The Inspired Performance Journey began in May last year at The Place, a stylish shopping complex in Beijing. [Photo/China Daily]

 

China's luxury auto market could soon surpass the United States to be the world's biggest, yet there is still a big difference in consumer psychology and behavior between the two.

Unlike the US, where buyers know a great deal about cars, ordinary families in China have been able to buy cars for just over a decade and many can barely tell the differences in driving experiences.

So educating Chinese consumers through marketing is crucial to brands, and efforts by Infiniti provide a useful lesson.

Nissan Motor Corp's luxury unit is expected to double its sales in China to more than 20,000 units this year.

Though just 2 to 3 percent of the market, the number is an impressive outcome for a latecomer that arrived in the country just five years ago.

Even without the long heritage often found in premium brands - it was created in 1989 - Infiniti is now accepted by more customers in China.

One of the reasons is its local marketing team, which has conveyed the right message to the right customers, say market observers.

China's luxury car market is currently dominated by German manufacturers Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which together have about 80 percent of the segment.

How to be differentiated from established brands is a challenge for Infiniti, but also an opportunity.

In the minds of most Chinese consumers, German brands lead in advanced technologies, manufacturing techniques and product quality.

Although Infiniti also has strong performance, to follow German brands and focus on technology at marketing events might not be the best idea. A challenger in the market, Infiniti has to be different and to break with tradition.