Digital media are reshaping consumer decision pathways, pushing brand marketing from one-way communication toward relationship management and value co-creation. Drawing on the 4I framework, this study conducts a single-case analysis of Li-Ning's digital marketing strategy in the Guochao context, using multi-source secondary data. The findings reveal a 4I synergy system built on professional product strength as the trust cornerstone, which moves users along a five-stage evolution: potential audiences → potential users → consumers → participants → co-creators. Within this path, Interestingness captures attention, Interests drive first purchases, Interaction deepens brand relationships, and Individuality steers the transition toward co-creation. We distill three theoretical propositions: (1) the 4I dimensions operate with stage-specific dominance and synergize across the user evolution stages; (2) professional product strength provides the enduring credibility foundation for Guochao cultural narratives; (3) the absence of institutionalized mass co-creation channels is the core bottleneck preventing users from moving from participation to co-creation. By linking the 4I framework to user evolution stages and embedding it in the Guochao context, this study extends the framework's explanatory power and offers practical guidance for deepening brand–user relationships at the intersection of culture and digitalization.

Zhang Caifeng, Feng Rilang. Digital Marketing Strategies of Li-Ning in the Context of Guochao: A Case Study Based on the 4I Theory. Academic Journal of Business & Management (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 4: 80-87. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJBM.2026.080411.

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