Nathalie Omori, senior partner of Zhenji, presents an overview of the latest afflent-targeted social media platform, developed specifically for the Chinese community
Owing to its great potential of billionaires and millionaires, China has developed some huge communities and clubs, for wealthy digital members who want to improve their brand culture. Copycats of Facebook, Twitter, You Tube or Flickr are available of course, but luxury brands are using some far more competitive tools to catch the Chinese wealthy people’s attention. Particularly focusing attention on the younger generation, who have been identified as those who are spending on luxury goods, as opposed to putting their money aside as per traditional Chinese culture.
P1.cn is quite typical of these digital networks, which seem mostly creative concerning the recruiting of their members. Let us specify that as they do not save any money, when these young people have 1,500 Euros, they spend 500 Euros per month on living in a big Chinese city and have 1,000 Euros left as disposable income.
In March 2010, just one and a half years since the platform launched, this social network for Chinese yuppies already has 633,000 members, despite the fact that admission is far more selective than any other occidental membership. To become a member you have to have had your picture taken, in a big Chinese city along the west coast (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangshou or Shenzen). Furthermore it has to have been taken by one of the platform photographers, who reign in the fashionable streets surrounding the shopping malls as well as in the high society’s parties. Their target: twenty-two to forty year old people, dressed in top designers clothing or the most typical trendsetters; a community that can be instantly recognised at just one glance.
“ focusing attention on the younger generation that spend, not save, P1.cn is a great communication tool for luxury brands ”
P1.cn, exactly as “asmallworld”, is a true social network with profiles, connected members, micro blogs, privileged loyalty cards, groups, events and a weekly newsletter about luxury, pleasures which are overused by the P1.com “beautiful members”. It does look as if this audience thinks of nothing else than letting off steam, celebrating, shopping and showing their fashionable look. Here there is no business networking but exclusively fun and fun again. A visit on the site will tell you more about this gilded youth’s hobbies and the emptiness of their motivation.
P1.cn is a great communication tool for luxury brands and their internet community managers. The site has already been chosen by Lamborghini, Versace, Max Mara, Richard Mille and BMW for brand promotions, such as newsletters to communicate their culture and values, invitations to their events etc. A good way to save on the public relations budget while improving effectiveness.
P1.com is not the only club for luxury brands; some others exist directed at older and wealthier circles; but P1.com must be awarded the best prize for its recruiting creativeness and its flexibility, for they are here always ready to adapt their policy to any brand request.
This article has been published courtesy of Zhenji where it first appeared here under the headline, ‘P1.cn : a Chinese Social Media for Luxury Brands’.
