Why are there no luxury Asian brands?

[Splatted]

I can't say I know much about Apple (their marketing style makes me nauseous) but the founders are/were American and they are HQd in the US, and their image is American and that seems to be where they launch all their overpriced tat.

Also, as a side-note, if a company's head quarters is in the USA, is that makes it an American brand? What if they then move headquarters to Hong-kong, as many American and UK companies have.. does the nationality of the brand then change?

[JR8]

Time to break out that old old box of 70's vinyl and get the beers on ice. Might be more fun...

[JR8]

Also, as a side-note, if a company's head quarters is in the USA, is that makes it an American brand? What if they then move headquarters to Hong-kong, as many American and UK companies have.. does the nationality of the brand then change?

Ah, you want to keep going. Ok then.

- What was the nationality of the other half owner of Jimmy Choo?
- Why do you consider the company Malaysian just because one of the 50% owners came from there? Does that make Mustafa doubly as much an Indian company?
- How do you think them having a 10/1 presence in the UK vs Malaysia is significant to your position that they are a Malaysian brand?

[zzm9980]

So I've always wondered about HSBC.

Is the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation a British brand or a Chinese brand? Founded in a colony, but HQ'd in the UK. What about Cathay Pacific? Founded by an American and an Australian in Hong Kong. I'd say it's a little hard to pin down MNCs to specific brand identities sometimes...

Apple is easy. It's completely American. And I'm offended you're nauseated by our ads JR

[JR8]

So I've always wondered about HSBC.
Is the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation a British brand or a Chinese brand? Founded in a colony, but HQ'd in the UK.

This a good example, much complicated due to the change of ownership of HK. I'd have called it a HK company founded by Brits, and listed in London. But since HK is now so politically removed what what it was... you're right it is not so easy any more. I don't think you can call it Chinese... and neither is it British (IMO).

What about Cathay Pacific? Founded by an American and an Australian in Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong company. I think this one is easier since it is, or is assumed to be the country's flag-carrier.


I'd say it's a little hard to pin down MNCs to specific brand identities sometimes...

...and I think some cases are more clear-cut than others lol


Apple is easy. It's completely American.

Agreed, it's a non-starter suggesting otherwise.

And I'm offended you're nauseated by our ads JR

Que (done in my best Santana accent )? No it's not the ads I object to, it's the corporate hypocracy. Making overpriced (gouge #1) fashion devices (gouge #2) that you can't upgrade (gouge #3), and then obliging customers to buy everything from the iStore (gouge #4). Then making out that Apple are somehow a nice or morally superior corporation than all the other rapacious money-grabbing bastards out there...

I'll get off my soapbox now

[zzm9980]

Que (done in my best Santana accent )? No it's not the ads I object to, it's the corporate hypocracy. Making overpriced (gouge #1) fashion devices (gouge #2) that you can't upgrade (gouge #3), and then obliging customers to buy everything from the iStore (gouge #4). Then making out that Apple are somehow a nice or morally superior corporation than all the other rapacious money-grabbing bastards out there...

I'll get off my soapbox now

I don't think Apple ever advertises itself as morally superior. That's just the crazed fans.

It's just a 'German car brand' of electronics, that's all. Some people like them more, some people would never buy anything except a Japanese brand since it does the same thing, sometimes with better performance even, for a lot less money.

The iStore is just quality control. Enough people like the controlled experience that the company keeps doing it. If they didn't they'd be no different than Android.

[JR8]

German cars aren't made in China [uber tongue in cheek].

I think that you also need to consider that some German cars really are worth their premium. The BMW M series are critically acclaimed as some of the best designed/configured/engineered cars in the world. (I say some as I understand that Mercedes have gone rather off the boil in terms of quality in recent years).

I take your point about raving loony customers, and agree with you. I look at Apple-zealots and feel genuinely sad for them...

p.s. I'm not into all this smart-phone thing, so I don't know what Android is or whether creating a monopoly provider is what consumers would choose! I do have an inkling though that monopoly providers are inherently bad (for example look at many services in SG).

[JR8]

I don't think Apple ever advertises itself as morally superior. That's just the crazed fans.

It's curious how some people demand these false gods that the big corporates provide.

