Netizens Vote On Favorite Brands, Gifts, Celebrities Of The Year
The top brand of 2010 among NobleChinese readers: Wuliangye baijiu
Now that 2010 is winding down, it’s about that time for the annual “Top 10” lists to start appearing. This week, the Chinese luxury portal NobleChinese went the extra mile and actually posted several top 10 lists, chosen by readers on a range of topics, including favorite domestic Chinese luxury brands, celebrities known for their involvement in the luxury industry, and high-end gifts. Though each of these lists is interesting in its own way — and they all offer some insight into brand perception among Chinese netizens — we’re only really interested in the top 10 domestic luxury brands of 2010.
While many (if not all) of these brands will be unheard-of outside of China, the list — dominated by producers of traditional Chinese spirits and featuring two cigarette manufacturers — is interesting in that it illustrates just how far Chinese fashion and jewelry brands are from widespread acceptance and recognition among Chinese netizens. While unscientific, another thing that stands out about the NobleChinese top 10 is its stark contrast with the findings of a Hurun Report survey earlier this year, which found Moutai to be the top spirits brand among wealthy Chinese respondents and Chunghwa the most popular cigarette brand.
Top 10 Domestic Chinese Luxury Brands of 2010 (Chosen by NobleChinese readers):
1.) Wuliangye (五粮液) – 38,729 votes – Producer of high-end baijiu, or traditional Chinese distilled spirits.
2.) Guojiao 1573 (国窖) – 34,872 votes – Baijiu producer.
3.) Daoguang 25 (道光廿五) – 29,859 votes – Baijiu producer.
4.) Red Flag (Hongqi, 红旗车) – 26,553 votes – China’s first luxury car brand, established in 1958. As Jing Daily recently reported, the automaker will soon begin production of the Hongqi HQE, expected to retail for 8 million yuan (US$1.2 million), which will make it, by far, the most expensive domestically designed and produced automobile in China.
NE-TIGER's first Shanghai boutique recently opened at Lippo Plaza
5.) NE-TIGER (东北虎皮草时装有限公司) – 22,031 votes – Luxury fashion brand, established by Zhang Zhifeng in 1992. NE-TIGER has taken a far more proactive approach at marketing in the last year, opening its first Shanghai boutique and putting on a high-profile runway show at China International Fashion Week.
6.) Swellfun (水井坊) – 21,259 votes – Sichuan-based baijiu producer, one of the top four distilleries in China. Acquired by the London-based beverage company Diageo in March of this year for US$907 million.
7.) Kasly Ju (金士力) – 20,237 votes – Producer of a diverse array of products, ranging from health food and tea to dietary supplements and liquor.
8.) Yuxi Cigarettes (玉溪(硬境界)) – 19,582 votes – At around 2000 yuan (US$301) per carton, Yuxi makes some of the most expensive cigarettes in China.
9.) Erdos (鄂尔多斯) – 18,303 votes – High-end cashmere manufacturer from Inner Mongolia, established in 1979. Currently the world’s largest producer of cashmere.
10.) Furongwang Cigarettes (Diamond Pack) (芙蓉王) – 16,965 votes – Priced around 1300 yuan (US$195) per carton.