How politically correct should marketing be in China?

Billionaire chairman of the Swiss luxury group Richemont, Johann Rupert, said he was bullish on China in a recent investor webcast. One of his main reasons was that Chinese are “not obsessed with political correctness.”

Political correctness isn’t something that comes up much when discussing the China market, but how it is interpreted can have a bearing on messaging hierarchies within the country for brands. In other markets, brands have been finding it increasingly difficult to navigate inclusivity due to polarised views of consumers. Bud Light discovered this in April after it sent beers to a trans influencer in the US, and in July, Costa Coffee and Dr. Martens became victims of anti-woke anger in the UK.

In China, you see fewer marketing initiatives focused on inclusivity. Part of this is the result of the largely homogenous make-up of China. The Han people account for about 92% of China’s population. On top of that, well under 0.1% of residents are foreigners, with most coming from surrounding Asian countries. Although religious and spiritual expression is common in China, the Chinese Communist party ideology positions China as an atheist nation.

Culture, tradition and Beijing are also strong drivers. Beijing has cracked down on LGBT events, social media apps and other platforms which host groups often operate in the shadows. State media commonly slams men for being too effeminate or wearing makeup. Gay marriage is unlikely to happen any time soon in the mainland.

Whilst there is diversity in China, it is typically across fewer dimensions than countries where political correctness takes a more headlined position.

There are some nascent movements of marginalised groups that are increasingly appearing in resonant marketing campaigns. Proya’s support for mental health has been a big winner, and a contributor to it being the top-selling skincare brand on Singles’ Day. Similarly, SK-II really connected with its target audience with its crusade against ‘leftover women’ stigmas in 2017. But on the other hand, Skinny Tracker data finds that the term ‘whiten’ is used in over a third of skincare products sold.

One of China’s leading coconut water brands, Coconut Palm, advertised as recently as 2019 that their drink made women whiter and more buxom. One of China’s largest FMCG brands Wahaha, also claimed their calcium milk would enlarge one’s breasts from a A-cup to a D. Whilst they were investigated by the authorities for outrageous claims, it did little to dampen consumers’ enthusiasm for the brands.

In 2016, local laundry liquid brand Qiaobi showed a black man washed whiter in a washing machine in an advert which aired for months without generating much debate. China’s second-best selling toothpaste Darlie, previously marketed as heiren in Chinese - meaning “black person” - was only renamed in 2021, much to the surprise of many Chinese consumers.

Similarly, effective sustainability messaging doesn’t always align with approaches used in the West. As alternative protein investor Tao Zhang puts it, “mainstream Chinese consumers aren’t easily swayed by moral considerations for now.” Advertising related to health, fitness and body images can be more direct and less sensitive to issues surrounding body positivity.

Despite less political correctness in China, foreign brands should stay true to their DNA in the market. From a marketing standpoint, a message that resonates in China may be different from other markets, but it still shouldn’t diverge from the essence of the brand in its home market. Chinese consumers, particularly younger generations, are placing more emphasis on brands with an authentic purpose. But the hierarchy of messaging should be taken in a cultural context of China, particularly with regard to political correctness. This should also be considered when dealing with partners in China. In many cases, a correct read on political ideologies is as important as political correctness. Contact China Skinny to learn how we can assist your brand to determine your most appropriate messaging hierarchy and positioning.