In the impression of Chinese people, each European country has its own style and culture. If you get to know the image of each country from a Chinese perspective, it can give you tons of marketing ideas to promote at the same time your brand and the unique know-how of your home country. The impression of Austria is a landlocked country in the middle of Europe with a positive image in mainland China, due to its beautiful landscapes and low-key luxury brands. Fun fact, China even created a fake Hallstatt in Guangdong.
What are the Top Austrian Brands in China?
Swarovski Crystal – The Light of Austrian Jewelry Appreciated in China
If you are on the streets of China right now, then you have seen the Austrian jewelry brand Swarovski. According to data, China is already Swarovski’s number one market worldwide, accounting for 20% of global business. As always, Swarovski is optimistic about the huge potential of the Chinese market and has full confidence in it.
Founded in 1895, Swarovski has been dedicated to the innovative design of Austrian crystals for over a century, making it one of the world’s leading crystal manufacturers. In China, Swarovski’s brand icon, the Swan collection, is hugely popular, with the White Swan logo attracting many young Chinese consumers, and with jewelry generally ranging from a few hundred to a thousand dollars in stores, which puts many students and office workers at their fingertips.
Swarovski, between 2016 and 2017, fully adapted to the Chinese market. The Austrian brand did not only focus on the first and second-tier cities to spread a huge sales network including single-brand direct stores and agents but also to take advantage of the wind of e-commerce. In 2015, they opened a flagship store on Tmall and a WeChat store at the end of 2017. Public data shows that Swarovski Group’s sales in China were 1.7 billion yuan, up 13% year-on-year.
For the Qixi Festival, Swarovski even joined hands with the Forbidden City Palace Culture to proudly launch a new Valentine’s Day collection, which is dedicated to sweet lovers and better caters to Chinese consumers.
Wolford – The World’s Thinnest Stocking Brand Seduces Chinese
Wolford is among the most famous Austrian lingerie brand in Europe. Its most admired product in the fashion world is its stockings, Wolford stockings are probably the best stockings in the world. It produces AURA 5 stockings, the thinnest stockings in the world. The reason behind their success in China? The Chinese star Faye Wong is their loyal customer.
In 2021, Wolford entered a partnership with Chinese lingerie brand Inside and Out (NEIWAI), and the first co-branded collaboration collection was launched in September. The Asian market is seen as the next major growth market for Wolford, and China is at the heart of Wolford’s strategy, which is supported by Chinese partner Fosun Fashion Brand Management (FFBM). Wolford is expanding its network of retail stores in China and has already launched Little Red Book, Weibo, and Douyin accounts, as well as WeChat public and video accounts. While strengthening digital marketing in the Chinese market, Wolford has also taken the step of cross-border cooperation.
How to Effectively Market an Austrian Brand in China
1. Tmall Global – Set up your Austrian Brand Flagship Store
Tmall Global is Alibaba’s import retail platform, dedicated to providing Chinese consumers with global imported goodies and direct access to overseas lifestyles, as well as helping overseas brands reach Chinese consumers directly, making it more convenient and high-quality for Chinese consumers to “buy global” and discover more new global trends.
“Made in Austria” will be a highlight for your brand on T-mall International. Chinese consumers favour Austria’s high quality and appreciate Austria’s good design, which will directly and effectively attract Chinese consumers to buy. And T-mall International is a gathering of young consumers, which can help Austrian brands to grow quickly, and is undoubtedly the first-choice platform for brands to enter China.
2. Marketing – Focus on Chinese Social Media
When Austrian brands enter the Chinese market, a trend that cannot be ignored is to join the “double WeChat” (WeChat+WeiBo), Xiaohongshu, KOL content marketing, and other emerging media promotion. Take Xiaohongshu as an example.
Xiaohongshu is a more female-oriented and lifestyle-oriented platform. With 250 million registered users, female users account for 80% of which 70% are post-90s, and users in first and second-tier cities account for 60%. So many young people will spend hours checking their feed on Xiaohongshu, to search for delicious, fun, and interesting lifestyles.
Austrian brands can interact with Chinese consumers by sharing product content through a lot of sales pitches, establishing a connection with users, and delivering brand stories through the history of Austria. KOL creates scenarios for consumers through beautifully shot pictures and moving stories, and users can buy products directly through links.
Tips for your Brand in China
- Get a brand audit and market survey
- Develop a localized marketing strategy with Chinese platforms
- Improve your online reputation through Chinese magazines and forums
- Get the right team in China to develop your marketing and sales
- Bonus: Partner with an agency that already worked with Austrian brands
Have you followed the GMA’s solution for Austrian watch brand Jacques Lemans’ marketing in China?
Contact us to bring your brand to the Chinese market