Abstract:

As China enters the WTO, the range of brands and products offered to consumers will increase to match Asian standards. Therefore, China's growing domestic market will increasingly become a main reference point for marketing trends in Asia, together with Japan and Korea. As a result, the need to anticipate the next step in Chinese consumers' needs will become even more important. This paper highlights what makes the young (15 - 35 years) Chinese middle class consumer special in Asia. It also shows how this will increasingly impact the future of branding in the region, as mainland China urban youth progressively imposes its tune on regional trends and blends its priority with both western and Japanese pop culture influence.