Found this article on http://enovatechina.com/blog/
enoVate is an insights and design firm located in Shanghai. Enovate combines youth insights and provide some creative ways for brands to foster relationships with the youth. They cover Chinese celebrities on the link below
http://enovatechina.com/blog/category/celebrities-in-china/
& we have also included here as well- Enjoy!
Unlike in the West, celebrity endorsements are not seen as “selling out” but are actually a positive testament to star status–an endorsement or many means you have “made it.” This positive association with brands and celebrity endorsements results in a ton of money being thrown around to celebrities and multiple questions and studies on how to measure the ROI on these investments. In addition, mega celebrities are playing the game well and are becoming saturated with endorsements. Jay Chou alone has, at some point, endorsed the following global brands, let alone the local brands, Pepsi, Panasonic, Motorola, China Mobile, Colgate, World of Warcraft 3, National Geographic, Metersbonwe, Sprite, and Levis.
Pepsi celebrity squad
While I do not believe Chinese consumers are rejecting stars with multiple endorsements, I do believe a brands’ recognition with a certain celebrity becomes diluted unless you are one of the top brands a consumer recalls when asking about a specific celebrity. (click here for a good report on popular brands associations)
So, therefore, if you are Sprite, Coca-cola, Nike, Reebok, or any other global brand, you are doing pretty well with your mega-celebrity endorsements of Jay Chou, Yao Ming, Liu Xiang, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, etc. But what about the rest of us? As reported earlier, what about an up and coming brand like Vancl, how do they develop a strategy for their celebrity endorsement? Here is what I would do.
1. Give up on the mega-star, but if you must…get one that exists across multiple channels
If you haven’t locked one down yet, it is probably too late. Sure they will take your money and be in your commercial but it will take an excessive amount of marketing dollars to build much unsolicited brand recognition. If you can’t fight the urge, however, focus on the mega-stars that can give you more bang for your buck across several channels. Jay Chou’s star power comes largely from the fact it’s spread over numerous industries, he’s a musician, actor, director, desginer, fashion icon etc.
2. Regional stars: Now On Sale, Prices Slashed
As we noted earlier, regional talk show hosts can be very popular and influential in their respective markets. Pick up a few in your major target markets and put all the money you saved into regional advertising. They may not have a national appeal but I can guarantee they are a bargain and resonate well with the provincial population.
3. Missed Connections–Looking for celebrities in the oddest places
Celebrities in China today are dynamic, interesting, and driven by different motives than in previous generations. Celebrities such as Han Han and Xu Jinglei represent the voice of the modern celebrity in China. Crossing a wide range of activities including blogging, racecar driving, charity work, and social activism, these celebrities show that in order to appeal to Chinese youth, simply having a pretty face is not enough to sell products. Also in Chinese society the acceptance of unconventional celebrities suggests a new shift in the definition of a celebrity in China. The recent popularity of Zeng Yike from HappyGirl or fantasy RPG character Ling Er, show that celebrity power can come from non-traditional areas. Online Internet memes also have significant power to give ordinary people their 15 minutes of fame. Recent examples including Xiao Pang, Jia Junpeng, and Furong Jiejie, all have gained celebrity status in ways unbefitting of normal celebrities.
So there you have it. A few tips the next time you are given either a blank check or a miniscule budget. Although I have enjoyed digging into the lives of so many celebrities, I do not envy anyone who actually has to pick one.