‘Made In China’ Ad Campaign: Chinese React To Reactions

A Chinese netizen on the popular Mop BBS translated the English comments responding to recent Shanghaiist, CNNGo, and China Real Time Report posts about China’s “Made in China” advertising campaign:On YouTube (faster for visitors outside of China):

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From CNNGo:

Beijing has just launched a new global ‘Made in China’ ad campaign mainly in response to Chinese-made products taking a beating over the last few years. The campaign has been in the works for quite some time, but last year’s tainted milk crisis delayed the production and release of the campaign for obvious reasons.

The new ‘Made in China’ ad campaign fired up earlier this week with a 30 second commercial airing on CNN International featuring the tagline “Made in China: Made with the world” and stresses Chinese companies cooperation with overseas firms in producing quality products. The new campaign will highlight product labels that reflect this cooperation with tags like, “Made in China with French designers.”

The commercial is currently only airing in Asia, but is believed to hit other overseas markets relatively soon.

From China Real Time Report:

“Made in China” has taken a hit in recent years following a series of quality and safety scandals involving a range of products, from toys to dog food to drywall.

In an effort to repair the damaged reputation of its exports, the Chinese government is launching a global ad campaign aimed at changing perceptions among consumers overseas. This week, the first TV commercial in that campaign began airing in parts of Asia, and will soon be seen in North America as well.

Under the slogan, “Made in China, made with the world,” the ad emphasizes the role of Chinese collaboration with foreign companies in producing high-quality, high-tech goods: A pair of running shoes features a label that reads “Made in China with American sports technology,” an MP3 player that resembles an iPod Nano is etched with “Made in China with software from Silicon Valley,” and so on.

Read the comments that the Chinese netizen translated on: “How foreign netizens view the “Made in China” advertising” (Mop)

Below are Chinese netizen comments responding to the translated English comments.

Comments from Mop:

QQ晒密:

Who cares how they view it/what they think!!!

专日五毛和小白:

When it can be changed to “Designed by China”, then we can consider ourselves NB.

哈利扑特:

Without China, these laowai [foreigners] would not be able to survive, just like when Chinese New Year’s arrives in the city and the migrant workers return home to celebrate and the city becomes a mess!!

iamkidd:

Yeah, first get rid of Japan, second bangzi country [Korea], China jia you!!! Create a China brand!

mornings16:

They’re not too bad [the comments], I’ve been familiar with this issue in the past, often reading newspapers and similar things. In fact, laowai have already changed from discussing China as a threat to discussing how China should be responsible. Overall, China is laomei‘s [Americans’] largest creditor. With their economic crisis, they need the world to be balanced again, so that’s why there are so many anti-dumping cases.

caochencc:

I am in America. Here, Chinese-made things is truly considered second-rate goods. However, the majority of the ordinary common people will still choose Made in China things. Why?
The price is 1/3 to 1/4th of European or American domestic prices, and moreover, the quality is very good.
Every time I go to Dollar Tree (a $1 store) or a convenience store, there area always laowai holding a product and saying to me “all made in China.”
It still feels a little strange.

testnage96:

America can think whatever it wants to think!
We only need to do even better!
I love my motherland! Strongly love this piece of land! Even though it isn’t perfect right now!
Tomorrow will be even better!

lodor:

After seeing this post, my strongest feeling is, the netizens on American discussion forums are all expressing their own views on a subject. Even if it is an argument, they will still discuss their reasoning. However, on our Mop, everywhere is flooded with repeated abuse. Even though it is just a small issue, in this we can still see a country’s soft power.  Why is China’s image that of being backward? [To understand this] we must look at ourselves for the reason, and on this problem, we cannot have an attitude of trying to cover up our mistakes/shortcomings.

骑千里马:

China jia you. Migrant workers jia you.
We have the world’s most profitable bosses. We also have the world’s most poor and lowly slave workers. I feel the most heartfelt pride of being Chinese. (Faulty sentence?)

猪就一个字:

If America has the ability [truly does not like Chinese products], then it should stop selling “Made in China” products.

老太太转被窝:

Good products often flow out [of the country], for example: women.
Chinese people never get to use/enjoy their own best products.
Japan, however, leaves the best for itself and exports to China the lousiest garbage.

VCGary:

Laowai can only only helplessly accept the situation now.
Made in China is like rape. Since they cannot resist it, they can only close their eyes and enjoy.

Also, while I am at it, let me bemoan something…
Foreign netizens, when expressing their opinions, only confine themselves to the facts/stick to the topic , unlike certain fenqing in the country, immediately spouting after just looking at the title.

MOPstaffeatdicks:

The main problem with “Made in China” is that there are too many fakes from Zhejiang people.

哥是寂寞的牛排:

Actually, foreigners are just like Chinese people, some people think “Made in China” is not bad, cheap, practical. There are also people who think “Made in China” is synonymous with fake goods, low-grade goods. Different people with different life backgrounds, economic ability, front different places, will necessarily have different perspectives.
But while Mop netizens enthusiastically talk, it is necessary to let everyone know, “Made in China” is the same as “Made in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Mexico.” Most are all low-value-added products, and indeed the grade of those products are not high quality products.
That the go-vern-ment now puts out this large-scale advertisement is indeed a remedial effort, trying to rescue the “Made in China” reputation. However, this too could be a good thing, China raising its own image, preparing to invest even more Chinese-made products.
Economics is not a game, and a country’s image is also not formed overnight. What was previously owed, definitely now must be repaid. I just hope that in the future, in these advertisements, what comes after “Designed by” is not some other country.

Do you think the advertisements improve the “Made in China” reputation?