When pitching remotely to large groups in China, do not be alarmed by sleeping participants. They may be on their seventh pitch of the day, and their relaxed state could counter-intuitively be interpreted as a good sign.
When brands use AI tools like LLMs as their primary creative director instead of as an assistant, they produce generic outputs based on existing data. This leads to a "sea of sameness" and a loss of brand distinctiveness.
A key cultural hurdle when marketing Chinese brands in the West is managing the expectation that PR coverage will be universally positive and guaranteed, which contradicts the independent nature of Western journalism.
Engaging in adventurous, high-jeopardy experiences outside your main career—like gonzo journalism or learning to fly—builds critical instinct and a unique perspective. This color and 'human truth' provides a professional edge with clients.
To capture a client's attention, ask for permission to skip the standard agency background and strategy slides. Dive straight into the creative concepts, which is what they are most eager to see and discuss, and read the rest later.
Chasing every new skill and opportunity without a core direction can leave you with a diverse but unfocused career. This ultimately neglects your own brand while you spend decades building the brands of others.
Contrary to stereotypes of chaotic expansion, many Chinese tech clients demonstrate intense rigor and focus on return on investment. Mastering their demanding standards can equip an agency to handle any client's performance expectations.
In markets saturated with similar product features, true differentiation comes from personality. Brands must find their "inner weird" and the human, universal truths that create an emotional connection, rather than focusing only on technical specs.
To break through a "sea of sameness," brands must find their "Pink Batman"—an unexpected, slightly weird element that makes them instantly memorable and distinct, just like imagining the iconic character in a surprising color you can't unsee.