I chose this topic for my thesis. One of the components of my thesis deals with the reasons why companies use social media in China. One of the reasons is the hyper-connectivity of the country.
as a matter of fact, China has experienced strong growth in terms of digital and technology in the last few years, which has made digital marketing a must-have for businesses. Therefore, very quickly, Chinese consumers have plunged into a 2.0 era. The smartphone market in China continues to grow and is ahead of the rest of the world. Indeed, Chinese people mostly use their phones to access the Internet. Moreover, digital technology is now one of the areas in which China is investing the most.
Social networks have become essential in China and Chinese people consult them for different purposes: check the quality of a product or a brand or look for a travel destination for example. Moreover, the Chinese ecosystem of social networks is very rich and has given birth to the term “super application”. It is an application that gathers on its platform many features and services, including a payment system. Examples include WeChat and Weibo applications. Brands wishing to do business in China must therefore be present on these platforms.
E-commerce has also developed strongly in China. Social media have thus implemented and created features that allow users to buy online. This facilitates the relationship between brands and their customers. Moreover, China is the first e-commerce market in the world and platforms have multiplied (the biggest are AliBaba, Taobao and Tmall). Another phenomenon we hear about is m-commerce which has quickly become a must thanks to multiple factors including Chinese consumers’ appetite for digital, the scale of local e-commerce platforms and payment systems. Social networks being omnipresent in the life of the Chinese and their permanent connection via their smartphone makes it necessary to adapt brands and this new type of commerce.
Today, Chinese people can get almost anything they need via WeChat. The platform is the number 1 social network in China and has its own online payment service, WeChat Pay. It seems essential to be present on this platform to do business in China. To conclude, in this context of hyperconnectivity, companies wishing to do business in China must learn to master the Chinese ecosystem and more specifically the social media.
We are expecting 33 million Chinese tourists in 2022 (Le Monde). Finally, they will come back with an aspiration of freedom and most certainly an intention to spend. If you are looking for a solution to develop your business and diversify, you have to think seriously about it. In 2014, 2,2 million Chinese spent around 3,5 Billion USD in France. An interesting fact is, they aren’t only traveling in Paris and Île-de-France. They came in Normandy, French Riviera, in Pays de la Loire (daxueconseil). Throughout this article, you will see some tools like WeChat Pay and AliPay to help them have a great trip. Yet, the main idea you have to retain is empathy. What would you do in their shoes?
Last tip before you go, we advise you to get to know the most powerful Chinese recommendation tool: Dianping. Thanks for reading, I hope this infographic will help you to start 2023 with the right experience at the right time. If you are a retailer, I also friendly recommend you this article about the social commerce, a practice already well established in China.
Thanks to Xavier Brochart, if you want to explore this subject deeper, please contact me on Twitter @ALafeil or in LinkedIn.
Although WeChat is tremendously used in China, it is not very well known in Europe. This is the reason why I decided to talk to you about it. You may have already heard about it but do you know exactly what Wechat is?
Launched in 2011 by Tencent Holdings, the Chinese tech colossus, WeChat is a super app that brings together all the internet in one platform. WeChat is considered as a real digital Swiss army knife of the Chinese daily life. The platform already gathers more than 1.2 billion users, with a penetration rate of more than 90% in China. (63% for Facebook in the United State for comparison).
The concept of WeChat is rather difficult to describe for us, who are used to having an application by utility and by need. But, if originally it was a simple mobile instant messaging application similar to Messenger or Whatsapp, today it offers a real ecosystem of services.
With WeChat, Tencent has inaugurated the super app model. A parent app that hosts other mini-apps, which range from ordering a cab to a Covid-19’s case tracking system. Today more than 4 million mini apps exist in WeChat.
