CONSUMER OPTIMISM HIGH IN CHINA
By Adnews Staff
More than four in 10 Chinese consumers feel that their standard of living will increase in the next 12 months, and that they prefer Western made goods, according to a survey done by South China Marketing Research of New York. Eight out of 10 Chinese consumers believe that articles made in the West are likely to be of higher quality than comparable products produced in China. Over 75% think that Western products are generally more durable, while 7 in 10 Chinese believe that Western goods are better value for their money. Western brand names are also gaining recognition in China, where nine out of 10 consumers are aware of Coke, Pepsi, Marlboro and Nescafé. Other brands such as Sony, Panasonic and Kodak are also becoming common. However, these brand names are mostly recognized when they are presented in their Chinese translation. When the names are presented in English, awareness drops off sharply. Seventy-two per cent of the respondents said that it is best to buy famous brands. While three-quarters of those questioned thought that advertising was a good way to get information about products, only 47% felt that advertising was trustworthy. Chinese consumers like advertising, with 46% saying that they generally enjoy looking at advertising, while 21% didn't like advertising and 16% are strongly opposed to it.