On December 3, the AI Era • "China Brand" Innovation and Integrated Development Forum was grandly held in Boao, Hainan. Hosted by China Advertising United Co., Ltd. and organized by Xinhua News Agency's China Brand Magazine, the forum brought together industry leaders, experts, scholars, and representatives of renowned enterprises to explore the paths of brand innovation and industrial upgrading in the AI era, marking a high-profile and profoundly significant event.
Qiao Yuanxu, founder, chairman, and CEO of Qinhuangdao JOY Billiards Group, was invited to attend. As the first entrepreneur to deliver an innovation-themed speech, he took the stage and delivered a keynote address titled "Integration and Interaction of Two Industries, Innovation Driving Development," sharing in detail JOY growth journey over more than two decades and the practical achievements of integrated innovation between industries. In his speech, Mr. Qiao reviewed the entrepreneurial path of JOY: starting from humble beginnings with roadside billiards tables to making a living, to establishing a factory and adhering to the philosophy of "building a foundation on technology," securing multiple core patents in billiard table manufacturing. Despite having strong technical expertise, JOY once faced operational difficulties due to insufficient brand recognition, only gradually overcoming these challenges after seizing industry trends and clarifying its direction. The key to achieving a true breakthrough was the decision to break through industrial boundaries-deeply integrating the manufacturing of billiard tables with the competition and performance industry, constructing an industrial closed loop of "events promoting the sport, the sport promoting the brand, and the brand driving sales."
This model has achieved two-way empowerment: on the manufacturing end, the competition arena serves as an "R&D laboratory," transforming athletes' demands for table cushion performance, flatness, and pocket acoustics into the core driving force for technological iteration, making JOY billiard tables the globally recognized "gold standard" for top-tier events. On the competition end, event IPs such as the World Heyball Masters are created, with high-standard operations and multi-channel communication deeply linking the brand with "peak competition." This approach not only generates stable and growing market demand but also enhances brand image, forming a symbiotic ecosystem where the hard power of manufacturing and the soft appeal of events drive each other like "dual flywheels." What makes us even prouder is that this exploration has also propelled Heyball to achieve leapfrog development: from a marginalized niche sport on the brink of obscurity, it has grown into a nationwide sensation, officially recognized by the World Pool Association, and successfully integrated into the global billiards family. Currently, Qiao's is collaborating with industry forces to fully promote its inclusion in the Olympic Games, helping this Chinese sport realize its "Olympic dream" and become a shining "sports name card" for Chinese culture going global. Mr. Qiao emphasized in conclusion that JOY exploration validates the core logic of integrated innovation: breaking through industrial boundaries, with manufacturing as the starting point of the value chain, and services rooted in manufacturing; innovation is not just about single-point technological breakthroughs but also about the reconstruction of business models and industrial ecosystems; and at the heart of all innovation is always "putting users at the center and creating value for users."
Additionally, at this forum, the Xinhua News Agency Brand Work Office, in recognition of Qiao's outstanding achievements in brand globalization, specially awarded Qiao's the "Brand Globalization Pioneer Award." This not only represents high recognition of Qiao's efforts in the Chinese eight-ball industry and its achievements in promoting brand globalization but will also further strengthen our confidence in the international market.
In the future, Qiao's will adhere to the dual-drive strategy of technological innovation and event operations. While enhancing corporate competitiveness, we will fully promote the globalization of Heyball. We look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with more enterprises, exploring the future through integrated innovation, and injecting momentum into the rise of Chinese brands.
