Abstract:

Marketers who are establishing operations in China have only recently begun to understand the Chinese consumer. Though it has become easier to conduct marketing research, there are not many cases where the marketer decides on a marketing strategy based on the sharp consumer insights gained from thorough analyses. Since 1986 Dentsu has been carrying out quantitative surveys on the lifestyle of Chinese consumers. Based on the survey results, the paper will examine the validity of the growing view among foreign marketers intending to succeed in the Chinese market that potentially the most promising consumer segment in China is the young people. A cohort analysis was undertaken to clearly define the term young people. The Cultural Revolution caused a massive, social upheaval that has left an indelible scar in the lives of the Chinese people. Therefore, the age at the time of the Cultural Revolution is an important variable that can account for profound differences among the Chinese in their current social status and values.