Advertising trends in urban China

The Chinese advertising market expanded in the past decade at an average annual rate of above 40 percent. The sustainability of such a rapid growth depends in part on the general attitudes of the public toward advertising. This paper reports the results of a telephone survey of 825 consumers in five major cities in China. The survey focused on general beliefs about the institution of advertising, personal experiences, and general attitudes toward advertising. The relationships among beliefs, personal experiences, and general attitudes are modeled. The paper also investigates the relationships among demographic variables and experiences, beliefs, and attitudes. The study shows that urban Chinese have similar or more positive attitudes toward advertising than their U.S. counterparts and that these positive attitudes demonstrate resilience over time. As in the United States, younger consumers have more positive beliefs and attitudes toward advertising. But in contrast to the United States, those with higher levels of education tend to have more positive attitudes and beliefs.