Last week, I received a fresh market report from China Polling about the growing popularity of the iPhone in China. Some of their results got me wondering. First, the numbers: Unsurprisingly, over 65% have heard of iPhone, and among this group, more than 85% are willing to actually buy an iPhone if it’s available here [...]
Read Full Post »
When I walked into the wedding flower shop in Tonglu, China — my husband’s hometown — I knew exactly the kind of flowers I wanted: roses, just like the roses on my wedding dress. The shop owner, however, didn’t ask us what type of flowers we wanted. Instead, she asked us how much we were [...]
Read Full Post »
When I say Chinese weddings are a topic dear to my heart, I write these words with a certain authority. As you read this, I will be putting the final touches on a ceremony to be held in Zhejiang Province early July. All the romance aside, let’s face it — weddings are big business. According [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Brands, Business-to-business, China, China and Japan, China marketing, Chinese executives, Consumer, Culture, Holidays, National day holiday, Starbucks, Workplace on May 12th, 2007
1. Open a store at the Great Wall. We could learn a lot from Starbucks on this front. Their store in the Forbidden City has generated enough negative PR to warrant high-level government discussions on closing it for good. Why? Because the move was perceived as an imperialistic invasion into one of China’s most sacred [...]
Read Full Post »
Photo: Wal-Mart in China In China, Wal-Mart is synonymous with good quality and a pleasant shopping environment. It’s a far cry from the low quality – low price image prevalent among US consumers. And Wal-Mart isn’t the only one. Holiday Inn in China is often located in brilliantly decorated downtown high rises, instead of being [...]
Read Full Post »
With the recent visit by Wen Jiabao to Japan, the press is in a frenzy about Sino-Japanese relations. After all, it’s been seven years since any top-level Chinese officials set foot in the land of the rising sun, and anti-Japanese sentiment looms large as China has historically considered Japan a rival. It was only two [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Brands, Business-to-business, China, China marketing, Consumer, Culture, Employee loyalty, Podcast, Retention, Starbucks, Strategy, Workplace on Mar 21st, 2007
Jocelyn: Good morning, this is Jocelyn, we’re at the Wu Way, this is January 29, and I’m here at the BP Building and I have the pleasure of meeting with Gary Wells, who is the Senior Managing Director for Media Relations and Global Communications for Dix & Eaton. I might add that Gary is a [...]
Read Full Post »
Back in January, I wrote about Starbucks’ unwelcome presence in the Forbidden City. Just yesterday, NPR’s Morning Edition did an interview with the man who gave the cause an extra jolt of caffeine – CCTV TV anchor Rui Chenggang. Steve Inskeep interviews Rui about the “invasion”.
Read Full Post »