In ten years of existence, the application has become a way of life. Checking the weather, talking with friends and colleagues, shopping, playing games, paying for groceries, booking a restaurant or even buying a train ticket. On the social side, users can create a private account, follow their friends or favorite stars, interact with them, create group chats, make voice or video calls, share photos on their feed, meet people and play games. A user can go through his or her entire day without ever leaving the app.
The app evolution through the years
WeChat began life as a basic messaging app focused on text messages. Then, it added phone and video calling capabilities. Then, it began to expand into areas that had previously not been associated with simple messaging apps, like pages for photos, linking, liking, commenting and updates. It started to become a social network.
After that, it added functions like taxi hailing and food delivery. E-commerce and fund transfers weren’t far behind. It continuously added functions that its users needed and wanted. For example, the addition of voice messages made it faster and easier to communicate and were a huge hit. They could be recorded while on the go and cut the time spent writing complex Chinese characters onscreen or picking them out of predictive text menus.
Finally, it added virtual red envelopes like the ones given out at Chinese New Year with money in them. Users could send money through the app and millions of people did just that. That’s when the app became ubiquitous.
WeChat Pay meant people could settle restaurant bills and pay for groceries with their phone. Now, people were doing everything from booking and paying for flights to buying a few apples from a tiny market vendor with the app. WeChat has become so big that the word “app” doesn’t adequately describe it.
Types of accounts
WeChat accounts come in two basic flavours. There are personal accounts, which are also known as private accounts. Then there are official accounts, which are also called public accounts.
Personal accounts are for people who want to stay in touch with friends and family, subscribe to official accounts and use the app’s mini-programs and services.
Official accounts are for brands, businesses or high-profile individuals so that they can get followers, communicate or redirect people to their website or e-commerce store.
Official accounts have three types: service accounts, subscription accounts and enterprise accounts (WeChat Work). Enterprise accounts function like workplace intranets, similar to apps like Slack.
Service accounts are for businesses to communicate with customers and have plenty of sales- and service-oriented functions. You can open a WeChat store, create mini-programs and access additional WeChat functions.
Subscription accounts focus more on brand communication. They’re the only type open to individuals as they don’t require a business licence. One to six articles can be posted once a day with this account. They reach users through a subscription account folder with no push notifications so they’re less visible.
How do people use WeChat?
WeChat is popular for both casual and business communication. With its current capabilities, you can send text and voice messages, pictures or video in direct messages or group chats. You can also share posts on your Moments page.
It’s commonly used in workplaces as it facilitates easy file sharing and conference calls. Enterprise accounts can be used to apply for leave, track projects or submit reimbursement forms. You can also scan someone’s WeChat QR code instead of exchanging business cards.
WeChat Pay makes paying easy
WeChat Pay launched in August 2013. It’s linked directly to a user’s bank account and can be used to pay for things on- or offline or to send money to friends by scanning a QR code. This can be done almost everywhere in China, whether you’re in a high street store or at the hawker markets. It has been widely adopted as it doesn’t require expensive terminals that need to be rented or bought – all it requires is two phones.
This, along with Alipay, is a primary driver of the cashless lifestyle in China. It’s even got to the stage where the average person in China leaves the house without cash on them. And plenty of people there, if given the choice between losing their wallet and losing their phone, fear losing their phone more.
Because WeChat makes most of its revenue from transaction charges and financial products like insurance and small loans, it doesn’t rely on advertising for revenue. Some feel that the result of this is that WeChat’s pay per click advertising is expensive and not highly targeted.
WeChat Pay has expanded beyond China’s borders, along with the country’s outbound tourists, and as of December 2020, it could be used in 55 countries and regions.
Keywords and constant updates
WeChat’s official accounts are similar to a Facebook page. Users subscribes and brands, media or individuals post articles, news, product reviews, personal stories and more. Then you get push notifications from them daily or weekly.
Users can also search for content using keywords. This includes articles from official accounts, mini-programs, friends’ posts on their Moments page, text threads and more. People do product research, find news and check on old conversations with their friends – all within WeChat.
