SPORTZ, a new study commissioned by WPP Group and conducted by Millward Brown, a leading brand, media and communications research company, showed that 68 percent of Chinese would be significantly more interested in brands that sponsor the world's biggest sporting event. That's nearly four times more than US consumers (17% percent) and five times more than European consumers (11 percent). According to Peter Walshe, global director at Millward Brown and lead researcher of the SportZ study: "This dramatic shift in awareness means that China is doing an incredible job educating the public about the Olympics. It also means that Chinese consumers don't take Olympics sponsors for granted." The study further elaborated that China is moving neck to neck with global averages on relationships with sports events. This means more sports events in China, combined with the local consumer's affinity in brands sponsoring major events, could be a winning combination for companies looking to increase profits and market share. According to Esmond K.L. Quek, Chief Executive of Hill & Knowlton China: "The data from the new SportZ survey helps our clients make informed decisions about where and when sponsorship money is best allocated in order to improve brand awareness, drive brand growth and impact on the business' bottom line."