Pro logo: Chinese consumers are falling out of love with fakes

文章來源：http://www.economist.com/node/21542819

Brands in China名牌中國

Pro logo品牌當道

Chinese consumers are falling out of love with fakes中國消費者拒絕假貨

WHEN Da Vinci, a retailer of expensive imported furniture, opened its new showroom in Shanghai recently, it spared no expense. The gallery, over 10,000 square metres spread over four stories, was filled with extravagant pieces from brands such as Armani Casa and Versace Home. The theme of the event was zhen de jia bu liao (roughly: “what is genuine cannot be counterfeited.”).

昂貴進口傢俱零售商達芬奇 (Da Vinci) 的新展場近期於中國上海開幕，在裝潢上砸下重金。該展場共四層樓，佔地面積約一萬平方公尺，展示奢華的名牌傢俱，包括 Armani Casa 與 Versace Home。會場主題訂為「真的假不了」，旨在表達真正高檔的品牌是無法仿冒的。

Yet Da Vinci is embroiled in a scandal. CCTV, an official media outlet, alleged that some of its imported kit may actually have been made locally, shipped overseas or to a bonded warehouse, then brought back into the country to earn an undeserved “imported” seal. The firm hired a public-relations agency to put a more positive spin on the story. Da Vinci claims this involved paying $150,000 through a broker to a journalist who, it alleges, threatened to run more damaging stories if not paid off.

然而，達芬奇最近卻捲入了一椿醜聞。據中國公營媒體「中國網絡電視」的報導指出，部分達芬奇的進口套件實際上是在中國當地製造，先運至海外或是保稅倉庫，再運回中國境內，以取得“名不符實”的進口標誌。該公司雇用公關經紀公司，試圖要為公司自圓其說。達芬奇表示，整起事件是有幕後黑手指示中間人，支付一位記者十五萬美元做此報導；並宣稱受該記者威脅，若不支付更高的代價，將會揭露更多有損公司形象的報導。

All parties involved deny wrongdoing. An initial official ruling seemed to clear Da Vinci, but in December the Shanghai authorities slapped fines on the firm for alleged misdeeds including improper labelling. Da Vinci now says it will take the authorities to court to clear its name and has filed a police complaint against the broker and journalist over what it says was an extortion plot.

涉入此醜聞的各派人士都否認犯下任何罪行。一項初步的官方判決看似還給達芬奇清白，但上海當局於十二月卻決定對達芬奇課徵罰金，判定的罪名包括了不當標籤。達芬奇目前表示，針對有關當局的判決，將會向法院提出上訴，以證明公司的清白，並已針對其對外宣稱的中間人與記者的勒索戲碼，向警方備案。

Whatever the truth behind this murky affair, it has revealed something about how the attitudes of Chinese consumers are changing. Counterfeiters are no longer popular. Not long ago, Chinese shoppers applauded the fakers for saving them money. Now they scorn them. If it’s a fake, the well-heeled sneer, you can’t flaunt it.

不論此次黑幕重重的事件背後真相為何，該事件揭露的是中國消費者態度的轉變。仿冒者不再受到歡迎。距今不久前，中國消費者仍讚揚仿冒商的存在，為人們省了不少錢，但現在卻開始對他們引以為恥。如果是冒牌貨，便會招來有錢人的恥笑，再也不是件值得炫耀的事。

Fakery is not dead, of course. In 2009, roughly 30% of mobile phones in the country were thought to be shanzhai—a popular term for clever fakes. The Business Software Alliance, a trade group, claims that nearly four-fifths of the software sold in China in 2010 was pirated. In December the US Trade Representative issued its annual report on the world’s most “notorious” counterfeit markets. Of the 30-odd markets identified, eight were in China. Some, such as Beijing’s Silk Street market, are well-known. The report also points the finger at Taobao, an online marketplace owned by Alibaba, China’s biggest e-commerce firm. That may be unfair. Taobao has clamped down so hard recently that it is enduring protests by angry vendors.

當然，假貨還是沒消聲匿跡。於二零零九年，中國仍有大約百分之三十的手機是「山寨機」，也就是幾可亂真的假貨。商業軟體聯盟 (Business Software Alliance) 為一貿易協會，該聯盟表示，中國於二零一零年內販售出的軟體當中，仍有將近五分之四是盜版軟體。美國貿易代表署 (US Trade Representative) 於十二月公佈其年度報告，內容是關於全球最惡名昭彰的偽造市場。報告內點名了約三十來個市場，中國便佔了其中八個。而像是北京的秀水街更是人盡皆知的仿冒市場。該報告亦將茅頭指向了淘寶網，該網路是中國最大的電子商務公司「阿里巴巴」旗下的線上購物網站。這項指控或許不盡公平，因為淘寶網近期已大肆取締仿冒品，甚至不惜承受許多憤怒商家的抗議。

Still, as China grows richer, life is growing harder for fakers. A recent study of China’s luxury market by Bain, a consultancy, concludes that “demand for counterfeit products is decreasing fast.” McKinsey, another consultancy, found that the proportion of consumers who said they were willing to buy fake jewellery dropped from 31% in 2008 to 12% last year. This is good news for all brands, not just the blingy ones. “Consumers are looking for the real thing, and they are increasingly willing and able to afford it,” say the authors.

