How would you feel about a brand who categorised you as part of a generic group with 1.4 billion others? You probably wouldn't be rushing out to buy their wares. The same applies for the average Chinese consumer who, over the past generation, has become largely intolerant of marketing, products and services that don't connect with their individual needs and desires.

It wasn't long ago when every marketer in China was talking about ecommerce. Alibaba and JD battled it out for supremacy, and then another challenger, Pinduoduo, came from nowhere, and it became a three-horse race.Whilst the traditional ecommerce platforms still dominate online sales in China, the new world of livestreaming, KOLs and social commerce has dominated marketing forums over the past few years.

KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) are big business in China and are commanding a larger share of marketing budgets every year. The infographic below provides some insights into the KOL ecosystem to help you better understand this fragmented, but interconnected channel.

Changing consumer preferences and needs, coupled with Beijing support, has seen the rise of interest and participation in sports in China in recent years. Alongside the mainstream sports, niche pursuits such as winter sports, cycling and surf skating have soared in popularity. Even China's rugby fans may see better results with the appointment of a new coach. But talking about 'sports' in China, it would be amiss not to mention one which touches 400 million consumers - esports.

"If you protect yourself from the sun, you will be whiter than others. If not, you will be uglier," so said a sun hat advertisement last month on Douyin from the multi-billion dollar Chinese sun protection brand, Beneunder.

There is one China-related question that is asked more than any other at present: “When will the Dynamic Covid Zero measures end?” The next biggie is: “When will China’s borders open up?” Both are obviously closely connected.

It was always going to be a bruiser of a quarter for GDP growth in China. Factories, logistics and consumer spending all felt pain from the lockdowns, impacting China’s economic output. So it was quite a feat that China still managed growth of 0.4% between April to June.

Ah, the joys of exercise. Healthy body, healthy mind, improved sleep, increased productivity … the list goes on. It’s little wonder why Beijing is satisfied with the 3.3 percentage point increase in residents aged 7 and above – an extra 42 million – who regularly exercised between 2014 and 2020. But it is not stopping there.

If you consume dairy products, there’s a good chance that you haven’t given much thought to the millennia of innovation that has made them more functional, safer and tastier. Around 7,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, yoghurt is believed to have first appeared – the likely result of milk naturally souring in warm temperatures. Records of cheese have been found adorning Egyptian tombs built 4,000 years ago, but its invention is thought to be even earlier, after 8,000 year-old pottery shards were found in Switzerland, hypothesized to be cheese-strainers.

When you look at China’s advanced digital ecosystem today, it is hard to believe that China was late to the Internet game. As recently as 2011, just 38.3% were online, a rate achieved at least a decade earlier in most Western countries. Despite the relatively low penetration rates, 2011 was the year that changed China’s Internet. It was when WeChat launched, Internet-connected smartphones started selling for less than $100/pop in China and, arguably most importantly, Chinese consumers really found their voice online.

That ‘other big shopping festival’ on China’s calendar, 618, wrapped up over the weekend providing many lessons for brands in China. It also acts as a barometer to gauge Chinese consumers’ appetite for spending following the recent spate of lockdowns in Chinese cities.

Last week saw millions of Chinese kids take the gruelling Gaokao. The average 31 hours a week spent doing homework and extracurricular classes from the age of three, have largely been to prepare for the notorious 9-hour exam which determines the university they get into. Many consider the Gaokao scores to shape the trajectory of their lives.

Can you name one event in your lifetime that has shaken the world more than Covid? The world has forever-changed since early-2020. Whereas many of Covid's consequences have been negative, there have been some silver linings which will hopefully stay with us long after the face masks and vaccine passes have gone.

Over the years, China has made the headlines for its cottage industry of fakes, from infant formula to condoms to fake zoo animals. This has left many with an impression that China is a nation of copycat producers. But in reality, China has been busy beavering away for years coming up with innovative ideas that change the way people live, consume and market.

Andy Lau is one of Greater China's most celebrated and distinguished actors, singer-songwriters and film producers. The 60-year old Hong Konger has acted in more than 160 films, while maintaining a successful singing career. Hundreds of awards have borne his name - more than any other male Cantopop star.

The changes in the Chinese consumer market over the past two decades have been nothing short of astonishing. Between 2000 and 2020, the average disposable incomes of urban Chinese grew seven-fold from around ¥6.3K to almost ¥44K. Even more of note is those consumers’ collective net worth, which skyrocketed from $7 trillion to $120 trillion.

Nothing beats a good lockdown to dull the spirits of Chinese consumers. As Shanghai's severe lockdown has passed 50 days for some residents, and has recently been re-tightened, a large number continue to struggle to order the staples, let alone purchase discretionary goods and services.

It was March 2021 when the EU-China agreement protecting geographical indications (GIs) came into force. This aimed to recognise and protect around 200 distinct agri-food producing regions. It included well known specialties such as Feta, Prosciutto di Parma, Irish whiskey, Münchener Bier and Ouzo from Europe and Pixian Bean Paste, Anji White Tea, Panjin rice and Anqiu Ginger from China.