'Being British' not enough to convince Chinese consumers - Tom Doctoroff

Tom Doctoroff

UK trade missions are tumbling over each other in China, and British brands try to sell their  Britishness to the Chinese consumer. China marketing specialist Tom Doctoroff does not think that will work, he tells the BBC. 

 The BBC:

Is it possible for British brands to lure Chinese customers, simply because they are British? 

Probably not, says Tom Doctoroff, CEO of J Walter Thompson's Asia Pacific operations. He believes most Chinese consumers do not have an image in their heads of what is specifically British about most companies hailing from the UK. 

"It's not enough to just come in and say, 'We're British,' because 'We're British' will just be interpreted as 'We're not Chinese' and there are a lot of not-Chinese brands out there," he explains... 

Competition with other [foreign] brands is stiff. Most visitors to the exhibition strolled past the UK brands in order to snap photos of the neighbouring Lamborghinis and BMWs. 

"Very few international brands compete directly with local brands," explains Tom Doctoroff. 

While British brands band together to tout their UK credentials, they would need to keep a wary eye on other foreign competitors, who are also setting up in an increasingly crowded Chinese marketplace.

More in the BBC.

Tom Doctoroff is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers' request form.


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