即便如此，隨著中國日漸富裕，仿冒商的生活日形艱難。貝恩 (Bain) 顧問公司近期針對中國的奢侈品市場進行一項研究，其結果指出，中國對仿冒商品的需求正在快速下滑。另一間顧問公司麥肯錫 (McKinsey) 亦發現，中國消費者願意購買仿冒珠寶的比例亦大幅降低，從二零零八年的百分之三十一，下降至去年的百分之十二。這對所有品牌來說都是個好消息，不單單是對那些耀眼的名牌而言。作者表示：「消費者都想要真正的好產品，而他們也漸漸變得願意並有能力消費。」

Cash-strapped youngsters still love counterfeits, says Chen Junsong of the China Europe International Business School. But those over 30, if they have a bit of money, have become extremely brand-conscious. There is a “comparison culture”, he observes. People are ridiculed if spotted with a fake Gucci handbag.

中歐國際工商學院陳峻松博士表示，經濟拮据的年輕人仍偏愛仿冒品，但三十歲以上的成年人若手頭上有些錢，已愈來愈具有品牌意識。據他觀察，這是一種「相互比較」的社會型態。若是手拿古馳 (Gucci) 的仿冒提包，便會受到嘲笑。

Another reason why fakers are under pressure is that Chinese firms now have intellectual property of their own to protect. Brands such as Lenovo (a computer firm) and Haier (a maker of everything from fridges to air-conditioners) are highly valuable and therefore worth defending. The more Chinese innovators gripe about fakery, the more strictly the government enforces the law. It just announced that it aims to stamp out counterfeit software in government offices by the end of this year.

另一個使仿冒商備感壓力的原因是，中國企業也開始有屬於自己的智慧財產權要捍衛。像是電腦公司「聯想」以及大型電器製造商「海爾」都是極具價值的品牌，他們的品牌價值倍需保護。中國自創品牌企業對仿冒品愈感冒，中國政府執法便會愈嚴厲。中國政府日前才宣佈要在今年年底前徹底杜絕政府機關內的所有盜版軟體。

Even sceptical foreign manufacturers believe China is changing. Douglas Clark, an expert on China’s intellectual-property regime, points to a survey by the EU-China Chamber of Commerce suggesting that counterfeiting, long the first or second gravest concern of its members, is now third, fourth or not even ranked.

即便是持懷疑論調的外國製造商也相信中國正在改變。道格拉斯‧克拉克 (Douglas Clark) 是中國智慧財產體制的專家，他表示，根據中歐商會的一份調查結果顯示，中國的仿冒問題一度是商會成員最大或次大的隱憂，但現在已落居第三或四，甚至根本不再列入他們擔憂的問題名單內。

Tougher law enforcement has helped, he says, but so too has the fact that foreign firms have learned how to cope with fakes. Some have set up their own branded retail outlets to control distribution. GlaxoSmithKline, a British drugs giant, has introduced fake-proof “e-coding” of pills.

克拉克表示，執法日趨嚴格確實有幫助，但外國公司學對付仿冒品的作法亦功不可沒。有些公司透過設立公司品牌的專門零售門市，嚴格為銷售通路把關。而英國葛蘭素史克製藥大廠 (GlaxoSmithKline) 則是為其藥品採用一套防偽的「電子編碼」系統。

Chinese consumers are realising that brands are not just about showing off. They can also send useful signals about quality. A Coke probably won’t poison you because it would cause billions of dollars of harm to the Coca-Cola brand if it did.

中國消費者開始明白，品牌的意義不僅僅在於炫耀，同時也代表了品質的保證。可口可樂的可樂應該不可能會是“毒可樂”，因為任何失誤都會對它的品牌造成數十億美元的傷害。

In December China suffered another scandal involving tainted milk. Shoppers instantly shunned the local firm involved. Nestlé, a Swiss food giant, saw an opportunity. It announced this week that with its local partners it will invest some $400m to boost its dairy operations in China.

二零零八年十二月，中國捲入了「毒奶粉」的重大醜聞事件。消費者立即對所有中國奶粉公司拒之千里。瑞士食品大廠雀巢 (Nestlé) 看見其中的商機，於本週宣佈將與中國當地的合作夥伴合作，投入約四億美元的資金，擴大公司在中國的奶製品營運。