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| Mainland consumers aspire to the Hong Kong lifestyle (photo: Xinhua News Agency) |
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They read foreign magazines and books, browse foreign websites and regularly shop online. They’re self-confident, enjoy holidays abroad and indulge in lifestyle pursuits, like going to the gym.
Consummate netizens, they have the same middle-class aspirations as their Western counterparts. Only they live chiefly in China’s bigger cities – and unanimously defer to Hong Kong as leading the “next big thing” in lifestyle aspirations.
An HKTDC Research survey in June took a closer look at the mainland’s middle class. The survey, of 1,080 consumers with an average household monthly income of about Rmb10,000 (US$1,464), found that respondents favoured the prospect of better living standards, if not a better lifestyle. Some 73 per cent said they wanted to reward themselves by having “a rich material life,” while 64 per cent said it was worth paying more for a product or service they liked.
Of those polled, 61 per cent said they liked to “try and own trendy things,” and 63 per cent said they liked to share and discuss with friends their “trendy activities and experiences.”
Mainland Aspirations
|
%
|
China Total
|
Age 20-24
|
Age 25-44
|
Age 45-44
|
|
Read foreign book/magazines/newspaper (including e-version) once a month or more
|
33
|
41
|
44
|
24
|
|
Browse foreign websites once a month or more
|
25
|
35
|
42
|
13
|
|
Play online games once a month or more
|
50
|
78
|
68
|
24
|
|
Shop or acquire services online regularly
|
28
|
36
|
45
|
9
|
Source: HKTDC survey
Hong Kong à la Mode
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 |
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Trendsetting Hong Kong: mainlanders see Hong Kong
as a place that offers a broad international vision and
modern lifestyle |
Mainlanders view Hong Kong as an advanced international financial centre, believing Hong Kongers have a broad global vision and know how to enjoy life.
A majority said Hong Kong is ahead of the mainland in responding to the latest trends, and that most of the world’s latest products and trends can be found in Hong Kong.
Of those surveyed, 73 per cent agreed that Hong Kong’s products and services reflected the latest trends, while 72 per cent said they would use Hong Kong as a window for the latest global trends.
In the study, 68 per cent expressed an interest in keeping in touch with Hong Kong trends and culture, while 49 per cent indicated that their clothing, lifestyles and tastes were influenced by Hong Kong.
Mainland Consumers: the Hong Kong Connection
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%
|
Guangzhou
|
Shanghai
|
Beijing
|
Chengdu
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Wuhan
|
Dalian
|
|
I like to keep in touch with Hong Kong’s trends and culture
|
74
|
81
|
64
|
48
|
65
|
72
|
|
My clothing, living style and leisure activities are influenced by Hong Kong’s trends
|
62
|
61
|
40
|
26
|
51
|
49
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Source: HKTDC survey
Beyond Shanghai
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Hong Kong trends are more compatible and accessible for mainland consumers than those
in the United States
or Europe |
|
Reflecting how attitudes and perceptions pervade large cities such as Guangzhou and Shanghai is not to understate the impressions of those in second-tier cities, who have had fewer opportunities to visit Hong Kong.
Their lifestyles and tastes seem to have been more subtly and indirectly influenced by Hong Kong popular culture, including movies and television shows, magazines and websites.
| |
In Touch with Hong Kong Trends |
| |
 |
| |
Clothing, Living and
Leisure Influences |
| |
 |
| |
Hong Kong Trends Attractive to Mainland Middle Class |
| |
 |
Hong Kong is viewed as a city where “east meets west,” a culture that has “a broader vision” and “international experience,” a place where there is “good quality control and design.”
Mainland consumers aspire to the Hong Kong lifestyle. Indeed, Hong Kong trends are more compatible and accessible than those in the United States or Europe, while Hong Kong celebrities and professionals are universally admired.
The survey revealed that 56 per cent of those polled wanted to travel to Hong Kong for products that can only be found there. Nearly 80 per cent said they hoped the services or products available in Hong Kong would also be available on the mainland.
Respondents were particularly interested in clothing and fashion accessories, electronic products, including mobile phones and cameras, and leisure and entertainment. Food, restaurants, movies and concerts were all associated with Hong Kong’s enviable lifestyle.
The mainland’s perception of Hong Kong products and services is not, of course, a static one, and perception does not always translate evenly into sales. Nevertheless, it offers a compelling snapshot of how Hong Kong brands can be marketed in these and other mainland consumer markets.
For more details, please see the forthcoming HKTDC Research report: "Middle Class Consumers in China," which can be ordered at http://www.hktdc.com/bookshop.
