Domestic brands gaining ground

CHINESE brands, especially in the digital and tech industries, are winning support and gaining awareness in the domestic market and on the world stage, according to the Germanybased independent marketing and communication agency group Serviceplan.

Domestic brands are seeking business diversification and global expansion, especially in Southeast Asia and Europe, according to Marcus Ma, Serviceplan Beijing’s managing director. Huawei, Haier, Xiaomi, Douyin (TikTok) and Li-Ning are among the Best Brands 2019 winners in Chinese markets, an annual awards event hosted by Serviceplan with researcher GfK and supported by a survey of 3,000 consumers.

“Chinese brands have unique advantages on innovation and branding, especially in electric vehicles, smartphones, smart home appliances and digital platforms,” Ma told Shanghai Daily.

Among the top 50 brands voted most-related to consumers, China brands now take 30 places, compared with just 18 in 2016.

For example, Huawei is now the first choice smartphone brand for 43 percent of consumers, compared with Apple’s 20 percent, according to GfK.

Li-Ning, a time-honored sports brand, has taken measures to “connect emotionally” and wow young consumers, such as the debut of its eSports sub-brand and products, said Yang Guang, the company’s integrated marketing director.

In the competitive global market, Chinese brands are succeeding in exploring business opportunities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, said Serviceplan.

In overseas markets, Chinese smartphone brands such as Huawei and Vivo are “refreshing consumer’s understanding” with their innovative technology and sharp designs at affordable prices, gradually building up connections and consumer preference, said Bernard Wong, managing director of Serviceplan Shanghai.