This constant and convenient supply of information means that WeChat is the default information source for many people in China as well as the primary touchpoint connecting them to the world.
Mini-programs: apps-within-an-app
In January 2017 Tencent officially released its WeChat mini-program platform. Mini-programs are cloud-based embedded apps within WeChat, making them simplified, streamlined apps-within-an app essentially. Being cloud-based, people didn’t need to install them on their phone. Their introduction meant that people didn’t need a lot of apps crowding their phone. They could just install WeChat, save memory, battery, data and download time, and do almost everything within WeChat. It was a masterful move by Tencent.
Mini-programs for hailing and paying for taxis, paying electricity bills, e-commerce stores, food delivery, playing games and more all work smoothly within the app. You can make hotel reservations without downloading a travel app. There’s even a mini-program that monitors your phone’s battery usage and sends a push notification when it’s low, with directions to the nearest available power banks or charging stations. They’re also perfect for brands that want to connect with customers who are nearby or in their city.
The little app that could
No-one could have predicted in its early days as a simple copycat messaging app that WeChat would ever turn into the all-encompassing behemoth that it is today. It learned from and mimicked its rivals but it didn’t stop there. It also paid very close attention to its users and their needs and wasn’t afraid to go beyond the boundaries of what people thought was possible for an app. It’s now at the stage that it’s a hybrid of Whatsapp, Facebook, Venmo, ApplePay, Amazon, GooglePlay, Skype, Uber, Yelp, Expedia and more.
And the little copycat app that could is now being copied by the apps it once mirrored.
There are two versions of WeChat. In China, users usually refer to the app by its English name, WeChat, even though it has a Chinese name as well, Weixin.
With the acceleration of digital technology, humanity is moving towards an increasingly digital and dematerialised world. One of the key factors is the development of 100% digital currencies.
The idea of digital currencies has been around for years, most notably with crypto currencies, including Bitcoin launched in 2009.
A crypto currency is a digital currency that circulates freely on the internet. It is linked to an encryption system and is decentralised, i.e. without any controlling authority.
Crypto-currencies emerged with the creation of the blockchain. A blockchain is a decentralised (not dependent on an authority) blockchain database that protects transactions and encryption. It is theoretically impossible to hack a blockchain, so they allow the circulation of cryptocurrencies.
According to CoinMarketCap, in mid-July 2020, there were more than 5,700 crypto-currencies with a total value of more than €240 billion (with Bitcoin accounting for 63% of this, Ethereum for 10%, Tether for 4% and Ripple for 3%).
New crypto currencies : Facebook Diem
More recently, new and stable crypto currencies have emerged. Facebook is currently testing a new crypto currency: Diem.
Diem is the new name of Facebook’s Libra virtual currency since last December.
This new crypto-currency would be backed by a basket of fiat currency and would allow the exchange of value between Facebook users.
During its test phase, Diem reached more than 50 million transactions. These tests allow the developers to detect and correct any flaws in the network before its official launch. The data shows that Diem’s testnet is capable of reaching an average speed of over 3 transactions per second (TPS). While this seems relatively fast, this transaction speed is lower than Bitcoin (4.6 TPS) and Ethereum (15 TPS). And much slower than networks such as Solana (65,000 TPS).
Limits to Diem’s deployment
However, there are still many restrictions before Diem is officially launched. If Diem were to be popularised and licensed, it would mean that public authorities would give the power to control the currency to a private company. This is still far from being accepted, especially in Europe.
Moreover, a cryptocurrency is not anonymous but pseudonymous, all exchanges are traceable. Facebook would therefore have access to all Diem users’ transactions, and would therefore not respect the principle of privacy. This is not reassuring when we know that Facebook is regularly subject to data leaks. There is also the danger of monetisation of the information collected, especially as Facebook is an American company. The US government therefore has the right to demand access to all data collected by Facebook.
