brings a sense of intimacy to the visiting UnionPay cardholders and promote UnionPay’s image as an international brand”.

As it becomes more influential around the globe, the “UnionPay” logo is used by many merchants overseas as a means to attract customers.

The certification authorities in Australia and VisitBritain have incorporated UnionPay card acceptance into the certification of travel agency merchants and the “Welcome China” program.

In Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Singapore, UnionPay cards have been one of the payment tools preferred by local cardholders. Recently, as the sole title sponsor, the UnionPay logo also appeared on the scene of the 2014 MAMA, the top-level music festival in Asia, interpreting the closeness of the UnionPay brand to popular culture.

To meet the demands of Chinese tourists for diversified travel experience, the “UnionPay” logo also appeared in many distinctive cultural and artistic activities overseas.

In the Christmas Lighting activity in the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris last month, dozens of UnionPay roadside flags were flown alongside the Champs Elysees Avenue, known as “the most beautiful avenue in the world”. In the “Riverside Christmas” celebration in Singapore, UnionPay International, together with the non-profit organization Singapore River One (SRO), lit up the Christmas trees along the banks of the Singapore River, illuminating the streets of Robertson Quay, Clarke Quay and Boat Quay.

UnionPay International is also cooperating with world-renowned museums to bring wonderful experiences to tourists. For example, UnionPay International is the sole sponsor of  the Chinese, English and Korean language versions of the British Museum souvenir guides. Since 2012, UnionPay International has brought its support to the Chinese information map of the Louvre.

It is the cardholders that have benefited most from the widespread presence of the UnionPay brand image. Mr Lu, an employee of a multinational company based in Shanghai, said he frequently saw the UnionPay logo at hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and scenic spots while traveling abroad and feels proud and relieved seeing it. Cardholders from Hong Kong also said they would bring along UnionPay cards for their travel to Asia-Pacific region as many merchants there are familiar with and welcome UnionPay.

From the perspective of the development track of commercial brands, the enhancement of a brand’s international influence is generally based on the development of local business and the brand recognition on the local market. In the aforesaid regions, the UnionPay card acceptance in France has covered almost all places frequently visited by tourists. For example, UnionPay cards are accepted by 50% of the merchants at the Champs Elysees business district and exclusive UnionPay card privileges are provided by many well-known brand hotels and watch stores. UnionPay cards are accepted by all ATMs and well-known merchants in the UK. Almost all ATMs and over 70% of merchants in Singapore accept UnionPay cards, covering restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and cinemas.

During the most recent 20 tourist cities and 10 resort islands promotion, UnionPay cardholders can enjoy special offers in many famous cultural attractions, including Sentosa in Singapore, Museum of Modern Art in New York and Elite Bookstore in Taiwan, as the UnionPay service network extends to cover more types of consumer places.