Huawei sees China smartphone sales surge on back of promotions and patriotism
- Sales promotions from Huawei have included interest-free instalment payment plans and lotteries for its premium P30 and Mate series
When 23-year-old Chinese student Aaron Huang started his hunt for an Android replacement for his Apple iPhone in April this year, it was clear which brand was trying hardest to win him over.
Promotional campaigns by Huawei Technologies and from local retailers supporting the brand were everywhere, said Huang, adding he was influenced by domestic media coverage that portrayed the United States as unfairly targeting the Chinese tech giant in its trade war.
“I felt like I should choose Huawei,” he said.
The advertising blitz and grass roots patriotism have proven to be a potent mix, amplifying the brand’s existing broad appeal in its home market – a market it is increasingly dependent on as Washington’s ban on sales of US components and software to Huawei hammers overseas demand.
Second-quarter China smartphone shipments for Huawei surged by a nearly a third from the same period a year earlier, with its market share rocketing 10.6 percentage points to a record 38 per cent, according to research firm Canalys. Shipments for domestic rivals and Apple plummeted.