In the context of globalization, more and more international brands are turning their attention to the Chinese market. However, to succeed in this ancient land, it is far from enough to rely solely on the brand’s original international influence. Localization, that is, adjusting products and services according to the characteristics and needs of the local market, has become the key to the success of foreign companies. The following are some international brand cases that have successfully achieved localization in the Chinese market.
- Starbucks: Integrating Chinese traditional culture
Starbucks’ success in China is partly due to its localization of products. Starbucks has launched a variety of products that cater to the tastes of Chinese consumers, such as mooncakes and bingzuo, and has incorporated Chinese cultural elements into store designs, such as the design of the Starbucks Reserve Foshan Lingnan Tiandi store that pays tribute to Lingnan culture. These initiatives not only satisfy the tastes of Chinese consumers, but also reflect respect and understanding for Chinese culture.
- KFC: Innovation in localized breakfast
KFC has successfully integrated into the Chinese market by launching products that suit the tastes of Chinese consumers, such as traditional Chinese breakfasts such as fried dough sticks, steamed buns, rolls, and porridge. In addition, KFC also interacts with consumers through new media channels, such as the “Crazy Thursday” promotion, and uses buzzwords to interact with consumers, showing its youthful and down-to-earth image.
- Coca-Cola: Cultural resonance and innovation
Coca-Cola has successfully integrated into the lives of Chinese people through localized advertising, marketing and distribution development, such as inviting Chinese actors to shoot commercials and creating beverages that suit the tastes of Chinese consumers. In addition, Coca-Cola has launched a sugar-free product “Rhythm Cube” limited to China, and has continuously enriched its brand connotation through cross-border cooperation and digital innovation, such as launching running shoes in collaboration with Anta and releasing co-branded mini cans with “League of Legends Mobile”.
- FILA: Combination of fashion and sports
FILA has successfully attracted consumers of different ages by launching products that cater to the tastes of Chinese consumers, such as the FILA KIDS and FILA FUSION series. FILA also showcased its luxury sports series at Milan Fashion Week, emphasizing high-end fabrics and classic tailoring to meet Chinese consumers’ demand for fashion and individuality.
- Estee Lauder: Pioneer in digital marketing
Estee Lauder has successfully attracted young consumers by cooperating with coffee shops to launch an event where customers who buy coffee in stores get free sunscreen samples. In addition, Estee Lauder has also teamed up with SHUSHUTONG to launch a Valentine’s Day limited gift box, combining the fashionable and girlish characteristics of the two brands to meet the needs of modern and diverse women. In terms of digital marketing, Estee Lauder has effectively reached its target consumers through social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Douyin.
- LOEWE: Respect and appreciate Chinese culture
The 2023 Spring/Summer collection of handbags launched by LOEWE is based on the theme of monochrome glaze from the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, showing respect and appreciation for traditional Chinese culture. This in-depth understanding and respect for Chinese culture has made LOEWE’s products widely recognized in the Chinese market.
- Burberry: Social responsibility and local communication
Burberry has launched the “Crafts Designer Training Charity Project”, visiting many ethnic minority areas in China to train female practitioners with traditional textile skills in design capabilities, in order to promote localized communication in a way that fulfills social responsibilities.
- McDonald’s: Exploring Chinese Traditional Festivals
McDonald’s explores China’s more niche traditional festivals, such as the Ghost Festival, and presents them in a more humorous and relaxed way, avoiding exaggerating the eerie atmosphere of the “Ghost Festival”. Instead, it starts from the festival’s characteristic custom – tribute, and links the close relationship between supermarket goods and tribute, and supermarket services and family affection.
In summary, the successful cases of these international brands show that localization is the key to entering the Chinese market. By deeply understanding and respecting local culture and launching products and marketing activities that are in line with the local market, international brands can better integrate into the Chinese market and achieve long-term development. The practices of these brands provide valuable experience and inspiration for other international brands that want to enter the Chinese market.