Organisations are reacting to Facebook’s Diem initiative. For some, it is out of the question that the Gafa dictate their law in payment. Below are some examples, such as the reaction of central banks or the creation of alternatives with a case study of Casino.
Central banks wake up
In the face of digital acceleration, central banks are taking an interest in the digitalisation of money. They are increasingly experimenting with basing their currencies on the same model as a stablecoin. A stablecoin is a stable cryptocurrency, backed by a value that is supposed to have low volatility, such as the dollar or the value of gold.
The current environment seems favourable for the initiative and creation of crypto-euro or euro-digital type currencies. This would totally dematerialise the currency, and the payment media would change. They would become smartphones, but also many connected objects such as watches for example. The principle would be similar to the credit card, which is already digitising the euro.
However, central banks have not yet reached this point. To use a digital currency on a daily basis, as will be the case, it is imperative that the currency be stable and not very volatile. Bitcoin, for example, although very popular, is very unstable, and the development of a secure, reliable and well-protected stablecoin will take a long time.
Innovations in digital currencies: Lugh from Casino
The value of this currency is based on the euro: 1 Lugh is worth €1.
Casino’s objective is to prepare the future of payment and loyalty cards for its customers.
The Lugh virtual currency is presented by Casino as the evolution of the digitalisation of payment and loyalty card for its customers. The objective of the Lugh project is turned towards “B to C” consumers. The idea is to create a consensus around a single means of payment and loyalty through a shared, secure and transparent technology between independent companies.
A loyalty and payment application
Loyalty and payment have already been unified for several years. In 2017 Casino launched the Casino Max app, a digitalisation of loyalty programmes. Casino then added a payment option to it, which allows the customer with their smartphone to pay and have their loyalty programme directly at the checkout in all Casino shops. Currently, more than 22% of the turnover is from Casino Max customers who use the payment and loyalty option. Casino has identified a customer need to pay and have their loyalty programme on their smartphone. This application is the first step in the digitalisation of payment and loyalty and their unification.
The next step for the Casino group is to make loyalty programmes between different retail players interoperable on the basis of a new technology. This is why Casino is embarking on the Lhug project. The Lugh has had a first technical phase, which is the creation of a stablecoin before developing use cases. The idea is to develop a new means of payment and loyalty, which would be based on this stablecoin. To do this, Casino will use the principle of blockchain smart contracts, which allow the loyalty programme and the payment to be interwoven in a single algorithm, a single technical tool.
Lugh technical aspect
The Lugh is a stable digital currency backed by the euro in partnership with Coinhouse, a player in crypto asset investment for individuals and businesses. Initially, the Lugh digital asset (EUR-L) will be offered to customers of the Coinhouse platform, for individual or professional investors. Once this stage is over, Lugh aims to develop new everyday financial services based on blockchain technology.
In order to guarantee the stability of the Lugh (EUR-L), for each digital asset issued, €1 will be kept in a dedicated bank account. For the technological aspects of the project, the Lugh company is working with:
Société Générale that will be the issuing company’s account holder.
PwC that will certify each month the number of Lugh (EUR-L) tokens issued as well as the balance of the associated bank account domiciled at Société Générale.
Sceme, the provider of the Lugh issuance and management infrastructure.
Nomadic Labs, the French specialist in the Tezos blockchain, on which the Lugh (EUR-L) will be issued.
The future of digital currencies: the Digital Yuan
According to some, Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies have no future in the long run, as governments and central banks will want to keep the monopoly on the creation and distribution of money. The digital yuan, currently called DCEP (Digital Currency Electronic Payment), is expected to be the first virtual currency to be developed on a large scale.
The digitalisation of services in China is extremely advanced. In terms of dematerialised payment, the country is ahead via its WeChat Pay and Alipay applications. The Wechat and Alipay system works like an “electronic wallet” that is fed or debited by transfers between users and potentially linked to their bank account. Payment by phone, via NFC or QR code is already commonplace. It is fair to say that dematerialised payment is ubiquitous in the daily lives of the Chinese. Even roadside fruit and vegetable sellers are equipped with dematerialised payment methods. Dematerialisation of money is common, so much so that the idea of a 100% digital currency has been in the works for a few years (since 2014).
