STEP 1: DEFINE YOUR TARGET PERSONA
Customers are often grouped according to their demographics, such as age, race, gender, ethnicity, income level, and geographic location, all of which may help businesses cultivate a snapshot of the “ideal customer” or “customer persona”. Practically it means: “Who are you selling to?” - think both in terms of demographics and psychographics.
These are the demographics that respond most strongly to brand mascots:
1. GEN Z The GEN Z in China include people born between 1996 and 2010, a generation that particularly values freedom, autonomy and flexibility. According to a study made by McKinsey and Company, Gen Z represents the next generator of domestic consumption growth. Understanding Gen Z is critical for any company that wants to be part of China’s ongoing economic growth story.
2. MILLENNIALS Millennials - aged between 18 and 30 years old- represent more than 350 million Chinese consumers. They are influenced by peer recommendations, highly present on social media and mobile shoppers. They are looking for personalized experiences and a sense of uniqueness.
3. SUPER MOMS / DADS Super Moms and Dads are parents who are making the buying decision for the children. This segment will grow at an annual rate of 20 to 30% the next 10 years. Parents with 0 to 12 year-old children represent 300 million active users online and spend between 1000 and 5000 RMB monthly on their children.
STEP 2: DEFINE YOUR CUSTOMER JOURNEY
The customer journey is the complete sum of experiences that customers go through when interacting with your company and brand. Practically it means thinking about scenarios for each of your personas that would create purchasing behaviors and mapping all the steps that have interaction / touch points with your brand. Here's an example of how AirBnB broke down their customer journey:
STEP 3: DEFINE YOUR TARGET MESSAGE
Brand messaging refers to the underlying value proposition conveyed and language used in your content. It’s what makes buyers relate to your brand by inspiring them, persuading them, motivating them, and ultimately making them want to buy your product. Practically it means the promise/guarantee, purpose/mission and the 3 main differentiators from your competition you want to use in most of your content.
To download our free 25-page guide, "The Ultimate Mascot Marketing Guide for China", please visit: