When it comes to China marketing, what’s new may not be what’s best
WeChat is still the safest platform for luxury brands to promote their products, and choosing the right digital influencer is key
What’s new? What’s coming next? These are the questions surrounding China marketing, whether you’re a journalist looking for a headline, or in the industry and looking for the most cutting-edge, client-wowing solution.
If you are seeking further understanding of China, media content and events can help. However, much of this just spreads the same basic messages – and my question is whether an adult really needs to be told that in China you need to “research your target audience” or “be customer-focused”. Oh, we were about to not be customer focused – thanks! I have the same confusion when I read a sentence such as “in China, you need to be digital and mobile”.
Please don’t mistake my confusion for arrogance concerning those with a superficial understanding of China (I am not labelling myself with the silly term “China expert”, but after 15 years of living here, and having been “married into the Chinese family” for a decade, I don’t understand much else). After all, China is vast, each region is unique, and changes in business and society are perhaps the most rapid on Earth.
However, the basic elements of understanding can be achieved with just 10 minutes of online reading. Numbers are massive. Luxury is huge. It’s digital. It’s mobile. Maybe less than 10 minutes is needed – and without the need to attend a panel discussion of “China experts” each reminding you to be customer-focused.
Next is the possibility of being misled by the media – which has an understandable need to focus on the new, with clickbait titles such as “Big numbers from China!” and “New apps you can’t miss!”.
While there are certain tools which allow incredible strategies for digital marketing, it doesn’t mean that an app or strategy should be employed simply because it is new, and used by ‘Millions’!
The desire and need to understand the Chinese market is the understandable point: the intriguing situation is that changes in a country of a billion people can happen more quickly than in a corporate business. However, if you are new to learning about this region, then obsession with the “new” can become infectious. If media also refer to “the new” then brands and agencies may be tempted, seduced, by whatever tactic or app is receiving the most business buzz.
