A market of markets

The fact that China is not a single, homogenous market is something we have been talking with clients about for years. It still seems to come as a surprise for some but this article in today's IHT is a good summary of some important issues as they affect advertising and media.

The report notes:

For merchants, and therefore for advertisers, there are many Chinas, perhaps as many as there are countries in Europe, specialists say. To succeed in China, advertisers need to take into account wide regional variations in language, temperament, income, culture, climate, diet, demographics and history, they say.

Thanks once again to Fons Tuinstra for pointing us in the direction of this one. I'll have to read the IHT more. It keeps coming up with some good, solid insights.