Brand culture and consumption: Chinese consumers and the foreign brands

China approaches a new phase of its economic development, during which foreign brands are not any more in the same position towards Chinese consumers. The consumers' attitudes towards the international brand have long been the subject of numerous studies in the western countries. Yet they are not sufficiently studied on Chinese consumers even if they may assume greater importance. Until now, the very strong preference for the foreign brands particularly the first choice brands of the Chinese consumers corresponded to socio cultural characteristics of the country, as the concern of the hierarchy, the collectivism. This paper puts forwards a model of the preference of Chinese consumers for foreign brand. It draws a conclusion that it is important to understand the symbolic values of prestige required by the Chinese. To be successful in china, the foreign brands have to follow the rules of the games which govern this market.