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Western brands given a second chance in China/asia


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Posted

During a little shopping excursion this past weekend, I was once again taken down memory lane at the sight of some long-forgotten brands. Let's have a fun look at these brands that are either passe in their home countries or have taken on a new identity here:

pierre cardin - @home: discount menswear, here: formal menswear

Esprit - @home: uncool by the time I entered university, here: just look at the large stores in the prime shopping centers

Arnold Palmer - @home: American golf pro, here: line of golf shirts (apparently he has attained "rock-star status" in asia)

Slazenger - @home: maker of tennis balls, here: athletic apparel and footwear - gives new meaning to "Slazenger XL".

Playboy - @home: magazine with provoking umm... articles, here: menswear, accessories, shoes

Anyone else got others to share?

Posted

Ever been in a Pizza Hut? They're quite upmarket here - and get queues at lunch/dinner time.

Posted

Yes, we could also include brands that have moved upmarket here though that would pretty much include all western brands. Pizza Hut is a good example of this. So is also:

Buick - @home: your grandfather's sedan - boring and no fun, here: much better styling and considered a prestigious sedan and company car, a more affordable alternative to the Audi A6

Posted

re: Buick

According to a recent newspaper article, the Chinese-made Buicks are better crafted than their US counterparts, too.

I said I was "surprised." That's an understatement. I was shocked beyond belief by China's acceptance of Buicks. Moreover, I was stunned by the superior quality of the Chinese Buicks I drove (on a Shanghai GM test track) and saw.

Those Buicks were better than any Buicks I'd ever driven or seen in the United States. They were solid and whisper-quiet. Fit and finish were impeccable. Interior craftsmanship -- the way materials blended with one another; the impressive attention to detail on the smallest items, such as the feel and weight of glove-compartment doors -- was awe-inspiring.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/19/AR2007071901266.html

Posted
According to a recent newspaper article, the Chinese-made Buicks are better crafted than their US counterparts, too.

Thanks for that article. I suppose it depends on which model is being comparing. I've ridden in a Chinese-built LaCrosse, and I will admit that the interior was very plush. Though I did find it surprisingly cramped in the back seat for such a large car.

The small HR-V hatchback also seems to be a popular seller here. But in North America it is sold as the Chevrolet Optra5. It is actually a rebranded Daewoo - I can't see how great it could be, no matter how much GM tries to pimp it up as a Buick.

I'm also fairly certain that the Excelle compact sedan is a rebadged Hyundai Elantra. I've seen the two cars nearly side-by-side - the lines looked identical.

Here's an interesting fact for those face-saving Buick LaCrosse drivers - the LaCrosse had to be renamed the Allure in the Canadian market because "la crosse" has connotations to the act of masturbation in French-Canadian slang.

"I suppose that means GM plans to live up to the expectations of the American market and stop selling Buicks in America," I said.

That pretty much says it all.

Posted
So what do you think the brand Amway and Marykay in direct sales @home and here?

Didn't they make direct sales illegal here not too long ago?

I haven't run int Marykay here but I have noticed the Avon stores.

Posted
Are you 100% sure that this is actually the western brand "Playboy" selling "menswear, accessories, shoes" in China?
Yes. I think they were also trying to diversify in the West, but as they have a more established image there, it's not so easy to go selling shoes all of a sudden. But of course, they are unlikely to be the only one selling Playboy-branded items in China...
Posted

See here. They'd love to do a lot more with the brand, but for some reason people seem to associate it with naughty magazines. Given that the magazine is virtually unknown in China, they're basically just a clothing brand there. They do get pirated - I've seen kids in Palyboy T-shirts, etc.

Posted

It will be interesting to see what effects increasing globalization has on their brand image. I would imagine that most Chinese are not aware of the origins of the brand, but come on, there must have been a BBS post at one time or another? I would be interested to see what these people think when they find out that the logo that adorns their shoes is used to sell "endorse pornography" in the West.

I remember I saw a "Godasse" shoe shop in Germany
That's colloquial French for "shoe".
Posted
"Playboy" might be a cool brand name for selling menswear.

Actually now that I think about it I think it would be really hilarious to stock up on some Playboy shirts for the next time I make a trip home. I'd really like to see the reactions from the folks back home.

ps : cdn_in_bj must be a female member.

Just curious, what makes you think this?

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