In all the talk of “adapting to the China market” (a phrase so often heard it has become somewhat of a cliché) staying authentic whilst driving sales is a challenge many brands needlessly grapple with. Effective communication between branding and sales teams is a no brainer within an organization, yet this is too often lost in the communication gap between brands and their agencies.
China digital marketing has grown and evolved at a pace and breadth that the consumption giant is only too famous for. 2020 has seen a wave of domestic brands dominating industry categories and the market once famous for promotion-heavy campaigns is being replaced by big data insights and strong brand identities.
The Chinese consumer is the perfect illustration of how China’s marketing world has developed. A quick look at the millions of user-generated reviews on travel platform MaFengWo or lifestyle app Little Red Book to see how discerning consumers have become. This is a market every brand wants a slice of and Chinese consumers increasingly have their pick of the world’s products.
Young consumers are grappling with their search for identity in a rapidly changing society and are looking for similar values and nuance in the brands they associate with. Domestic brands have capitalized on their closeness to consumers and ability to react fast to changing trends. International players now clamber for a slice of consumer attention and have to compete with the rise in sophistication of the on-the-ground, native Chinese brands.
United Media Solution has almost a decade of experience acting as the digital marketing arm for international brands such as Education New Zealand, Lion Group and De Beers Group Industry Services. As an in-market team with international backgrounds, UMS CEO Jessica Miao and her team understand the challenges faced by brands navigating China digital.
“No where else in the China market will you find an agency that speaks our client’s language like we do, both literally and culturally.”
-Jessica Miao. UMS Founder and CEO
In the first half of 2020, UMS underwent a restructure to follow the advice so often given to clients: adapt and evolve with your market. The restructure is as much a reflection of the maturing demands of China digital as it is a story of growing up in the China market.
UMS’ three new Domains: Establish, Connect and Engage can offer clients the deep level of expertise that is required to stay at the forefront of China today. Clients can now benefit from the direct expertise of domain leaders as well as their account manager.
The restructure will allow UMS to offer more consulting and strategy expertise for clients, both Chinese and Western. UMS’ unique position bridging the markets in and outside of China has attracted a growing number of Chinese brands looking to connect with a Western Audience.
“The new structure reflects the UMS core business methodology: We want our clients to work closely with us to build trust and brand understanding. Business stakeholders need to be closely involved with their China strategy and can reach out directly with our Establish Domain. The Connect and Engage Domains will help brands communicate with their audience and amplify their voice in China.”
-Jessica Miao. UMS Founder and CEO
UMS still lives by the motto that “If you want to talk to China talk to us” but has grown to be the partner arm for those already in China who need to revamp their strategies. “Change in China is constant” and our three domains allow us to ensure we will “Empower brands to thrive in China digital.”
UMS domain leaders are all on LinkedIn where they share their thoughts and findings on the latest market updates.
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