What China’s Frosty Winter Ahead Means for Marketing Plans
China Skinny works with numerous brands to forecast macro trends, consumer segment and category-specific projections to better prepare for the inevitable changes that will happen in China. Much of our analysis draws on our experience, data, insights, library of knowledge and industry contacts from over a decade of operating in China. But beyond our analysis, there is a relatively banal subject that can greatly impact consumer behaviour and how they choose to spend their money – the weather.
The influence of the weather is something we track closely, which is why we were interested to note China’s National Climate Center’s latest forecasts for frigid conditions in China this winter. The mercury will be lower than normal in the northern, northeastern, northwestern, and southern parts of the country.
All of us have been there: colder weather can impact our moods and make us less likely to get out and spend. It can also change the way we do spend, often helping bump ecommerce sales and other digital behaviour.
In many cases, components of a marketing plan can be tweaked to better accommodate the frosty conditions. It can sway which products and formats we buy from fashion to food and beverage, to the beauty and health products we seek. Last winter’s snow sports boom is likely to gather further momentum, whereas consumers may be less likely to partake in recently popular hobbies such as camping and cycling. Communications that empathise with consumers over the weather through a clever, humorous or emotional lens can help strengthen their connection and preference with your brand.
When determining hero products and communications, China’s weather variances between different cities and provinces further reiterates the importance of localising and targeting regionally. Consumers won’t need the same degree of outerwear in Shanghai as Shenyang and will be swayed by different products, messaging and imagery. Beijing beauty buyers looking to protect their skin from dry, chilly conditions are likely to be looking for different products to those in the more humid, warmer Guangzhou.
The frosty winter comes on the back of a Chinese summer which registered its hottest August since records began and one of its lowest levels of rainfall in 61 years. These severe swings between the intense summer and the winter ahead, should only convince more Chinese consumers of the threat of climate change. China is among the most at-risk countries in world, with 85% of the population exposed to climate-related hazards by mid-century according to the UN. Yet, Chinese consumers aren’t as concerned as you may expect according to an international study by Gallup. Just 20% of people in China saw climate change as a “very serious threat” in 2021, down from 23% in 2019. The figure was 48.7% globally.
The two key takeaways from this week’s Skinny are to consider whether there could be areas of your marketing plan worth tweaking to factor in the anticipated colder winter than usual; and how environmental and sustainability messaging differs in China from other parts of the world. China Skinny can assist you with either of these – contact us to learn more.