Successful large-scale testing
Trials have been extended to several regions and cities in China (Chengdu, Shenzhen, Suzhou), as well as to certain Chinese and foreign companies (Starbucks and McDonald’s) and public administrations such as the Ministry of Education.
Last October, China began one of the world’s largest live tests of its digital currency. The Shenzhen government held a lottery to distribute a total of 10 million yuan (about $1.5 million) in digital currency. Almost 2 million people applied and 50,000 people actually won. The winners downloaded a digital renminbi application to receive the digital yuan and spend it at more than 3,000 merchants (supermarkets, pharmacies, Walmart, etc.) in a particular area of Shenzhen. A very conclusive result.
The Chinese government’s objective is to gradually extend the circulation of the digital yuan so that it can be used in China and abroad by 2023. The Chinese banking authorities even hope that their “e-money” will eventually replace the dollar in international circuits. A first key milestone will be the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.
A controlled digital currency
China is moving towards a cashless society. Indeed, the digital yuan is not a crypto-currency like Bitcoin. The digital yuan is issued and controlled by the People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank. It does not seek to replace digital wallets like Alipay or WeChat Pay. It is likely to work with these and other banks to expand and facilitate the use of the digital yuan. The digital yuan is a completely different currency from Bitcoin, which is decentralised, not owned or controlled by any authority, and not distributed by a central bank.
Central banks around the world are exploring the idea of issuing digital currencies. The digital Yuan is a perfectly government-controlled currency. It inspires many banks, including central banks. This type of digital currency will not give more freedom as free crypto-currencies would have done. It may even give less freedom to people and more control to authorities.
Ultimately, the acceleration of digital technology has a key role in the evolution of currency as it becomes digital. In all four corners of the globe, various digital currencies are emerging. Although these new currencies are still in their infancy, it is undeniable that they will transform our daily lives and disrupt our payment and banking systems.
Imagine going to the supermarket with no cash, no card, no wallet, no phone and still being able to pay. How ? By paying with your face. Fascinating or a little bit frightening, Facial recognition payment looks like something coming right from the future. Yet, it is already available in China.
Facial recognition payment – What is it ?
In China payment methods technologies are more advanced than in any other parts of the world. Indeed, while in Europe or in America payment by phone is still seen as a quite new technology, in China it is used since a long time. Almost everybody, including young people as well as older people, make their purchases with their smartphones. In some places cash is not even accepted anymore.
With this new technology, China could make even QR codes seems old-fashioned!
“Smile to Pay” launched by Alipay and “Frog Pay” launched by WeChat pay allow customers to pay with their face. How does it work ? A device and a small camera are intalled at the checkout of the supermarket and scan the face of the customer.
Are you planning to travel to China for the first time ? If yes, you’ll better know that for “first-timer“, paying your daily expenses in China might be as difficult as trying to understand chinese language for a beginner… Continue this reading to learn how to use AliPay in 7 easy steps.
LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES:
True story : When I first arrived in China, I was disoriented in a poor/wealthy situation(a what?). Translation : I had a bank account full of sleeping money but… without the possibility to use it with my credit card. Quite frustrating, trust me. You want to avoid this situation and to do so : I share with you this fast 2 parts payment guide to facilitate your arrival in China.
CHINA’S WAY OF PAYMENT:
Indeed, the huge majority of stores does not accept foreign cards like Mastercard or Visa (great surprise when you do not know it!) because chinese people are mainly paying with… QR code ! So your only option is to have your pocket full of cash with all the mountain of disadvantages behind it – with all the withdrawal changes fees – & of course, when you can find the good ATM to withdraw…
So, my advice to you is to throw away your foreigner payment habits, to fully adopt the Chinese way of living by diving into the QR code & mobile payment dimension!
