Vaping in China: Will brands target young adults or convert smokers?
Vaping has become a trend worldwide in recent years. The e-cigarettes which were previously introduced to help smokers quit have become a symbol of the Gen Z. The size of the vape market in China is still smaller than that in the U.S., despite a much larger smoking population. Many users, including middle schoolers and […]
Turning “tiger moms” into soccer moms: How to tap into China’s youth sports market
Up until late August 2021, most Chinese students’ after school hours were spent bent over the books at tutoring classes. This was largely due to the academic pressure created by an exam-oriented learning culture and parents’ well intentions to set their children up for success. However, with the signing of the Double Reduction policy in […]
The China International Import Expo 2021: Sustainability, health and winter sports highlighted for future development
The 4th edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai ended on November 10th. Similar to past years, the Expo acted as a sounding board for reiterating China’s commitment to open up its domestic market to the world economy. President Xi Jinping announced for the first time its intention to hold an import […]
How Single’s Day 2021 was different from all previous Chinese shopping festivals
Single’s Day is the largest online shopping event in the in China. It started in 2009 by Alibaba on the Taobao Mall (Tmall) platform, and has since then, been held annually. 2021 became the largest year for Single’s Day in China, with 290,000 brands participating in Tmall. However, Single’s Day 2021 was different from every […]
8 steps for foreign brands to leverage Chinese trade fairs and exhibitions
Chinese trade fairs and exhibitions are the most valuable link for foreign brands to expand their network. Many foreign brands in China must rely on local forces to be successful, cooperating with Chinese companies. On the other hands, Chinese trade fairs and exhibitions are an excellent opportunity for domestic companies to “benchmark” with the world’s first-class […]
Guerlain in China: Perfume market strategies from 1993 to today
French premier luxury brand Guerlain under the LVMH group is one of the most successful foreign brands who has built a wide presence in the cosmetics market in China, particularly skincare, make-up, and perfume. Over the years, it has learned to adjust its marketing strategies – particularly those involving its products, engaging campaigns, and consumer […]
China’s ‘Common Prosperity’ initiative and its potential economic impacts explained
In early 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a speech emphasizing the importance of ‘Common Prosperity’, setting this concept as a tone in policy making for the next few years. As a policy-guided and increasingly modernized country, China’s ‘Common Prosperity’ campaign gathers momentum and impacts all aspects of society almost instantly. What’s China’s ‘Common Prosperity’ […]
China travel retail market report
Now is the prime time to start your travel retail market strategy, and this report shows why. The new duty-free policies boost domestic travel retail shopping in China, including a cancellation of the 8K RMB / person spending limit for each item. Sales of Duty-Free goods in Hainan increased 103% YoY in 2020. Lastly, Brick […]
Cultural Opinion Leaders (COLs): The future of China’s KOL economy
As Li Jiaqi and Viya win the titles “king” and “queen” of this year’s Singles’ Day and fashion brands keep on collaborating with the same handful of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), China’s KOL economy is in flux. Gen-Z consumers looking for more authentic and deeper tastemakers are the main driver of change. KOLs’ standardized format […]
Through black cookies and creamy fillings, Oreo and Jay Chou linked sandwich cookies with Chinese ink art
On October 15th, Oreo, together with its brand ambassador Jay Chou, launched a music video titled “笑奥江湖, 玩心无极” (Laugh proudly at the world, keep a heart of innocence). Oreo linked the color of its classic cookies with the black and white in the traditional Chinese ink paintings. Oreo and Jay Chou’s ink art blockbuster landed […]
Unraveling Unilever’s marketing strategy in China
During 2021’s investor presentation about Unilever’s business in China, the Executive Vice President, Rohit Jawa, and the Head of Investor Relations, Richard Williams, depicted winning China as a priority for the British-Dutch Group. Despite the frequent ups and downs, Unilever’s marketing strategy in China proves the company’s long-term commitment to engage with local consumers. In […]
Checking the health of online clothing rental services in China
According to a report jointly released by Bain & Co. and the TMall Luxury Division, mainland China accounted for 20% of the world’s luxury industry last year and it is going to become the largest luxury market by 2025. Unlike the in the past, nowadays Chinese consumers’ reluctance to purchase pre-owned luxury clothing is gradually […]