Any major themes to take note of?  Comparing this commercial, with that of the Remy commercials in yesterday’s posts, one thing is indeed VERY clear.

When marketing a product that is (generally speaking) for the masses of everyday consumers, tapping a worldly theme is very important.  China wants to fee like it is not only a part of the greater global community, but that it is contributing to it.  This commercial highlights such a theme perfectly in a very straight forward fashion.

The commercials from Remy Martin (see yesterday’s post) target a wealthier consumer and promote images of peace, tranquility, class and sophistication which are derived from the pleasure of enjoying a exclusive and expensive beverage like Remy Martin cognac.  Perhaps this is tapping into the desire to find a way to relax and disconnect from a life of a over-worked Chinese executive.  Offering a type of reward incentive for ones hard work, in the form of a “special” drink, the you work hard to be able to afford, consume and thereafter experience the feeling promoted in the marketing image.

Chinese culture tends to place far less emphasis and importance on receiving and giving compliments.  Confucius said, “to remain un-soured even though one’s merits are not recognized by others, is that not what is expected of a man of virtue?”  In other words, when the over-worked, wealthy business executives in China see this commercial, they see a beverage that creates the aura of achievement, recognition and merit so desperately desired.

The Tsingtao commercial on the other side wants you to let go of that hard day, drop your personal barrier and simply enjoy a beer with the world around you (not escape from it).

(Newswire:  businesstimes.com.sg)

When Hong Kong slashed its alcohol taxes to zero last year, it put a dent in Singapore’s attempts to grow as a wine business hub of Asia. Without the huge mainland Chinese market in its backyard, wine businesses have also found it a challenge to grow the local industry, even as Singaporean palates become more sophisticated and the demand for more variety increases.

However, recent activity has shown that the industry is not being stymied by Hong Kong. It has instead found several niche areas that are showing some promise.

Wine conferences and fairs

This is turning out to be an area of growth as organisers see greater interest from consumers in learning more about wine while distributors, retailers and restaurateurs reap benefits from visibility, networking and co-operation.

This week, for example, sees the International Congress of Chinese Cuisine & Wine (ICCCW) and Wine For Asia (WFA), running back-to-back, while the Singapore Wine Fiesta starts at the end of the month.

The ICCCW conference was founded last year by local publisher and columnist Ch’ng Poh Tiong, and it’s a feather in Singapore’s hat that after its first year in Beijing, he brought it here instead of tax-free Hong Kong, although it will be touring there next year.

‘The choice of venue is not dictated by local tax regimes vis-a-vis wine,’ explains Ch’ng. ‘Our goal is to spread the concept, and culture, of wine with Chinese cuisine wherever Chinese cuisine is highly appreciated.’

…

Click here to access complete article from Businesstimes.com.sg

[Source] – Businesstimes.com.sg Written by Christopher Lim and additional reporting by Melissa Lwee

(Newswire : Channel NewsAsia)

Guilin, GUANXI PROVINCE: French cognac maker, Remy Martin, is cashing in on China’s growing luxury market. It recently unveiled a rare cask of its “Louis the 13th” cognac in the Chinese city of Guilin.

Remy Martin chose Guilin to debut its limited edition vintage Louis the 13 Rare Cask.

Patrick Piana, CEO, Remy Martin, said: “The launch of Louis XIII rare cask is very important to the brand Louis XIII and the fact that it’s in China is a very important symbol of the future of Louis XIII overall.”

…
One consumer said: “Chinese people love wine and cognac hasn’t been promoted in a large scale here in the past however gradually Chinese people will learn to drink good cognac.”

Chinese drinkers are more accustomed to baijou or rice wine and whiskey and Remy Martin said it is not in the business of converting them.

Mr Piana added: “We’re not in a volume game so as to converting whisky drinkers, tequila drinkers, or vodka drinkers in other markets. It’s about making sure we cherish and nourish our brand to convert existing consumers to our brands.”

And it seems the group is going in the right direction.

[Source] – Channel NewsAsia’s China Correspondent Glenda Chong

Globowines first mentioned Wine for Asia 2009 back in April (see post) earlier this year.  Fast forward 6 months and the time for the big show is upon us.

Just a reminder to all those readers out there in Singapore — Wine For Asia begins October 22 and runs until October 24.

Wine For Asia (WFA) 2009, the most comprehensive international wine exhibition in the region, returns to Singapore from 22 – 24 October 2009 with the promise of another bumper event.

An exciting exposition that help you expand your footprint into Asia’s burgeoning wine market, WFA 2009 offers a one-stop opportunity to keep abreast of the latest wine offerings, complete with a myriad of first-class business, educational and networking opportunities and lifestyle pursuits. Exhibitors and visitors can look forward to three days of non-stop business, networking and learning opportunities.

