What Chinese Want: Culture, Communism and the Modern Chinese Consumer

I had been reading in the last little while a few personal narratives about life in China - so I went in with that mindset. I found it a little slow going at first.

I was a little frustrated by the format typical business book - not a narrative structure. So that took some getting used to.

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No question - Doctoroff knows his stuff. He's been there for years, speaks the language, worked in the ad agency alongside native Chinese. A teeny tiny bit repetitive in parts, but that in some ways helped reinforce his message about how to market to Chinese. This book is more than just a marketing book - he speaks intelligently and thoughtfully about the psyche of the Chinese as well as the modern history of China and how cultural values are impacted.

And this is all super interesting. Doctoroff does share a few personal anecdotes - I wish there had been more. These were some of the best parts of the book. He talked about buying and renovating a lane home in Beijing. I wish he would have shared more of this story - could probably have been a whole chapter. It's these anecdotes that give him the authority to speak for Chinese culture and a few more of them would have strengthened the book.

I also enjoyed his observations and stories about Chinese brands - but again, I wish there had been a bit more of that.

I'm not sure if I would read his earlier book, Billions. He only referenced it once or twice. Doctoroff has good info, but concerned it repeats what's in here. If you are a Sinofile or if you are a marketer who is going to do business in China, read this. If you're looking for a narrative of what it is like to live in China, stick with something like Country Driving by Peter Hessler. Feb 05, Matthew Christensen rated it really liked it. Tom Doctoroff has opinions and he isn't afraid to express them.

There is no beating around the bush here. I appreciated his direct style and getting right to the point, though he has a tendency to oversimplify things. There is nothing worse than dancing around the issue to the point that you're not sure where the author stands. Not so with Doctoroff. He also tends to overgeneralize, saying things such as: For them, the cheapest brand will do. Of the Chinese education system, he says, "It's primary role is to advance the interests of the nation, as defined by the Communist Party.

Again, he is overgeneralizing. Medical equipment will still be manned by inadequately trained and poorly compensated staff. Local banks, while dependable for low-end transactions, will offer no investment alternatives beyond basic savings and high-risk, opaque mutual funds.

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China has progressed in practically every area of society in the past 30 years. I see no reason to believe that things won't continue to change and improve. At the same time, they regard it as dangerous, both personally and as a national competitive advantage. I have not met too many Chinese that are enamored by Western individualism. Most find it rather odd. Despite Doctoroff's tendency to overgeneralize, and his frequent repetition, he is not afraid to challenge the reader; he makes you think, ask questions. Some of what he says may even anger you, especially if you are native Chinese.

All of this is okay. I like someone with an opinion even if I don't agree with it. The best books are those that challenge you. In sum, this book provides a nice look into Chinese consumer culture. The reader comes away with a better understanding of the dramatic changes in society in China today. Jun 16, Andrew rated it really liked it. His writing style is verbose, sometimes too much so, but remains engaging, even if I did have to pull out a dictionary at times. This book is a must-read shortcut for any guest working in China trying to make sense of the overwhelming complexity and depth of China's consumer landscape.

It provides a unique perspective on why the Chinese think the way they do, history's role in China today - and unlocks mysteries one might have not even noticed. But marketing guru Tom Doctoroff can handle it. He approaches rough business challenges not only strategically but also psychologically.

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He catches what numbers don't capture: In so far as it is possible to sum the sentiment and unique cultural underpinnings of this mammoth country, Tom has done it. It will help you quickly learn what was so hard for me to understand during my five years of living in China: China is very different from the West, and Tom Doctoroff will explain what you need to know to succeed there. But business people who want to succeed in China often feel like they have landed on a different planet.

Tom Doctoroff's book offers a very insightful, down-to-earth analysis of both what's driving growth in China as well as a nuanced analysis of the psychology of Chinese leaders and people. Anyone who wants to succeed big time in China will find his book very helpful and interesting. Rooted in a long and successful career in China, Tom Doctoroff's book gives a concrete, in-depth, and simple explanation about how this mysterious land really works that will begin to change the world's biased understanding of a great country.

Doctoroff is the recipient of the Magnolia Government Award, the highest honor given by the Shanghai municipal government to expatriates, and was selected to be an official torchbearer for the Beijing Olympics. Would you like to tell us about a lower price? If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?



Today, most Americans take for granted that China will be the next global superpower. Here, Tom Doctoroff, the guiding force of advertising giant J. Walter Thompson's JWT China operations, marshals his 20 years of experience navigating this fascinating intersection of commerce and culture to explain the mysteries of China.

From the new generation's embrace of Christmas to the middle-class fixation with luxury brands; from the exploding senior demographic to what the Internet means for the government's hold on power, Doctoroff pulls back the curtain to reveal a complex and nuanced picture of a facinating people whose lives are becoming ever more entwined with our own.

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Read more Read less. Add both to Cart Add both to List. These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. Buy the selected items together This item: Ships from and sold by Triple C.. Customers who viewed this item also viewed. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. Selling to the New Chinese Consumer. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition September 24, Language: Start reading What Chinese Want on your Kindle in under a minute. Don't have a Kindle? Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features: Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review.

Read reviews that mention tom doctoroff china today chinese culture chinese consumers chinese want business in china chinese people living in china working in china society in china advertising modern become brands complex consumer individual insights party readers. Showing of 22 reviews. Top Reviews Most recent Top Reviews. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. I have been working in China for 1,5 year now and was immediately fascinated by the title and context of this book.

In the past 2 years I have been extensively reading about China, its culture and the psyche of its people in an attempt to understand them. Bit by bit I have been putting the complex puzzle of China and the Chinese together only to see that the resulting picture still never made complete sense. I expected a lot from books like Kotler's 'Marketing Management in China', but it proved little more than his regular 'Marketing Management' book with some added Chinese case material. After reading an article about Doctoroff's book online I knew I had to get myself a copy immediately which initially proved a bit challenging since the book itself is banned in China.

After having read the book I have to agree with both the positive and negative comments in other reviews. Constants and Variables Brighter Eyes, Bigger Markets China's Booming Luxury Market: Gold Mine or Landmine? Where Ego and Anxiety Collide Gray Today, Golden Tomorrow China's Ambivalent Tiger Moms: A Parallel Universe of Ambitious Release The Chinese and Food: Survival and Success pt.

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