China Cultural Literacy training for UK consumer brands

UK time:

27/04/2023 10:00 - 27/04/2023 16:00

Venue: CBBC Offices, London

Venue address: Kings Building, 16 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HQ

Our new China Cultural Literacy training is aimed at all UK consumer brands seeking to delve behind the news lines of brand scandals in China and understand the cultural psyche and the motivations of Chinese consumers. We look at history, society and politics that have shaped the consumer scene and their evolution in years of pandemic control of isolation. We analyse the different consumer groups and how their generational drives determine reactions and purchases. We decode the recent brand scandals and successes in the market to reveal the elements of best-case practices.

Cultural faux pas have been the unravelling of many prestigious Western brands in China of recent years. Not only are Chinese consumers proud of their national heritage but they are also extremely vigilant of Western brands interpretations of China’s aesthetic traditions - the arts and fashion, the centuries long traditions of tea enjoyment, pottery, calligraphy, and crafts creation to name but a few. With Chinese Gen Zs actively driving the consumer sentiments in the market, cancel culture can target any Western brand for disrespecting Chinese heritage or sending messages deemed insincere or ignorant during their brand campaigns. The explosion of brand and IP collaborations to drive interest with Chinese consumers has also created a minefield for many Western brands – the rewards of getting it right are too big to ignore but the danger of getting it wrong is arguably even bigger.

Who is this training for?

China and international business development managers, marketing, and PR teams of UK consumer brands

Tickets:

CBBC members - £150 plus VAT
Non-member - £300 plus VAT

Day Agenda:

Arrival and networking: 10.00am for 10.30am start

Session 1 - The Big Picture: History, Society, Politics and Culture (10:30am – 11:15am)

Historical legacy and national psyche
How not to forget about politics
Shifts in Chinese policy and how this impacts consumer sentiment
What makes China ‘China’ - quick look at the societal structure over recent years and how this has shaped modern society/given rise to current consumer sentiment

Session 2 - Consumer Profiles: Breaking down the homogenous ‘China Consumer’ into different profiles relevant today (11:30am - 12:15pm)

Silver economy/Gen X/Millennials/Gen Z/Gen Alpha
Social/information ecosystem
Consumer profiles (Self-indulgers, climbers, decelerators, internationalists, explorers etc)
Framing generational consumer groups through a trends lense
Within the context of Zero Covid, the implications this has had on society now

Lunch break

Session 3 - Consumer empathy: Current changes and shifts which impact Chinese attitudes and behaviours towards consumption and brands and how to engage as a Western brand (1:30pm – 15:00 pm)

Breaking down current trends (Guochao, disillusioned youth, Songchigan, escapism, older generation)
Chinese campaigns vs Global brand campaigns in China
How to effectively localise with a global identity
Future strategy for UK brands (how to navigate China opening up)

Session 4 – Q/A & Networking and refreshments (3.00 pm – 4.00pm)

Speakers

Antoaneta Becker, Director, Consumer Economy, CBBC

Antoaneta has lived and worked in China for more than 20 years. In her most recent role as a Director, Consumer Economy for the China Britain Business Council, she has supported numerous British consumer companies entering and expanding into the Chinese market. Prior to joining CBBC, she worked as a Beijing-based reporter for several international media publications including the Economist Intelligence Unit and USA Today, covering China’s economic and social affairs. She has reported on some of the main trends and policies that have defined China’s economic trajectory over the years 2000-2010 including China’s state-owned enterprises reforms, the emergence of free trade zones, the rise of digital economy and ascendence of Chinese consumer. Antoaneta is a fluent Mandarin Chinese speaker. She holds a Bachelor’s in Chinese Language and Literature and a Master’s in Chinese Contemporary Literature & Film from Peking’s University.

Celine Tang, Retail & E-commerce Sector Lead, CBBC

Celine Tang has been based in the UK for the last 4 years and for most of this time she has been working as a freelance Consumer Consultant across the Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle, Food and Drink sectors. Between 2013 - 2017, Celine worked in the New Zealand Consulate General in Shanghai, prior to which she gained an MSc in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics.

Ran Guo, Director Consumer Economy China, CBBC Beijing

Ran leads CBBC’s China Consumer Economy team to provide business support services to UK consumer products companies. Ran works closely with partner UK government departments and trade associations to deliver research reports, trade missions, and local showcasing events. She also organises and participates in sector trade shows around China.

Prior to joining CBBC, Ran worked in the consulting industry in Shanghai and Beijing for six years, where she developed her specialties in primary market research, company due diligence, and competition intelligence analysis. Ran has excellent research skills and a thorough understanding of the various obstacles international companies face when entering the China market.

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China Cultural Literacy training for UK consumer brands