Building brand relevance and fostering customer loyalty in China’s dynamic consumer market requires a nuanced understanding of evolving consumer behaviours and strategic engagement across various platforms. This article delves into key strategies, including emotional marketing, connecting with more cautious consumers, targeting niche consumer segments, and leveraging social commerce, to effectively connect with Chinese consumers. Emotional marketing: Connecting beyond the product In recent years, the importance of building emotional connections with… …
Antoaneta Becker

Antoaneta Becker
For more information on culture, retail and creative industries in China contact Antoaneta Becker - CBBC's lead on the consumer section - on Antoaneta.Becker@cbbc.org
Between 2015 and 2023, the number of upper-middle and high-income households with annual disposable incomes of over RMB 170,000 (£18,250) in China rose from 34 million to 168 million. And in 2023, 34% of global GDP growth was from China alone. While Chinese consumer confidence is still sluggish post-pandemic, further growth is inevitable from this hugely powerful and globally influential market. A recent McKinsey survey reveals that when compared to most other… …
The rise of the ‘She Economy’ in China is reshaping the consumer landscape, with nearly 400 million female consumers aged between 20 and 60 now driving a purchasing power of GBP 1.08 trillion annually According to the Global Times, data from recruitment websites in China shows that the total and per capita income of Chinese women are growing faster than for men. Over the past five years, the annual growth… …
China’s athletes performed exceptionally well at this year’s Paris Olympics, placing second in the medal table – here’s how the games have had a wider impact at home… The two-week-long event offered numerous opportunities for Chinese businesses to engage in international trade and commerce. From sponsorship deals and product placements to export opportunities and investment ventures, Chinese enterprises leveraged the global attention surrounding the games to strengthen their market presence …
Although summer events like the Olympics and Qixi Festival have seen many Chinese consumers spending again, flagging consumer demand is still an economic headache On Saturday, 3 August, the State Council, China’s highest administrative governing body, issued a wide range of suggested consumption-boosting steps to all levels of government. The steps (available in Chinese here) aim to address China’s ongoing struggle with poor consumer demand, which is proving to be a drag on GDP growth. Some… …
Huang Xuelei, a senior lecturer of China Studies at Edinburgh University, recently published the book Scents of China: A Modern History of Smell (Cambridge University Press), which tells the history of China through smell and scent. Here, she talks to CBBC’s Antoaneta Becker about how Mao used smell to his advantage and the rise of the perfume market among China’s Gen Z consumers. How did you end up writing a …
In some cities, parcels are being moved around by subway to reduce emissions, but for inter-city freight, low-carbon approaches are still lacking, writes Xia Zhijian for China Dialogue Swaying at the back of a subway train on Beijing’s Line 9, two China Post personnel in yellow and blue overalls hold on to a green trolley full of parcels. A few passengers are seated in front of them in the nearly… …
We are thrilled to announce that our flagship China Consumer programme for 2024 will take place in London on 26-27 June. China not only remains the most attractive consumer market for export growth, but it is also a future lab for all UK brands aspiring to innovate in consumer marketing, AI integration and customer engagement. Given the size of its consumer base and the active participation of Chinese consumers in the development …
Confused by recent reports and analysis of China’s biggest omnichannel shopping festival Double 11’s performance and significance in current marketing budgets? You are not alone. Once an unmissable fixture in the marketing diary of any consumer company serious about growing sales and customers in the world’s biggest e-commerce market, Singles Day or Double 11 is now regarded with much circumspect by brands and consumers alike. Against a background of a …
Providing consumers with an ‘experience’ is essential for brands entering and operating in China. This was one of the key messages from CBBC’s most recent China Chat event, which took place on 25 October 2023 at CBBC member Sybarite’s London offices Now that China is firmly free from the spectre of Covid controls, brands in China and the UK are naturally asking questions about the current state of the China… …