Powerful brands needed to boost nation's influence

A SHOE-MAKING factory in Zhejiang province reportedly produces two similar models of shoes, yet their prices vary greatly because one model is subcontracted for a German brand while the other is produced for a local brand. Rednet comments:

The two different models are made with the same materials and using the same technology. They even meet the same quality standards. Yet the shoes subcontracted for the German brand sell for 300 yuan ($45.2) while the other, for a domestic brand, sell for 50 yuan.

Just as the manager of the company said, Chinese products do not lag behind their Western competitors but their brands do.

This should remind us to pay more attention to our brand power.

China has long been emphasizing that its enterprises should improve their products and services, but the job of cultivating brand names is relatively ignored. That's what we need to do in the coming few years.

It should be noted that famous brands are of strategic importance to a nation. The more famous brands a nation owns, the mightier its economy is viewed as being. Seen from a global perspective, almost all developed countries have famous brands with global influence.

Of course, famous brands are not made in a day. To have their own well-known brands, domestic manufacturers must work hard to improve the services they provide customers, so as to accumulate enough trust in the market. Besides, Chinese consumers should be encouraged to buy domestic brands instead of foreign ones, so as to help domestic brands grow. As domestic products continue improving, the days when imported goods equal higher quality are long gone. It is time to support our own national brands.