LENOVO Group Ltd, the world's third-biggest personal computer maker, signed a marketing agreement yesterday with the National Basketball Association to strengthen its international brand after acquiring International Business Machines' PC unit.

Lenovo will deploy its notebooks and desktop PCs, including Thinkpad, in all 30 NBA arenas for coaches, referees and statisticians to keep track of games and player stats.

The multiyear deal has no expiration date. The deal makes Lenovo the "Official PC Partner of the NBA," but there will be no co-branded equipment, according to a statement.

"That was another sample of 'sports promotion' and that will improve our global image," Li Lan, Lenovo's vice president said during a conference in Beijing yesterday, Sina.com reported.

It's not the first sporting foray for Lenovo. The company was a sponsor of the Winter Olympics in Torino this year. Meanwhile, Lenovo also hired soccer star Ronaldinho to promote its products.

Lenovo needs to invest more on marketing globally to lift its business, which loses money now, industry insiders said.

Lenovo's second quarter net profit was US$5 million compared with US$45.9 million a year ago. Revenue for the latest quarter jumped 38 percent to US$3.5 billion compared with the year-earlier period.

Editor: Yan