ALIPAY & WECHATPAY :
Alibaba’s Alipay and Tencent’s WeChatPay are the two QRcode mobile payment giants in China, and the majority of the population pays thank to those platforms via mobile phones.
THE 05/11/2019 BIG CHANGE :
Back in the old days, only chinese cards were able to be linked, letting behind all the foreigners. But then on Tuesday 5th of November 2019, Alibaba announced its partnership with JCB, DGN, Visa, MasterCard and American Express for a new launch: an AliPay version dedicated to support international cards. Few hours later, Tencent followed the initiative with a same announcement on WeChat Pay.
WeChatPay and Alipay will be open to international users for the first time, and if you want to pay your utility bills, order food on Ele.me, order a driver on Didi or simply order anythings on Taobao…
This is your steps-by-steps guide from Alipay on how to use Alipay like a pro without any chinese bank account :
7 STEPS ON HOW TO USE ALIPAY :
1 – Download Alipay App and log in with your overseas mobile phone number
2 – Choose Alipay International Version
3 – Tap Tour Pass
4 – Select load amount
5 – Verify your identity and add bank card
6 – Complete load money and you’re good to go
7 – Scan or show your QR code to pay at Alipay enabled stores
NOW BE FREE !
You can now live your life to the fullest, you now know how to use AliPay as a foreigner. Quick reminder : Alipay is an online payment solution created in 2004 by Alibaba Group from Jack Ma. As of mid2019, Alipay users reached +900 million. What makes it the number one mobile payment provider worldwide.
It has been a pleasure to help you on your chinese adventure. Next time for the Part #2, we will help you to use WeChatPay without Chinese Bank !
See as being the essential marketing tool in China in the following article named: “WeChat, the future of Social CRM“. We can also see that WeChat is gaining more and more market shares internationally and exerts its influence especially in Europe. But where does this trend come from? How does it translate? And how can European companies benefit from this opportunity?
1. The increase of Chinese tourism
The main reason comes from the influx of more and more Chinese tourists abroad. In 2018 there were 150 million Chinese travelers and this figure continues to climb every year. As 200 million Chinese citizens are expected to travel by 2020. WeChat is the favorite communication channel of Chinese people. So, it is essential for foreign business to grab their attention through the best way.
Shopping in big shopping centers or in luxury shops, visiting tourist sites, museums are some reasons to spend. But the main reason that motivates more Asian customers to buy are the fluctuations between the prices they know in China compared to those offered in Europe. You should know that on average Chinese tourists spend between 1500 and 3000 euros per person per trip in Europe. And a third of their expenses is dedicated to the purchase of luxury goods, a trend that grows by 9% each year.
That is the reason why WeChat is developing more and more partnerships with western companies. The first step is to offer its mobile payment service named WeChat Pay to as many Chinese tourists as possible.
2. Partnership development
Among these partnerships there is for example the RATP case. The Parisian rail company has taken a train in advance by offering the possibility to Chinese tourists to pay their tickets in yuan through the WeChat application from China directly and / or from France. Today there are already more than 34,000 subscribers on the official account of RATP on WeChat. Feature to which are added other advantages such as the consultation of the subway city map and some tips for travelers wanting to discover Paris for example.
In this crazy race for profit, Tencent through WeChat Pay and Alibaba its direct competitor with Alipay not only seeks to request companies where Chinese people buy directly. But also banks and manufacturers of payment terminals. By adapting the devices given them the ability to scan the QR codes of customers. However, this trend only concerns payments and does not deal with the use for other marketing and communication purposes for the moment.
To conclude, you can see across this WeChat Pay mapping that the service is now available in 49 counties for 18 currencies.
