Keeping Time-Honored Brands Alive

Shijiazhuang Daily May 12

Time-honored brands such as Quanjude, the Beijing-originated chain restaurant renowned for its roast duck, face new challenges in order to attract young customers. However, this doesn’t mean they should give up their adherence to tradition.

Time-honored brands are companies or products that have inherited excellent Chinese cultural traditions. Endowed with distinctive regional characteristics, they embody unique techniques and business models, and have been in operation for a long period. They have won wide recognition for their sound reputation.

Such venerable brands with profound value have become name cards for their cities. The culture embedded in such brands is a breath of fresh air in the modern, commercial society. It is hard to imagine how shallow and boring a city would be without venerable brands.

Time-honored brands shoulder the responsibility of carrying on historical memories of the nation. Therefore, they should not betray their historical and cultural traditions in pursuit of commercial benefits. Preserving such brands contributes to the protection of traditional culture. Brands which seek to cater to young consumers in order to earn huge profits may finally destroy themselves.

On the other hand, venerable brands cannot avoid market competition and need to pursue innovation in order to survive. They need to strike a balance between innovation and adherence to tradition. The government should play a role of guidance in the process.