Chapter 3: Live from Tianjin it's, uh, Thursday night!
So I've been here in China since last Friday night and thought that I would have this really cool epiphany to write about in my insights blog. Well, that epiphany never came, either as a result of the jet lag, work fatigue, or general sensory overload. The latter is a normal function of visiting any developing country after being the US for too long.
So instead of writing one cohesive entry, instead I’ll channel Saturday night live and post the literary equivalent of comedy skits, only mine probably wont be as funny (although judging by how unfunny SNL has been the last few years who knows?)
- First thing I noticed about the advertising here is that that most of the non-print ads (billboards, posters at bus stations etc) have a lot more writing on them than in the US. The advertising seems to be more informational than appealing to your higher order goals. Not sure why that is exactly, but the vast majority of ads I’ve seen have a paragraphs worth of writing on them. Compare this with the average ad in the US that puts the product next to a scantily clad girl and calls it a day.
- Second thing I noticed is that there is advertising EVERYWHERE. It’s similar to the US, but I expected China to show some of it’s demure, non-capitalist roots. Color me pleasantly surprised but this country has conspicuous consumption written all over it. There are ads on busses, taxis, on buildings, at bus-stops, on banners draped across street signs, in subway stations, on the little handles that you grab in the subway cars. No really, there are little ads inside the actual clear handles! With capitalism alive and well in “communist” China (quotes intended) seems like every business is trying it’s best to get the attention of a billion attentive consumers
- On the topic of consumption, the people here *heart* shopping. Every mall is bustling with people with stuffed bags and carts. The funny thing is that prices here for original name brand stuff is actually more expensive than in the US…. And most of it is made here! I guess shipping across the ocean depreciates an asset. That combined with the lower salaries here (along with lower general cost of living) explains why the San Marcos outlet malls are so popular with our Chinese visitors in Austin!
- Tourism is a HUGE part of the economy here and they display their historical and cultural wares to visitors at every turn. Here in Tianjin they have a specially constructed “culture street” that has slightly higher end gifts, souvenirs, and handicrafts. Sure you could find most of the stuff cheaper at a seedy mall down the street but on culture street there are lots of cool photo op’s as well! In Beijing, the Forbidden City is an industry unto itself! It begins a few blocks away outside where street merchants urge you buy a Chairman Mao wrist watch (!!??). Inside they sell everything from location-sensitive self-guided tours, to umbrellas, to coffee and ice cream. In and of itself no different than any other popular tourist spot, but I expected China to be a little less aimed at the capitalism than this.
- Lastly, with the Olympics approaching in 2008, China is getting ready for it’s close up. Construction is rampant everywhere with the infrastructure getting a major overhaul, and new building and hotels springing up like weeds. The Forbidden City itself had many sections covered in scaffoldings and undergoing repairs. Across from Tiananmen square a giant clock counts down to the start of the Olympics. I believe that 2008 will be a coming out party for the Chinese to the rest of the world. US manufacturing and industry has been on the Chinese bandwagon for a while, but after 2008 I think the rest of the world will become believers as well!
(I would post some photos but: a) the network here is really slow, and b) while I can visit the blogger dashboard I can’t actually see my published blog. Not sure if they are blocking the site or whether there’s some other reason?)
So instead of writing one cohesive entry, instead I’ll channel Saturday night live and post the literary equivalent of comedy skits, only mine probably wont be as funny (although judging by how unfunny SNL has been the last few years who knows?)
- First thing I noticed about the advertising here is that that most of the non-print ads (billboards, posters at bus stations etc) have a lot more writing on them than in the US. The advertising seems to be more informational than appealing to your higher order goals. Not sure why that is exactly, but the vast majority of ads I’ve seen have a paragraphs worth of writing on them. Compare this with the average ad in the US that puts the product next to a scantily clad girl and calls it a day.
- Second thing I noticed is that there is advertising EVERYWHERE. It’s similar to the US, but I expected China to show some of it’s demure, non-capitalist roots. Color me pleasantly surprised but this country has conspicuous consumption written all over it. There are ads on busses, taxis, on buildings, at bus-stops, on banners draped across street signs, in subway stations, on the little handles that you grab in the subway cars. No really, there are little ads inside the actual clear handles! With capitalism alive and well in “communist” China (quotes intended) seems like every business is trying it’s best to get the attention of a billion attentive consumers
- On the topic of consumption, the people here *heart* shopping. Every mall is bustling with people with stuffed bags and carts. The funny thing is that prices here for original name brand stuff is actually more expensive than in the US…. And most of it is made here! I guess shipping across the ocean depreciates an asset. That combined with the lower salaries here (along with lower general cost of living) explains why the San Marcos outlet malls are so popular with our Chinese visitors in Austin!
- Tourism is a HUGE part of the economy here and they display their historical and cultural wares to visitors at every turn. Here in Tianjin they have a specially constructed “culture street” that has slightly higher end gifts, souvenirs, and handicrafts. Sure you could find most of the stuff cheaper at a seedy mall down the street but on culture street there are lots of cool photo op’s as well! In Beijing, the Forbidden City is an industry unto itself! It begins a few blocks away outside where street merchants urge you buy a Chairman Mao wrist watch (!!??). Inside they sell everything from location-sensitive self-guided tours, to umbrellas, to coffee and ice cream. In and of itself no different than any other popular tourist spot, but I expected China to be a little less aimed at the capitalism than this.
- Lastly, with the Olympics approaching in 2008, China is getting ready for it’s close up. Construction is rampant everywhere with the infrastructure getting a major overhaul, and new building and hotels springing up like weeds. The Forbidden City itself had many sections covered in scaffoldings and undergoing repairs. Across from Tiananmen square a giant clock counts down to the start of the Olympics. I believe that 2008 will be a coming out party for the Chinese to the rest of the world. US manufacturing and industry has been on the Chinese bandwagon for a while, but after 2008 I think the rest of the world will become believers as well!
(I would post some photos but: a) the network here is really slow, and b) while I can visit the blogger dashboard I can’t actually see my published blog. Not sure if they are blocking the site or whether there’s some other reason?)
posted by Ahsan @ 5:15 AM
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