Tell Santa you want something Chinese

Strong tradition of family togetherness means Asian products make perfect Christmas gifts

More and more Chinese brands are now positioned as Christmas gifts. Not only are increasing numbers of Chinese companies building brands around the world, they are increasingly tuned in to the festive mood across Europe at this time of year.

Leading the pack, by a country mile, is London-based Chinese luxury brand Shanghai Tang.

Just a cursory glance at the Shanghai Tang website reveals a clear shift in brand positioning, with Christmas gift-giving central to its current theme.

Most prominent on the website is the Christmas Gift Collection for 2016, which presents an amazing array of luxury clothing and accessories. Shanghai Tang sets a fine example of the highest quality and presentation levels we now see across European markets where Chinese brands are concerned

But crucially, Shanghai Tang leads the way in pursuing brand building via Chinese associations, many of them traditional.

European consumers are now aware of this Chinese theme and will, without hesitation, purchase a Christmas gift with a Chinese image. Shanghai Tang has, in effect, uncovered and ignited a hitherto dormant desire among European consumers.

Not that this desire extends only as far as clothing with traditional Chinese patterns, which are very much the cornerstone of Shanghai Tang's brand strategy. The company currently offers a full range of luxury fashion accessories and even traditional Chinese tea, all very much presented as Christmas gifts.

But why does it appear that European consumers are eager to buy Chinese brands as Christmas gifts?

Of course, it may just be a trend, a new way of finding interesting gifts for friends and family. But it is a finding of my ongoing research on the changing perception of Chinese brands across Europe and the West generally that European consumers are increasingly attracted to China - and Chinese culture in particular.

I strongly suspect that it is admiration and respect for traditional Chinese culture and family cohesion that has led to the ready and enthusiastic acceptance of Chinese brands as Christmas gifts.

Furthermore, Europeans are envious of the cohesive and caring nature of extended Chinese families, where several generations maintain unbreakable bonds.

Across Europe, gift-giving at Christmas often revolves around families, and extended families in particular, where an annual coming together takes place. It may well be that the handing-over of Chinese brands as gifts at this time to family members, especially infrequently visited distant family members, goes further toward a more close-knit family and brings extended families closer in a far more meaningful way.

While Shanghai Tang and many other Chinese brands that position themselves as gifts for European consumers at Christmas time have made great progress in recent years, there is room for far more emotional meaning here.

Shanghai Tang and others should be providing clear visual traditional Chinese associations alongside their brands and highlighting clearly the family togetherness - extended family in particular - that these brands represent.

Often the most valued Christmas gifts are those that are consumed more or less immediately and shared among the family and extended family. Such gifts are even more valued as contributors to family togetherness when they also contribute to a relaxing, happy atmosphere. This brings us on, rather naturally, to Chinese green tea.

Often touted by leading authorities, such as the World Health Organization, as one of the healthiest dietary accompaniments, Chinese green tea also carries an unrivaled image of peace and serenity.

What a perfect opportunity for an extremely highly valued family Christmas gift where the vast majority of European families could accept and enjoy Chinese green tea consumption as a major part of their Christmas family fun and relaxation.

Disappointingly, to date very few genuine Chinese green tea brands have found their way to prime locations among major European retailers.

But for European Christmas gift-givers there are numerous specialist retailers online who provide a wide choice of some of the finest Chinese green tea brands. European retailers have ventured into the green tea market but, despite impressive efforts, they can't seem to match the emotional association and quality of the best Chinese brands.

European retailers sell their own label green tea products. Chinese providers offer the most emotionally associative brands worldwide.

Some of the best known brands in Chinese mainland would probably find European market penetration easiest, given their rich history and associations. These brands also possess the financial muscle to build brand awareness across very competitive European markets. Long Jing pan-fried green tea from Hangzhou, capital of eastern China's Zhejiang province, ranks as one of the brands that enjoys top awareness.

Not far behind are Chinese Bi Luo Chun, from central China's Jiangsu province, and Tie Guan Yin, a type of oolong tea from East China's Fujian province.

It is these brands, and not the craftily contrived Western retailer versions, that will attract European consumers in search of that perfect Christmas gift to be enjoyed by the entire family, in much the same way as it is across Chinese mainland on a regular basis.

Chinese brands as Christmas gifts, therefore, deserve to take pride of place at a time of family togetherness.

But Christmas is also a time for romantic, gifts and Chinese brands also have competitive offerings here.

The perfect romantic gift for European female loved ones at Christmas is the traditional Chinese dress known as the qipao. This elegant item is also symbolic of traditional China and Chinese culture, something that European consumers perceive as increasingly sophisticated and stylish.

The qipao, which dates back to 17th century China, is traditionally made of silk with decorative and ornate embroidery. Trimmed at the collar and sleeves, this is the dress of empresses.

Opportunity also knocks for romantic Europeans searching for that perfect Christmas gift for male loved ones. Often cited as the male version of the qipao, the changshan presents an opportunity for style and sophistication in the form of a traditional male Chinese clothing item.

Even though traditional Chinese clothing has not found its way into European shopping centers and the best-known fashion stores, the qipao and the changshan can be found very easily with a quick and simple online search.

There is a significant overlap between the emotions aroused at Christmas time in Europe and traditional Chinese culture. Both revolve around family togetherness, belonging and romantic feelings for loved ones. Chinese brands, especially those infused with traditional Chinese associations, possess a considerable and natural competitive advantage, therefore, when positioned in the minds of European consumers as Christmas presents.

For European consumers, the perfect Christmas gifts that will lead to the most meaningful family experience have to include more than a few Chinese brands.

Christmas gift-giving and traditional Chinese culture share many similarities. Chinese brands, therefore, could be part of that perfect family time.

The author is a visiting professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing and a senior lecturer at Southampton University. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily European Weekly 12/09/2016 page9)