Brand Positioning through Print Advertising

Due to rapid economic development and a burgeoning middle class, China has attracted consumer market competition from around the world. The market environment in China, however, is culturally complex. Juxtaposed between traditional Eastern values and Western materialism, China presents unique challenges regarding brand positioning. Within this scope of inquiry, the authors explore an important aspect of positioning: consumer product branding through print advertising. Specifically, they explore the demographic makeup of models/spokespeople, look at differences between domestic and foreign brands, and postulate how such advertising choices influence brand perceptions. The results show that Chinese domestic brands prefer Asian models. Interestingly, multinational firms appear to be choosing young, mostly male, Asian models. This is an important shift in branding and garners support for “localization” strategies for Chinese markets.