EP 31: Grace Mou explains PopMart's Labubu craze as part of China's brand innovation

What this episode covers

In Part 2 of a 4-part series, Grace Mou, Chinese trend forecaster and brand strategist, explains how China has emerged from its past of copycatting foreign goods and brands, and is now rapidly advancing its own innovation. Together with Auto Ethnographer host, John Stech, she discusses the so-called soft power of Chinese brands and the increase in their global export. Grace explores the rise of the Labubu brand under PopMart, saying clearly that it is not a toy company but an intellectual property (IP) company. The nine-toothed creatures have taken over collectors' hearts around the world thanks to sightings of many celebrities sporting them on their backpacks and handbags. Next, she shines light on the internationally popular vertical dramas. These short 5-6 minute videos are part of a 50-60 part series watched on the phone in portrait position, hence the "vertical drama" name. Developed during the pandemic period as a form of advertisement, they quickly developed into an entertainment medium of their own. Lastly, we cover the "instant commerce war", a name given to Chinese hyper-advanced on-line shopping where convenience is the master. A consumer sees something, clicks, and thirty minutes later there is a knock on the door by the delivery person. This convenience does bring a danger of overspending, something that budget-wary Chinese consumers must keep in mind. These are just three examples where China's innovation is leading the world and is driving demand beyond its borders. This thirty-minute episode scratches the surface of this development but promises to open eyes about the speed and direction of innovation. You can read Grace Mou's weekly blog with further culture insights here https://www.grace-creativity.com/blog. You can also follow Grace Mou on Substack at https://substack.com/@trendculturebrand To learn more about The Auto Ethnographer, visit the homepage at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com [https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/] You can also follow on Instagram or Facebook for a daily "Unusual Cars in Unusual Places" post. For Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/auto.ethnographer/] click here. For Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567929329364] click here.