China is the second largest economy in the world and every significant brand's future is impacted by its growth (or collapse)—but who's got the time?! Here's the week's reads that will make you look like a keen China observer in case you find yourself immersed in a cultural conversation.

This week: What's haunting Weibo?... Chicken woes for KFC... North Korean beer... New Zealand product placement... Audi's new branded film... Car plates... Skinny Uniqlo goes bigger... Inflation... Diaosi Mike Sui... Fan Bingbing for booze... Disneyland... Jordan gets countersued... Chinese spending in Europe... Former Google China head picks a fight with a 13-year-old... and more.Continue reading...

More about: Asia, China, North Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, H7N9, Bird Flu, KFC, Yum! Brands, Audi, Nongfu Spring, Microsoft, Hotels.com, Google China, Disneyland, Moet & Chandon, Durex, Mike Sui, Jordan, Nike, Qiaodan, Air New Zealand, Apple, iPhone, Uniqlo, Weibo, Snow Beer, SAB Miller,

health fallout

As the Bird Flu: KFC, Tyson Caught Up in Latest China Chicken Nightmare

Posted by Abe Sauer on April 8, 2013 12:34 PM

"I've been eating at KFC the last few days, could that be a problem?" ("前几天刚吃了肯德基会有问题吗") asked one Weibo user.

The coming week could be a nightmare for KFC in China. Depending on developments in an outbreak of a new strain of avian flu called H7N9, KFC could see its business decimated by another chicken scare just months after a previous one.

KFC is not the only brand worried. Tyson chicken is already rolling out damage control.Continue reading...

More about: QSR, KFC, McDonald's, Tyson Foods, Yum! Brands, China, Food, Chicken, Asia, Health, Safety, SARS, Avian Flu, Bird Flu, H7N9, Fast Food, Social Media, Weibo, Supply Chain, PR

brand news

In the News: HP, BP, BMW and more

Posted by Dale Buss on April 5, 2013 09:01 AM

In the News HP board shakeup and chairman exit gives CEO Meg Whitman a chance to shake off troubles.

BP faults Deepwater Horizon claims overseer, launches first brand-wide fuel loyalty program.

BMW prepares X4 crossover for U.S. market, makes vehicles greener with fewer cylinders, less gasoline.

Al Jazeera America hires CNN's Ali Velshi as anchor.

Amazon's Jeff Bezos leads $5 million investment round in Henry Blodget's Business Insider.

Apple reportedly signs music labels for streaming service as Google's YouTube clinches deal with Universal Music.

Best Buy may have turned the tide on showrooming Amazon.Continue reading...

More about: Brand News, Al Jazeera, Amazon, AMC, Android, Apple, Arrested Development, Babies 'R' Us, Babybel, Best Buy, BlackBerry, BMW, Boeing, BP, Business Insider, California Lottery, Cartoon Network, CNN, Comcast, Disney, Domino's, Facebook, GM, Google, H&M, HP, Heineken, HMV, HTC, J&J, KFC, Laughing Cow, Macy's, Mad Men, Mazda, Mini Babybel, Nationwide, NBC, Netflix, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Samsung, T-Mobile, Taco Bell, TD, The Tonight Show, Timex, Toys 'R' Us, UConn, Universal Music, University of Connecticut, Versace, Walmart, Williams-Sonoma, Wrestlemania, WWE, YouTube, Yum! Brands, Zara, Jeff Bezos, Henry Blodget, Peter Chernin, Stephen Colbert, Heidi Klum, Jay Leno, Snooki, Nicole Polizzi, Jon Stewart, Ali Velshi

chew on this

Doritos Launching Doritos Locos Tacos Chips in Latest Brand Collaboration

Posted by Mark J. Miller on March 27, 2013 01:13 PM

A little over a year ago, Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos hit the market. There was no way to predict that the new menu item would become a phenomenon of sorts—selling one million per day last year. Neither Taco Bell or FritoLay, Doritos' parent company, could let the potential of massive sales slip from their fingers, so they did it again, launching a Cool Ranch version earlier this month to much fanfare.

The launch created a nationwide spectacle as ravenous consumers scoured local Taco Bell locations for the updated version, which the company teased with an 'early release' (which ended up backfiring). Unaffected, the actual launch went off without a hitch, with millions of customers walking away finger-licking happy. "Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos have been one of the most anticipated new menu items we've launched, and will be the biggest in our company history," says Rob Poetsch, a Taco Bell spokesman, in an email to MSN. "We're pleased with the overwhelmingly positive reaction from our fans, in fact, we've seen twice as many social media conversations in the first few days we launched."Continue reading...

More about: Doritos, Taco Bell, FritoLay, Yum! Brands, Doritos Locos Tacos, Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos, Advertising, Marketing, CPG, Social Media, Twitter, Facebook

brand news

Yum! Brands, KFC See Unexpected Rebound in Chinese Market

Posted by Mark J. Miller on March 12, 2013 12:27 PM

Fried chicken lovers in China took a brief break from visiting KFC’s there after news broke in December of last year that the fast-food chain was using chicken suppliers that had violated drug rules in order to fatten up their birds.

That wasn’t good news for consumers or for a brand that had more than 4,000 outlets in the company and brought in more than 40 percent of its overall revenue from the country. In anticipation of a hefty backlash, Yum! Brands, the owner of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, readjusted its yearly expectations downward. However, it appears that Chinese chicken consumers have short memories.Continue reading...

More about: Yum! Brands, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Horse Meat, Asia, QSR, China, PR