Today China has 1.39 billion inhabitants. Of whom, over a billion are considered as daily active users of WeChat. The application is also the country’s largest social network and maybe soon, from the world. To compare, the Western giant Facebook which covers several continents has currently 1.56 billion daily active users. It’s only one third more than WeChat.
However, in this crazy performance race Facebook will probably not keep its first place for a very long time. Because WeChat is a much more powerful and complete application than its foreign counterpart. Developed and launched in 2011 by the Chinese giant Tencent, WeChat is just not a messaging and content sharing application. But much more. The Chinese app is today essential in the daily lives of Chinese citizens. Thanks to the mobile payment service adopted by absolutely everyone. But also to the many features visible as follow:
To show the dependence of WeChat users, you should know that on average people spend 70 minutes per user per day on this application. This represents 34% of mobile traffic in China.
2.WeChat CRM tools
Viewing the huge potential of WeChat compared to other communication levers. Such as mails, SMS, and emails. Brands understand today that this is an opportunity to build and maintain close relationships with their customers through social CRM campaigns. Discover in the following statement 5 S-CRM features available on WeChat:
Omni-channel exposure. Allowing users to access to the contents from a physical point to a digital print and vice versa. This is mainly due to the possibility of generating QR codes. Moreover, these QR codes also offer the possibility to recover various data. Such as the payment methods used, the geolocation of users, the pages visited and other KPIs.
Segmentation. The data accumulation through the application can be processed to establish groups of individuals. To which personalized content can be send.
Customer service. Through bots or phone call centers.
Centralization of data. Being a Tencent entity all the data of the other branches of the group are saved in the same servers. This allows the multiplication of the data recovery sources. In order to use them transversally.
Data processing. Through WeChat Analytics which is an internal reporting service.
As you can see, WeChat’s important S-CRM capability is based on its ability to centralize. Supported by a different technology approach and a legal environment in its favor, the introduction of this model seems complicated in the Western countries.
To get more informations about WeChat, click on the following LINK ! 😉
NIKE, Inc. is the world’s leading designer, distributor of footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories for a wide range of sports and fitness activities. In 2018 the famous comma brand generated more than $ 34 billion revenue worldwide. Therefore, putting it in the lead in terms of market share over the year. Representing more than 15% of its annual turnover and being constantly increasing for four consecutive years, China remains the fastest growing market for Nike. That is the reason why I propose you through this article to discover 5 marketing campaigns of Nike, which allow the company to be today the biggest player in his sector on the Chinese market.
1. NIKE – JUST DO IT.
The storytelling is the foundation of the global Nike’s marketing strategy. In its ads the brand doesn’t sell a product but the emotional benefits that can bring its equipment. Through each of its campaigns NIKE tells a different story, usually staging a hero overcoming the difficulties he faces. As a result, everyone can identify himself through these promotional campaigns and are driven by the slogan “Just Do It.“.
2. NIKE – I GOT IT
Every marketer know that to seduce the Chinese market a product has to be customized. Which means adopt a China-specific strategy, in other words be unique. Across this commercial starring young local basketball player facing the obstacles and pushing its limits that remain in the Nike codes. NIKE battered his universal signature “Just Do It.” by “I Got It” more personal and individualistic version adapted to the Chinese audience.
3. NIKE – FREE START
We cannot talk about setting up a brand in China without talking about WeChat. With a relatively young mobile audience NIKE is aiming just by first opening an account on the platform in 2012. This allows the company to communicate with the audience on a daily basis. Being present on the networks is not enough to benefit from a great reputation. It is important to offer content that grab the attention of users, making the buzz. For example, to do this NIKE has shown a very noticed entry through its application to offer for purchase via WeChat a collection of shoes custom-made directly by people through the application.
China is considered to be at the foreground of technology. Nike has wanted through these two following campaigns to honor its new products through the best way. By offering to its customers an immersive experience through gamification, thus associating digital with reality. REACTLAND allows users to create their avatar and test the latest cushioning shoes technology.
