China iPhone survey results are in…so is the mobile phone the new symbol of China?
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 […]
Face Shopping: the role that “mianzi consumption” plays in consumer choice in China
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 […]
Chinese weddings: the market for saying “I do” in the Middle Kingdom
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 […]
Five ways to tarnish your company’s image in China
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 […]
The appeal and illusion of foreign brands in China
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 […]
The muddled and perplexing state of Japanese brands in China
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 […]
Interview with Gary Wells of Dix & Eaton about international communications
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 […]
Cultural icons as a brand: Starbucks in the Forbidden City revisited
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”.