BNN Resources Regulatory News (BNN)

1 June 2017

Successful Launch of Football Microsites in China

Key milestone in data strategy reached with successful launch of microsites for Manchester City FC, Arsenal FC and FC Barcelona in China

BNN Technology (AIM:BNN), a London-listed Chinese technology, content and services company, confirms that it has successfully launched three microsites through the Xinhua News Mobile App for Manchester City FC, Arsenal FC and FC Barcelona. The microsites offer a combination of exclusive club content and unique promotions targeted at soccer fans across China and were supported by promotional activity around our first two soccer training camps that were held earlier this month.

The microsites form part of BNN's wider data strategy, using unique content and offerings to attract users to register with the Group's sites and apps, creating a broad marketing platform based on high-quality user data. Specifically, the sites and camps are driving significant customer acquisition for the Group to utilise across all of its sales platforms, which can support new B2C channels across our product and service range. Since the launches earlier this month and promotional activity around the two camps, BNN has collected considerable and valuable consumer data from registered users of the microsites. The Board is extremely encouraged by the early results, which have significantly exceeded its targeted expectations, in terms of both the quality of the data generated and the quantity of customer acquisition.

The training camps in May achieved widespread media coverage in China across print, television, internet TV and other online channels. Eight further camps in June, relating to Manchester City and Arsenal, followed by two Barcelona camps in July and continued promotional activity around these initiatives, give the Board confidence that user numbers will continue to grow and deliver deep, segmented data on Chinese football fans, which will be highly valuable in supporting our sales platforms.

These campaigns have successfully raised awareness and delivered a significant user base of consumers over 18 years old that we believe will expand as new content is featured in the coming months. This project allows us to promote to an expanded and better targeted audience our complete suite of products and services, and those of our partners, from mobile top-ups, higher margin mobile bandwidth, utility payments, soon to be launched (by end June) petrol card top ups and our motorist services platform.

Whilst user numbers remain confidential for the time being, we hope to be able to report specific metrics in future. Nonetheless, although we are only a few weeks into the project, the volumes have markedly exceeded initial expectations and the quality of data collected leaves the Board extremely encouraged about the prospects for our platforms to leverage this data to attract significant advertising revenues in 2017 and beyond.

Darren Mercer, Chief Executive of BNN Technology, said:

"As our services continue to roll out across China, the acquisition and retention of users is vital. We believe this launch demonstrates that our unique football content gives us a leading edge in this regard. The impressive initial results delivered over the last few weeks have, the Board believes, already established one of the largest football-related databases in China. As a result we are very hopeful that the opportunities to promote products and payment services to this user group, based on the data being acquired, should drive revenue generation in the latter half of 2017 and beyond."

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About the Group

BNN Technology plc is a Chinese technology, content and services company that builds long-term partnerships to deliver China's citizens with value-added services, content and evolving opportunities. 

Listed on AIM since 2014, the Group principally engages in providing technology to partners to facilitate fulfilment of payments online and on mobile apps through partnerships or affiliate agreements with corporate and key government partners, and developing digital content, both online and mobile. Through NewNet and its partnership with Xinhuatong, BNN facilitates mobile payments, through its technology platform, on the Xinhua News mobile app in 12 provinces in China. The Chinese consumer shift to 'life on mobile' is only just beginning and BNN's platform technology enables urban and rural communities across China to access exclusive content and pay for more services online. 

The Group employs nearly 300 professionals throughout China.