5. NIKE – DARE TO BECOME
For the last World Cup in Russia Nike has decided to promote soccer in China through this funny commercial. Which let the world know that they are preparing to play an important role on the international scene. As a result, the campaign have been viewed more than 200 million times in just one week.
To sum up, you have to know that to succeed on the Chinese market companies have to adapt their strategies to the audience. By firstly understand the local culture but also in thinking about creativity and customization. The multiple Nike’s marketing and communication strategies are the perfect examples.
Interested by sport in China? Please find through this LINK more articles in addition to this one 😉
Cet été, nous avons pu lire de nombreux articles annonçant la fin de l’argent liquide à partir de janvier 2022. Le développement des modes de paiements alternatifs annoncent-il l’obsolescence des espèces ? A quoi ressemblera le quotidien sans pièces ni billet et, nous iront plus loin, sans carte bancaire ?
C’est à peu de choses près le quotidien de près d’un milliard de chinois qui payent avec leur téléphone portable.
En sortant de chez soit le matin, vous achetez un jian bing au petit marchand en bas, et le payez en scannant son QR code. Vous l’emportez dans le bus, et plus besoin de sortir votre carte de métro, vous scannez votre QR code à la borne. A midi, vous commandez sur une application de livraison de nourriture, et au moment de payer, vous n’avez qu’à valider le paiement, votre compte de paiement est directement lié à votre application.
Le soir au supermarché, le caissier scanne votre QR code, vous passez chez le primeur, achetez vos fruits, et scannez le QR code du primeur, tout ça sans jamais sortir une pièce de monnaie.
En rentrant vous commandez quelque chose sur un site de e-commerce, et payez de nouveau avec votre smartphone.
Le propriétaire de votre appartement vous réclame le loyer du mois, et vous lui transférez l’argent instantanément sur l’application de messagerie.
Comment ce système fonctionne ?
Vous devez avoir un compte bancaire, que vous liez à vos applications de paiement mobile. En Chine, les deux principales sont Wechat Pay (du géant Tencent), et Alipay (du géant Alibaba). A noter que les deux ne sont pas utilisables en toutes situations, par exemple, il est impossible de commander sur Taobao (Alibaba) avec Wechat Pay.
Ensuite, il suffit de scanner le QR code du commerçant, ou qu’il scanne le vôtre, pour effectuer la transaction. Vous aurez besoin d’un mot de passe (ou de touch ID/face ID) pour accorder le paiement. Sur l’application de messagerie Wechat, il suffit d’ajouter une personne pour lui transférer de l’argent.
Ce système existe-t’il en France ?
Oui et non, il existe, mais il n’est pas autant au point qu’en Chine.
Vous connaissez sûrement Apple Pay, qui vous permet de payer jusqu’à 30€ grâce à votre téléphone portable.
Vous connaissez peut-être Lydia, qui permet de transférer de l’argent par sms à d’autres personnes détentrices de l’application, ou même parfois de payer un commerçant détenteur du système.
Ces modes ne sont pas encore très répandus en France, mais ce n’est que le début.
Si les banques ne se penchent pas sur cette question, des entrepreneurs prendront le devant et créeront une application de paiement mobile qui permettra de lier son compte bancaire à l’application, envoyer de l’argent à un ami, payer un commerçant, payer sur internet…
Y-a-t’il un risque ?
Pas plus qu’avec une carte bancaire classique. Pour payer avec son téléphone, il faut le déverrouiller, puis autoriser le paiement grâce à un autre mot de passe. En cas de vol, on peut toujours appeler la banque et bloquer la carte liée.
Les chiffres en France :
En France, le retrait moyen au distributeur automatique de billet est de 30€, soit nettement moins que dans le reste des pays Européens.
Le moyen de paiement le plus largement utilisé est la carte bleue à 50%.
Le paiement en liquide tend à réduire, et le paiement sans contact tend, lui, à se développer.