Click here to visit the Wine for Asia home page for more information.

Mir Global Marketing LLC has completed it’s summer tour of China, and what a journey is has been! What do we have to report? Well, quite a bit. Since it is too much to compile into one simple blog entry, I have decided to begin with some travel advice and general words of wisdom about doing business in China.

July 13 — New York City –> Beijing (12.5 hours on Continental’s direct flight.) Highly recommend anyone traveling to China from the New York City area and not obligated to any specific carrier book their ticket on this flight. You save between 4-8 hours in additional travel time / transfer time at airports. You do not risk missing a connecting flight, and the service on the plane is quite good for a US owned airline. The one negative side is the cranky American flight attendants, which you do not find if you’re traveling JAL, Cathay, Asiana, etc.

Arrival in Beijing was quick and easy. Customs allowed me to pass with more wine than I was probably legally allowed to bring, I recovered from jet lag quite fast and was out on the town showcasing our wines from Chile and Argentina by my second night.

After reconvening with Xu Wenquan, Mir Global Marketing’s director of sales in China/ Asia we set out a game plan for how to best approach diverse selection of potential buyers / contacts. We would need to fine tune our marketing strategy for three different market segments.

- Chinese government owned entities.

- Chinese entrepreneurs / business owners of bars and night clubs which cater China’s rising middle and upper class. In other words, the sons and daughters of wealthy Chinese who are looking to make a name for themselves and are have chosen to start a business. Not with the goal of attracting foreign customers (although they would not object), bur rather China’s new consumers looking for a good time and some nice drinks.

- Western operated and privately owned establishments in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. These type of businesses cater to China’s trendy, diverse, metropolitan cultures. I define this group as a mix of foreigners and urban Chinese you would find at a popular bar in a major city like Beijing.

Now, I present a few words of wisdom for those considering to do business in China. These are my own opinions, and I welcome those who would like to discuss any of these points. Please add your comments below or drop me a email, bennett.reiss (at) gmail.com

1. The more interaction you have with China, and the longer you stay, the more you realize how little you truly know and understand the country. Don’t think a mere semester or two of studying in China, speaking Chinese, reading books about “doing business in China,” foreign policy or cultural communication classes make you a expert. They do not.

2. What you learned in business school will not necessarily apply in China. You must cautiously and selectively archive into the back of your mind what you have come to accept as common business practices. What you learned in all those over-priced business classes will usually not apply in China. This is especially true when dealing with Chinese partners, be it from the private sector or a government owned entity.

3. Smile. Even if you are impatient, frustrated, mentally a mess, cranky, jet lagged, suffering from heart break, or angry with life itself… Smile and put a face that mixes happy, calm and confident all in one. The moment you allow what you have bottled up inside to show, vis-à-vis body language or with words, you have lost the battle. You will fail at negotiating a cheaper hotel, you will fail to convince your taxi driver to take the shorter route and you will fail in business negotiation. A calm, collected persona and a smile go a long way in China. Remember this.

4. Keep an open mind and remain flexible as to adapt to any given situation you face. It is popular in western cultures to look for a logical explanation for something you do not understand or a problem you may face. Westerners also tend to believe it is possible to control things like your schedule. Many times in China, there is no logical answer, and controlling things is quite difficult when you are operating in a country as complex and large as China. Accept this now, before you lose your mind, and therefore compromise all the elements I described above in point #3.

5. Dress to impress if you’re doing business. Even if its hot and humid, put on that suit and leave the tie and jacket behind. As they say, you only get one first impression. When you’re dealing with a Chinese businessman/ woman, it is incredibly important to do all in your power to make your first meeting as professional as possible.

** Reminder to all readers, opinions expressed in this entry are my own and should be not treated as fact. Thank you.

~ Bennett Reiss – International Trade Consultant at Mir Global Marketing LLC

Limited as that might sound, it’s actually the perfect medium to talk about new or interesting wines with other like-minded people. Because of the limitations of the medium, everyone’s comments are short and to the point; all voices are at the same volume; there’s no apologizing for spilling wine on someone else’s rug; and, best of all, no one has to drive home.

There’s no shortage of wine-obsessed Twitter users and, because of that, already there’s no shortage of Twitter tasting groups. And there’s always room for more, whether it’s tasting and talking about organic wines, ports, or even different tequilas and mezcals, if spirits are more up your alley.

Click here to access the full article from Forbes

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A new proposal to sell wine in New York supermarkets is surfacing in Albany after liquor store interests helped kill an earlier bill.

Grocery store chains that want to legalize wine sales in their stores say it will add $160 million in revenues to the state in the first two years and save New Yorkers $80 million in lower prices through greater competition.

Click here to access the full article from CBS Albany