More than a decade ago, electronics manufacturer Changhong Group convinced mainland consumers for the first time that 'made in China' colour televisions could be better and cheaper than foreign brands.
It rose to become the mainland's top-selling television brand using marketing tactics that capitalised on nationalism and pride in its role as the pioneer of the national television industry.
Based in Mianyang, Sichuan province, Changhong started as a military factory in and has since become a flag bearer of China's economic liberalisation.
The company has broadened its range of home appliances, communications and information technology products, in the process becoming a textbook example of how to build a successful brand on the mainland. But things have not been all roses.
Changhong has been badly hurt in its attempts to expand overseas and is facing an increasingly fickle consumer. How it resolves these problems may help other giant state-owned enterprises overcome similar challenges in an increasingly competitive market.
There is no doubt the average mainland consumer still has a soft spot for the corporate pioneer. Its response to the tragic Sichuan earthquake in May was typical of the state-owned company.
Despite serious damage to its plants and equipment which were close to the quake's epicentre, the company organised 400 volunteer employees to help rescue students buried in rubble. The volunteers also provided food and shelter to thousands of refugees and distributed free radio-enabled wireless earphones and batteries to give people access to information.