Officials and experts Sunday
called for more efforts in brand cultivation as the country is embarking on the
western development strategy.
Establishing a brand is crucial for companies that intend to differentiate
their products from others and to gain profits, said Zhang Yansheng, a
researcher with the State Development and Reform Commission Sunday at a forum on
brand building and promotion in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
The workshop is part of the Western China Brand Promotion Tour sponsored by
China's Ministry of Commerce.
Chinese-made lighters hit 80 per cent of the global market, but most, if not
all, of them are made for Japanese or South Korea firms, thus bearing these
firms' trade marks, according to Zhang. As a result, the majority of the profits
are taken away not by the OEMs (original equipment manufacturer) in China, but
the counterparts in Japan and South Korea.
A name brand can be turned into the sustainable competitive edge of a
company, noted the researcher who advised the OEMs to start brand building after
they have gained a relatively good financial status.
Zhang suggested enterprises in Ningxia should enlarge market share in the
region, creating a big demand for local products, which in the end will help
local brand's growth.
He went on to call for local governments to offer financial, information,
personnel support to enterprises in brand building while beefing up the
protection of intellectual property rights.
The region should start brand building in advantageous industries, such as
agricultral products, medicine and health products, according to Zhang Qingning,
an academician with the Ningxia Academy of Social Science.
He asked the local government to offer preferential financial and tax
policies for local name brands, so as to help them increase influences across
the country.
Wang Desheng, head of the Western China Brand Promotion Tour delegation, put
forward four proposals for brand building in Ningxia: increase the brand
building awareness and foster a sound environment for brand building; improve
the products quality; step up efforts in brand appraisal, promotion and
protection; and beef up marketing efforts and enlarge the
market.
