The East Asian economy has grown from 5.4% of the world trade in the mid-1970s to almost 20% by the beginning of this century. At present, the total GDP of the 13 East Asian countries (10 ASEAN + China, Japan and Korea) is almost USD 7 trillion. Asia is also where more than 3 billion inhabitants live. Together they speak several hundred languages and dialects, and the region is characterised by a cultural, political, economic and social diversity far greater than anywhere else in the world.
Marketing in Asia must surely remain an uphill battle for most international marketers. Searching for knowledge about the social and cultural behaviour of these inhabitants must first be undertaken before attempting to penetrate the market. With hundreds of languages, dozens of religious values and customs, it is advisable to know the market first before walking these minefields of multifaith Asia.
Knowing why the Koreans like to sample everything before purchasing, and why cash refund is the most preferred sales promotion technique in Shanghai would be an important piece of information to most marketers. Is speed an important attribute in purchasing a car among the female Asian consumers? Why do Chinese consumers prefer their eggs weighed, while the Malaysians bought them by the dozens? Do we know what advertising messages are effective for selling personal care products and in which local market? Why women in Korea think age 27 and below is considered young? I can go on and on, but the thrust of my message is acquiring knowledge and integrating knowledge with practice.
