We have just passed the 200-day mark of the US-China trade war, and what a 200 days it has been! Whilst we are finally seeing some positive signs that an agreement could be imminent, there has been plenty of commentary about the beating that America’s reputation has taken in China.

When an estimated 500 new products and services launch in China every day, separating your brand from the rest can be an endless struggle. Of course an informed and intelligent approach to the market is vital in driving success, but recent times have seen high-performing brands begin to move towards more collaborative methods to open up opportunities.

The strategies and recommendations that China Skinny developed five years ago were quite different than those we do today. When we cited the best examples of marketing in China, we would typically look to foreign brands. Back then, most domestic companies’ marketing plans were focused on price promotions and discounts.

Earlier this month JD launched its first 7FRESH, a 4,000 square metre grocery store in Beijing that follows many of the new retail concepts from Alibaba’s Hema stores.

Back in 2012 scouring content for the Skinny, it seemed almost every week there was another article praising KFC’s success in China. It was the Western pin-up brand; finding the much sought-after balance that tempted the masses with its alluring foreignness, but localised its offerings just enough to appeal to Chinese tastes – with the menu sporting old favourites like congee.

The big bull of ecommerce festivals comes charging into town this Saturday to much anticipation. Singles’ Day and the week that follows will see millions of frenzied electric scooters ferrying an estimated one billion deliveries to offices and apartments across the mainland.

Welcome back to our China-based readers; we hope Golden Week panned out well.

China’s dynamic startup scene typically takes a consistent path. New ideas usually follow innovations that have been successful overseas, then quickly morph to serve the unique needs of Chinese consumers; capitalising on the distinct ecosystem of embedded mobile payments, devout smartphone usage and lack of privacy concerns.

The latest consumer confidence index shows a Chinese consumer who is more upbeat and optimistic about the future than any other time in the last two decades. Yet with an already enormous base of goods and a maturing market, such a positive outlook is unlikely to bring back the mouth-watering consumer product growth rates of yesteryear.

Next time you indulge in a good hearty serving of ravioli or fettuccine, spare a thought for the Chinese. Tracing the origins of Italian pastas will likely find you in China in the 13th century, following the routes of Marco Polo who brought back tales of dumplings and noodles from his epic adventures in the Far East.

When a Chinese consumer makes a decision – from picking a bottle of water, to choosing which country will best educate their child – the influence of KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) can be dramatic. A feature of Chinese thought since the days of Chairman Mao, the KOL economy is set to boom; 2016’s value of ¥53 billion ($7.8 billion) is estimated to near double to ¥102 billion ($15.1 billion) next year. To bring some perspective, that is three times the forecasted value of China’s newspaper and magazine advertising in 2018.

A glance at any air quality index will reveal that China’s notorious pollution problem persists. Yet while Washington wavers on its environmental commitments, Beijing is implementing policies to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, investing trillions of yuan into renewable energy and improving smoggy cities, toxic waterways and filthy farmland.

Years ago, China’s sprawling network of street-noodle vendors began utilising the curious new commerce features of an app called WeChat.

Any classic “Business in China 101” course will be quick to mention the traditional two-handed business card delivery. Yet like much else in modern China, these lessons are quickly losing relevancy.

The average day in China sees no less than 500 new products launched. With this in mind it’s easy to understand why its consumers are among the most promiscuous on the planet. Furthering this trait, modern concepts of a ‘brand’ have only recently taken hold in China; China’s consumers have traditionally lacked the inherent connection to brands that characterize those of the West.

O2O is one of the most cost effective and engaging marketing strategies brands can adopt in China. Most aspirational brands selling in China have a strong O2O component in their marketing mix, yet many foreign brands have been falling behind in implementing O2O initiatives in China.

Happy 2017 and welcome back to those who enjoyed a holiday over the break. The past few weeks have seen countless China forecasts for the year ahead, including China Skinny’s own humble 2017 China marketing predictions.

For many Chinese, bicycles were for poor people and a cold or sweaty reminder of when few could afford a car and cities had no subways. In Beijing, just 12.5% of residents cycled in 2015, versus 38.5% in 2000.

The end of the year is always a time we enjoy at the Skinny. On top of the medley of cheesy carols, online gift deliveries and general festive cheer, it is also a time to take stock of the past 12 months and look to the year ahead.