The most powerful engine of brand awareness in China is, undoubtedly, social media. The country’s most active and open communications medium by far, social media directly reaches a coveted demographic- affluent 18-35 year olds, in the process of shaping and developing their tastes. Yet Chinese social media can often appear an intimidating jungle to western marketers, separated from the rest of the world by a divide both linguistic and technological.

To remedy this situation, CIC and GroupM have stepped in with their report, The Voice of Luxury: Social Media and Luxury Brands in China. Combining the analysis from the famous Hurun Wealth Report with a detailed study of millions of comments on Chinese social networks regarding luxury matters and taste, the guide is an essential tool for developing a luxury marketing strategy in China.

In short, the guide suggests a three-pronged strategy, which can be summed up as the “L-K-P” system: Listen, Know, and Participate.

Listen to what is said on leading social networks regarding luxury goods. What’s hot? Who is the most buzzed? Who are the opinion makers on the network? 20 percent of posters are responsible for 80 percent of the most-read posts- identify the strongest voices on the network, and utilize them to spread your message.

Know the cultural context. China today is all about showing off (shai- 晒- in Mandarin), both in the traditional context of “face” and in the contemporary context of a newly affluent society where status symbols are essential to individual security.

Participate directly. Develop and track social media accounts, creating personalities and trend leaders to control the conversation about your brand. Maintaining your brand image is essential, and social networks can turn into dangerous double-edged swords for unprepared marketers.

Want to read the whole report? Download it from CIC here.