China’s brands, China’s brand development strategies and corporate brand communications in China

The main contributions of this article include (i) the identification of different modes of brand development with five dimensions being identified: home-grown, corporate heritage, acquisition, association, joint-venture and alliance and (ii) the introduction of a distinct Chinese corporate brand total communications framework (consisting of six dimensions: primary, secondary, tertiary, family, guanxi and party (communist party) communications). This article identifies seven reasons why there has been a growth of interest in brands in China and also provides an overview of the main themes contained in the literature on China’s brands and brand management in China. Taking a historical perspective, it examines the use and significance of brands in China and identifies similarities between the importance accorded to China and the situation that existed in Great Britain during the industrial revolution. It notes the factors that have led to the exponential growth of interest in brands in China.