Judging by the news today Nike's strapline for Lance Armstrong should have been 'Live Stoned'. It'll be a brave person that tries to wrestle him off his saintly pedestal though...

[ecureilx]

German cars aren't made in China [uber tongue in cheek].

They are made in China, says me .. or maybe I read wrongly ..

.. .. (I say some as I understand that Mercedes have gone rather off the boil in terms of quality in recent years).

well, MB has been reducing cost, and something gotta give I guess.

I was talking about the Asian Luxury thing, to a former boss of mine who appreciates brands like Cartier, drives a Bentley Mulsanne and so and so ..

He said that there aren't many Asian Luxury brands in Asia, because, in his eyes, for a lot of Luxury Brands, you pay for the Heritage of the brand, apart from the Quality .. unlike new brands.

and was giving the example of Marikina Shoes selling for 100 times or more of their value, for the brand .. (Nak- wanna chime in here ??)

So tell me, are there 100 year old Asian Car brands 100 year old Asian Watch brands, or 100 year old Asian Bag brands ??

Maybe he was on to something ..

[JR8]

I think branding can be a lie.

Take Abercrombie and Fitch. They claim to be 'Estbd. 1892'. Well as a company they were. They were a very Ivy League gentleman's outfitters (rather nice too) that sold the likes of cardigans and chinos right into the 1980's.

Sometime later it was bankrupted/bought out by a company that has turned it into a t-shirt factory for teenagers and gays.

Still they claim to be estbd. 1892 despite it being of no relevance to them today. Still my freebie A&F proper Royal Worcester shaving mug from the 1980's looks more and more of an anachronism

Now.... how about all these 'most historic' Swiss watch brands that keep popping up, that you've never heard of before? ... hmmm!

[zzm9980]

The BMW M series are critically acclaimed as some of the best designed/configured/engineered cars in the world.

And the same has been said about a lot of Apple's laptop line. Spec wise, same CPU, same video, same internals as any other laptop. But the build quality, keyboard and touchpad feel, LCD quality, etc, is generally a notch or two above. Some of the same reason someone would buy an M3 over an equally (or faster) Mustang or some crap GM.

If you don't know what Android is... Well, I could call it a Korean and Chinese knock-off of Apple's "ecosystem" with their iDevices, and that wouldn't be far off from the truth. (Google started it, but the only people making money off it are Samsung and a bunch of Chinese brands)

[nakatago]

The BMW M series are critically acclaimed as some of the best designed/configured/engineered cars in the world.

And the same has been said about a lot of Apple's laptop line. Spec wise, same CPU, same video, same internals as any other laptop. But the build quality, keyboard and touchpad feel, LCD quality, etc, is generally a notch or two above. Some of the same reason someone would buy an M3 over an equally (or faster) Mustang or some crap GM.

If you don't know what Android is... Well, I could call it a Korean and Chinese knock-off of Apple's "ecosystem" with their iDevices, and that wouldn't be far off from the truth. (Google started it, but the only people making money off it are Samsung and a bunch of Chinese brands)

[zzm9980]

The BMW M series are critically acclaimed as some of the best designed/configured/engineered cars in the world.

And the same has been said about a lot of Apple's laptop line. Spec wise, same CPU, same video, same internals as any other laptop. But the build quality, keyboard and touchpad feel, LCD quality, etc, is generally a notch or two above. Some of the same reason someone would buy an M3 over an equally (or faster) Mustang or some crap GM.

If you don't know what Android is... Well, I could call it a Korean and Chinese knock-off of Apple's "ecosystem" with their iDevices, and that wouldn't be far off from the truth. (Google started it, but the only people making money off it are Samsung and a bunch of Chinese brands)

Sorry, change "making money" to "making a profit", since that means different things to different people

[nakatago]

Sorry, change "making money" to "making a profit", since that means different things to different people

Fuggetaboutit. Go back to conquering worlds, Morbo. Or hosting the evening news.

[JR8]

I was talking about the Asian Luxury thing, to a former boss of mine ... He said that there aren't many Asian Luxury brands in Asia, because, in his eyes, for a lot of Luxury Brands, you pay for the Heritage of the brand, apart from the Quality .. unlike new brands.

Afterthought: so why is my sister in law currently on Facebook gagging to buy a pair of Kate Spade (estbd 1993) rubber sandals (aka flip-flops) for c$120?