Have you seen the movie “The Social Network?” Do you remember when Zuckerberg created the program that compared pictures of two women, asking users to vote one after another to determine who was the hottest? This is what we are talking about. But on Kaixin and with user-generated content. Not just hot co-eds.

Kaixin001 (Kaixin001.com) recently released new comparison functionality. After being presented with 3-5 rounds of pictures representing “either-or” choices, users are able to reach their final choice. Users can initiate a comparison by themselves by introducing a subject and 10 pictures with captions. Subjects are wide open — from brands, celebrities, design, colors, styles, etc.

Pictures below: Subjects people vote on including “Who is the guy everyone thinks is cute but you just don’t feel that way?,” “Which Starbucks cup do you like best?” and the results of “Which shoes you would buy regardless of the price?”

In order to better define and China’s generational segmentation, we offer a look at the technology and media that helped guide different generations’ characters. As you can see, the introduction of new technologies has impacted how Chinese youth perceive themselves and their social circles.

The answers above were provided by mainland respondents, commenting on their own generations.

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China’s Brother Calendar vs. US-based Human Calendar

The concept of a calendar with people’s pictures representing days is originally from the US but now has become popular in China. The idea (see humancalendar.com for an American version) is to have real people take pictures of themselves and use them to mark each day of the calendar year.

The man called “Brother Calendar” has become an Internet celebrity because of the funky and funny pictures he put on his calendar. Type in “日历哥 (literally meaning Brother Calendar)” on Baidu, and watch out for 14,200 (and counting) related results sharing the new Beijing online celeb’s pictures. From a real calendar competition on web site mosh.cn, Brother Calendar stood out from over 4000 other competitors.

Trendspotter

Genie, 20

Student, Rugao (Jiangsu Province)

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Chinese domestic sports brands are popping up in shopping malls across lower-tiered cities, giving foreign brands a run for their money. According to 2009 annual reports, LI NING is at the top of the Chinese market with a gross profit of 3.97 billion RMB (23% increase over 2008), followed by ANTA at 2.47 billion RMB (33% increase over 2008).

The sheer quantity of domestic-brand shops is even outnumbering foreign competitors in some cities. The shops – easily recognizable from their signature logos, slogans and colors – are usually grouped together in malls or shopping areas, providing consumers in medium and small cities an easily identifiable set browsing area for athletic wear. This merchandising technique seems to quite successful in promoting domestic brands.

The style of domestic brands such as ANTA and LI NING meets my demands with the moderate price. In addition, I can easily find these kinds of shops.

-          Tianqian, 21, female, Haian,Teacher.

We find a lot of domestic sports brands in the supermarkets. The picture above is Rugao RT-mart supermarket.

I buy domestic brands’ products more, the main brands LI NING and XTEP. Foreign brands are too expensive; we don’t have enough money. The domestic brands are appropriate for consumers just like us.

- Margeret, 20, female, Rudong, Teacher
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Marking an interesting foray into Chinese luxury brands, Hermès is poised to open its first Shang Xia store in Shanghai this September.  Shang Xia (‘topsy-turvy’ in Mandarin), while part of the Hermès family of brands, is the only one that was built from the ground up specifically for the Chinese market.  The products, which include homeware, furniture, accessories, and limited edition ‘cultural objects,’ are made in China with artisanal craftsmanship and are intended for the Chinese consumer.  Only time will tell how Chinese consumers respond to a domestically-made luxury brand compared to popular foreign brands with status labels.

Brands looking to appeal to families are keenly aware that different family members have different priorities.  Does appealing to kids mean offering the convenience of a combination meal, is it the draw of the toy, or merely the brand itself (foreign chains such as McDonald’s and KFC, local institutions like Kung fu and UFF)?

McDonald’s and KFC focus on their youth market with toys from top cartoons. McDonald’s has more choices, offering corn, hot chocolate, milk, juice or water in addition to traditional fries and soda.  KFC has a more limited selection of fries or mashed potatoes, and only offers soda.

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My dad used to take me to McDonald’s for Happy Meal when I was younger and I liked the toys. But now I found these toys are so childish and McDonald’s isn’t healthy.

- Rui, 12, female, Shanghai

UFF and Kungfu restaurant chains provide more traditional Chinese kids’ meal combo with mung bean and soybean milk. The toys provided by both lean more toward the educational, with puzzles, notebooks and pens.
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Trendspotter

Mandy, 23

Assistant in legal firm, Shanghai

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The cartoon industry is one of the most endearing across the globe – the characters accompany you throughout childhood, and can remind adults of their own youth.  We were interested to find out what variations Chinese viewers saw amongst the top shows from China, Japan and the US.

The every-expanding Chinese cartoon market has built upon popular themes, ranging from traditional to modern and silly.  Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) is a long-time favorite using bravery, justice and loyalty as primary topics.  Pleasant Goat and Big Wolf has been steadily growing in popularity since 2005, attracting Chinese kids and parents with unique characters and quick, funny dialogue. The other two top-mentioned cartoons are Big Mouth Dudu and Crayon Shin-chan; interestingly, they employ a similar style (voice-over) and theme (young boy as the hero against adults).

Crayon Shin-chan and Big Mouth Dudu both have an angry mom and a naughty, adult-like boy as a hero.

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I think my favorite cartoon character is the Monkey King. He is brave, smart and handsome and represents the justice. He is always ready to help those who are in danger, protect his master and accomplish any task. I admire him very much and think of him as a role model. When my friends at school have trouble, I’m willing to lend a hand.

- Jack, 11, male, Shanghai

I enjoy watching Pleasant Goat and Big Wolf because it is simple and I don’t need to think when I am watching it. It helps me keep a young heart. I think it is the most successful domestic cartoon. I was overwhelmed by the crowds in the cinema when it opened.

- Susan, 22, female, Suzhou
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