To uncover some of the misconceptions about branding and marketing in China – and get some advice from those who have seen how it’s done, we speak to three experts.
The draw of the Chinese consumer market lies in its size. With a fast-growing middle class and increasing household wealth, it’s no wonder that China continues to attract foreign brands of all stripes to its shores. At the same time, for every Starbucks, there are hundreds of others that have failed to make much headway in the country. Is there a formula to success in China? Why do some firms seek to conquer the country’s consumer with a detailed marketing plan only to retreat after a few years?
To uncover some of the misconceptions about branding and marketing in China – and get some advice from those who have seen how it’s done, we speak to Natalie Lowe, managing partner at The Orangeblowfish; Gail Lee, general manager Yuesai, L’Oréal Group; and Omar Ali, managing director at Ocean Grounds Coffee Roasters.
Lowe is responsible for The Orangeblowfish’s strategic vision, P&L and operational management, staff development and global expansion. Set up in 2011 in Shanghai, The Orangeblowfish boasts an impressive client roster that includes names like Nike, Alipay, Google, L’Oréal, LinkedIn, Ocean Grounds and AirBnB.
Lee has been with L’Oréal for 15 years, having started out in Paris with the L’Oréal mass-market brand. She joined Yuesai – L’Oréal’s first Chinese acquisition – as global general manager in December 2019 and is now based in Shanghai.
Ali, a native of the East Coast of the United States, arrived in China 20 years ago and — as he says, forgot to leave. Now, he runs a company that provides speciality coffee beans and coffee machines to cafes in China.
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