This compartmentalization is useful to a point but it does not take into account that culture influences people’s motivation, processes, and meaning. Expecting young consumers in China to believe and behave like cohorts abroad is asking for an exercise in disappointment.

Failing to acknowledge a culture gap partly explains why some brand messages are not well received and integrated in China. Why do local retail teams seemingly refuse to project the globally-prescribed image and language? Why are there such significant gaps between target and actual consumer profiles? Why are consumers not using products the way they were intended?

These are all less than subtle cues, opportunities to recognize the need to take a step back and re-evaluate. If a brand wants to differentiate (which it absolutely must), it needs to stand for something specific, and understand what that value means for its consumers.

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