Little Emperor Syndrome: The Changing Face of Chinese Consumerism

Introduction

The Little Emperors, although in reality only a minority among the full twenty-something demographic in China, are at the forefront of trend development in the country and have caught the imagination of observers both in China and abroad. This presentation seeks to explore who they are, and why understanding them is fundamental to growing opportunities in the mushrooming Chinese consumer market.

Features and benefits

• A highly comprehensive assessment of the Little Emperors as a consumer group, their continuing evolution, and how to market effectively to them.
• Access detailed, up-to-date (2010) consumer survey data by age group for China, illustrating the dynamics that make the Little Emperors so impactful.

Highlights

With 218 million people in the 20-29 age range in China, the Little Emperors, even though they are only a sub-set of this total, are a formidable consumer group. The family and financial dynamics of their upbringing and the impact of their transition into adulthood has profound implications for shaping consumer trend development.Little Emperors have been acculturated to consumption from an early age due to parental efforts to support their needs and wants in a marketplace where continual expansion of choice has been the principal characteristic.Affordability is an important issue within the Chinese context; aspirational consumers lack the purchasing power of their peers in developed markets (and considerable regional variations exist within China, as discussed later). Thus, price point is particularly important in maximising access to this upwardly mobile but price conscious cohort.

Your key questions answered

• How large is the market opportunity among the adult Little Emperor generation?
• What considerations influence the Little Emperors' consumption attitudes and behaviors?
• What are the differences in consumer behavior between Little Emperors in leading first tier cities and their lower income peers in lesser cities?

Please note: this is delivered as a PowerPoint presentation.