{"id":14128,"date":"2024-05-27T07:30:34","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T07:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/?p=14128"},"modified":"2025-04-23T09:00:32","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T09:00:32","slug":"what-are-consumer-tribes-and-why-are-they-important-for-brands-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/what-are-consumer-tribes-and-why-are-they-important-for-brands-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"What are consumer tribes, and why are they important for brands in China?"},"content":{"rendered":"

China\u2019s consumer market has always been marked by its vast size and striking diversity, encompassing a range of incomes, regional cultures and consumer preferences. Increasingly however, savvy brands are looking beyond simple demographic characteristics to build deeper connections with consumers.<\/p>\n

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Consumer tribes are networks of consumers who share an interest, passion or emotional state. They may also follow the same influencers or connect via the same social media platforms. These tribes can be broad and value-based \u2013 people who are concerned about environmental degradation, for example \u2013 or based around specific subcultures \u2013 people interested in street dance, for example.<\/p>\n

In China, consumer trends that have attracted particularly vibrant subcultures in recent years include hanfu<\/em> clothing (e.g., wearing traditional Han dynasty-style clothing), anime, zero-waste living, and Buddhism. What ties these trends together \u2013 particularly those that are popular among Gen Z \u2013 is a desire for self-expression and identity construction. As Antoaneta Becker, CBBC\u2019s Director of Consumer Economy, UK, noted at China Consumer 2023, today\u2019s Chinese consumers demand to participate in and co-curate consumer experiences. Often, this takes the form of user-generated content (UGC) on social media.<\/p>\n