Chinese social media brands are the second most valuable set, as proclaimed by HZW, the University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration Zurich
16.07.12 China, a Social Media Country | Forbes India Blog 1/8 forbesindia.com/blog/digital‑navigator/china‑a‑social‑media‑country/ Home | Monday, July 16, 2012 | 10:30:49 AM Follow Search forbesindia.com Sushobhan Mukherjee I craft growth strategies for brands, causes & ideas + Follow (9) BLOGS/ Digital Navigator China, a Social Media Country 07/12/2012 | 0 comments | 573 views + Comment now Shanghai takes one by surprise every time. The scale and pace of the city, the throngs of people, the commercial activity and yes, the avid netizens. Everyone seems to be checking in, uploading pictures, chatting on Weibo and ordering something online. No, really. Of the most valuable social media brands on the planet, just see how many are from China. Chinese social media brands are the second most valuable set, as proclaimed by HZW, the University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration Zurich http://www.resonancechina.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/03/bv4mwsmb 2012en.png LATEST ISSUE London Olympics: Hold Your Horses Free Olympic Experiences Bird Flu is Back in a Stronger Avataar Contents » Past Issues » Advertise with us >> INSTASUBSCRIBE to Forbes India Magazine Sushobhan Mukherjee I craft growth strategies for brands, causes & ideas. While my work spans categories and transcends geographies, I live & work out of Singapore. I have worked in machine design, marketing research, advertising, brand marketing in the broadcast industry & now work for one of the most acclaimed agencies on the planet, helping create ideas at the intersection of culture, behavior & technology. I have a ringside view of what it is to do digital rather than just talk about it. All marketing and indeed, all business, is about changing behavior. Digital helps us create change by catalyzing action, tracking results & providing feedback; almost on the fly. That is the exciting part of working in this field. I am still enough of an engineer to be excited at 3 26 112 Magazine Upfront Features Life Daily Sabbatical Multimedia Blogs News
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16.07.12 China, a Social Media Country | Forbes India Blog
Sushobhan MukherjeeI craft growth strategies for brands, causes & ideas
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China, a Social Media Country07/12/2012 | 0 comments | 573 views
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Shanghai takes one by surprise every time. The scale and pace of the city, the throngs ofpeople, the commercial activity and yes, the avid netizens. Everyone seems to bechecking in, uploading pictures, chatting on Weibo and ordering something online. No,really. Of the most valuable social media brands on the planet, just see how many arefrom China. Chinese social media brands are the second most valuable set, asproclaimed by HZW, the University of Applied Sciences in Business AdministrationZurich http://www.resonancechina.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/03/bv4mwsmb2012en.png
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Sushobhan Mukherjee
I craft growth strategies for brands,causes & ideas. While my work spanscategories and transcends
geographies, I live & work out of Singapore. I have worked in machine design, marketingresearch, advertising, brand marketing in thebroadcast industry & now work for one of themost acclaimed agencies on the planet, helpingcreate ideas at the intersection of culture,behavior & technology. I have a ringside view ofwhat it is to do digital rather than just talk aboutit. All marketing and indeed, all business, is aboutchanging behavior. Digital helps us createchange by catalyzing action, tracking results &providing feedback; almost on the fly. That is theexciting part of working in this field. I am still enough of an engineer to be excited at
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16.07.12 China, a Social Media Country | Forbes India Blog
This is Social Media country. Brands sign off on their billboards (okay, outdoorhoardings) with their Weibo accounts, not a www address. Visiting cards routinely haveWeibo accounts printed. Personal anecdata reveal that it is easier to get a response to aWeibo than an email. Talking of data, this is a good time to glance at this infographic. Itlays out the social media landscape in China.
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I am still enough of an engineer to be excited atseeing ideas turn into reality. This blog willshare insight & provide commentary on howsome of the best digital ideas on the planet workin their particular contexts. Our conversationwill help us apply some of these learning to thepeculiarities of the Indian market.
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16.07.12 China, a Social Media Country | Forbes India Blog
What makes the Chinese embrace Social Media so avidly? Like much else in China, theanswer lies in the way the government monitors and controls informationdissemination in the country. Citizens find it easier to trust one another than believethe official lines recited by media. Rumours floated by netizens, counter arguments by“50 cent parties” (a derogatory name for netizens who are allegedly sponsored by theParty to attack dissidents and protestors online, make Chinese social media aninteresting spectator sport. David Pilling of the FT has an interesting post on themhere.
But, I digress from the world of digital marketing.
Perhaps the most exciting Social Media service is Weibo. Weibo (pronounced as WAY
BO) is the generic word for microblogging, ala Twitter. There are many Weibos, the
16.07.12 China, a Social Media Country | Forbes India Blog
BO) is the generic word for microblogging, ala Twitter. There are many Weibos, themost famous being Sina Weibo. Sina Weibo is best described as a hybrid of Facebookand Twitter. That makes it a powerful and compelling service. I found this video onhow to use Weibo as a nonChinese. Dive in here:
If you want to sign up via email, go here. Using Chrome, one can get some machinetranslated gossip, hilarious mostly but sometimes quite instructive. Would urgefollowing some global brands to see how they adapt to the Chinese landscape.
Brands are using Weibo quite interestingly. Take Bentley, the luxury carmaker, once adarling of James Bond. China recently became Bentley’s largest market, displacing thelong time faithful USA. Chinese luxury automotive consumers are beginning toembrace SUVs. Bentley decided to solicit direct consumer feedback and opinion on theEXP 9F, an experimental SUV, via a specially designed Weibo app. I quite like the waythis interactive medium has been used – not just for marketing messaging, or engagingconversation but giving potential consumers a real stake in shaping the product. Readmore about it here and test drive the app here (you will need a Weibo login).
Jiepang, China’s version of Foursquare, is another service I find quite innovative. Giventhe emergent trend of SoLoMo (SocialLocalMobile), Starbucks tied up with thecheckin service for a special Valentine’s Day promo – lucky folks could get mobilephones, free coffees for a couple and a date. Oh, two badges too, for checking in. Thevideo is via Youku, the Chinese Youtube.
16.07.12 China, a Social Media Country | Forbes India Blog
For more details on the campaign, in English, read this.
It is rather difficult to call a service China’s version and yet call them innovative. AsSteve Jobs proved, it is not the first to market who thrives, but the most innovative. Ifyou are a laggard, chances are you are learning from the pioneers and their mistakes;quickly adapting and evolving to a better place, after noting what resonates withconsumers.
We have to watch and learn from what is happening here in China. Jugaad. Or Shanzai.The result is the same. Cheaper, better and hopefully faster.
Tags: China, Jiepang, social media, Weibo
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