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Made for China

Foreign companies are wooing Chinese consumers either by designing products for them or by unveiling global brands first in the country. Last month, American clothing brand Levi Strauss launched dENiZEN, a global jeans brand, in Shanghai. Earlier in the summer, General Motors and SAIC announced plans to introduce a new automobile, Bao Jun ("prized horse"), for about RMB50,000 (US$7,400). On the other hand, some Chinese companies have created the impression that they are foreign. For instance, 90% of respondents in a consumer survey believe that Metersbonwe, a Chinese fast fashion company, is foreign.  Multinational companies have also marketed brands so cleverly they can pass as Chinese. About 70% of consumers think that Danone is a local company. Bloomberg Businessweek said developing local products has a positive rub-off on a foreign brand, signaling the multinational company’s commitment to serving Chinese customers’ needs.

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