An Exploratory Study of Branding Strategies in the Chinese Casual Wear Market
[1]
Ranran Xiao, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
[2]
Ting Chi, Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design, and Textiles, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
This research investigated the branding strategies of domestic companies in the Chinese casual wear market. Grounded theory method was used to structure the analysis of the responses from eight in-depth company interviews. The insights derived from this study provide primary understanding of the Chinese casual wear market and the status of brand development among domestic companies. Seven branding strategies emerged as the effective approaches to build casual wear brands, including differentiation in product design and brand image, pursuing the latest styles and trends, celebrity endorsement, public event sponsorship, public medium advertisements, very important person (VIP) membership, and prominent brand logo on products.
Branding Strategies, Exploratory Study, Casual Wear, China, Grounded Theory
[1]
Calasibetta, C. M. (1988) Fairchild's Dictionary of Fashion (2nd ed.). Fairchild Publications, New York.
[2]
Cayla, J. and Eckhardt, G. M. (2007) ‘Asian brands without borders: regional opportunities and challenges’, International Marketing Review, Vol. 24, pp. 444-456.
[3]
Chi, T. (2011) ‘Building a sustainable supply chain: an analysis of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in the Chinese textile and apparel industry’, Journal of the Textile Institute, Vol. 102 No. 10, pp. 837-848.
[4]
Chi, T. (2013) ‘The effects of contingency factors on perceived values of casual sportswear: an empirical study of U.S. consumers’, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 249 – 262.
[5]
Davis, S. (2002) ‘Implementing your BAM strategy: 11 steps to making your brand a more valuable business asset’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 19, pp. 503-513.
[6]
Dickson, M. A., Lennon, S., Montalto, C., Shen, D. and Zhang, L. (2004) ‘Chinese consumer market segments for foreign apparel products’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 21, pp. 301-317.
[7]
Esch, F. R., Langner, T., Schmitt, B. H. and Geus, P. (2006) ‘Are brands forever? How brand knowledge and relationships affect current and future purchases’, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 98-105.
[8]
Fornell, C., Mithas, S., Morgeson, F. V. and Krishnan, M.S. (2006) ‘Customer satisfaction and stock prices: high returns, low risk’, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 70 No. 1, pp. 3-14.
[9]
Frumkin, S., Thapa, N. and Gencalioglu, A. (2006) ‘A proposed strategy for introducing moderately priced American brand merchandise in China’, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 227-237.
[10]
Fuchs, H. J. (2004) ‘How to build a brand in China’, Business Forum China, Available at: http://www.chinabrand.de/downloads/How_to_build_a_brand_in_China.pdf.
[11]
Ghodeswar, B. M. (2008) ‘Building brand identity in competitive market: a conceptual model’, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 17, pp. 4-12.
[12]
Hollows, J. and Clegg, S. R. (2006) ‘Brand development: Institutional constraints on Chinese businesses’, Management Research News, Vol. 29, pp. 386-401.
[13]
Kedall, G. T. (2009) Fashion Brand Merchandising, New York: Fairchild Books.
[14]
Kotler, P., Ang, S. H., Leong, S. M. and Tan, C. T. (2003) Marketing Management: An Asian Perspective (3rd ed.), Singapore: Prentice-Hall.
[15]
Kwok, S., Uncles, M. and Huang, Y. (2006) ‘Brand preferences and brand choices among urban Chinese consumers: an investigation of country-of-origin effects’, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 18 No. 3, pp. 163-172.
[16]
Li, Y. and Zhang, B. (2008) ‘Development path of China and India and the challenges for their sustainable growth’, World Economy, Vol. 31 No. 10, pp. 1277-1291.
[17]
Merriam, S. B. (2002) Qualitative research in practice: Examples for discussion and analysis, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
[18]
Neuman, W. L. (2010) Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (7th ed.), Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.
[19]
O'Cass, A. and Choy, E. (2008) ‘Studying Chinese generation y consumers' involvement in fashion clothing and perceived brand status’, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 17 No. 5, pp. 341 – 352.
[20]
O'Cass, A. and Lim, K. (2001) ‘The influence of brand associations on brand preference and purchase intention: an Asian perspective on brand associations’, Journal of International Consumer Marketing, Vol. 14 No. 2/3, pp. 41-70.
[21]
Savin-Baden, M. and Major, C. (2013) Qualitative research: The essential guide to theory and practice, London and New York: Routledge.
[22]
Schmitt, B. H. and Geus, P. (2006) ‘Are brands forever? How brand knowledge and relationships affect current and future purchases’, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 15, pp. 98-105.
[23]
Shen, D., Lennon, S., Dickson, M., Montalto, C. and Zhang, L. (2002) ‘Chinese consumers' attitudes toward U.S.- and PRC-made clothing: from a cultural perspective’, Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 19-49.
[24]
Sherman, L. (2009) Powerful luxury brands, lifestyle style luxury brands, Forbes 5/1/2009, Available at http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/01/powerful-luxury-brands-lifestyle-style-luxury-brands.html.
[25]
Sun, T. and Wu, G. (2004) ‘Consumption patterns of Chinese urban and rural consumers’, Journal of Consumer Market, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 245-253.
[26]
Walvis, T. H. (2008) ‘Three laws of branding: neuroscientific foundations of effective brand building’, Palgave Macmillan, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 176-194.
[27]
Wang, C. Siu, N. Y. M. and Hui, A. S. Y. (2004) ‘Consumer decision-making styles on domestic and imported brand clothing’, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 38 No. 1/2, pp. 239-252.
[28]
Williamson, P. J. (2005) ‘Strategies for Asia's new competitive game’, Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 26, pp. 37-43.
[29]
Wood, l. (2000) ‘Brands and brand equity: definition and management’, Management decision, Vol. 38 No. 9, pp. 662-669.
[30]
World Bank (2013) World development indicators, Available at http://data.worldbank.org/.
[31]
Zhang, Z., Li, Y., Gong, C. and Wu, H. (2002) ‘Casual wear product attributes: a Chinese consumers’ perspective’, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp.53-62.
[32]
Zhou, J. X., Arnold, M.J., Pereira, A. and Jun, Y. (2009) ‘Chinese consumer decision-making styles: a comparison between the coastal and inland regions’, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 63 No. 1, pp. 45-51.
