Taking On China? ‘Expect To Lose,’ Says Mailman Group’s CEO

How do you crack a foreign market that shifts your business values and has a work culture of “close enough”? With local support, according to Andrew Collins.

How do you crack a foreign market that shifts your business values, depends on local partnerships, and has a work culture of “close enough”?

At the age of 27, Australia’s Andrew Collins arrived in China to do just that, acquiring “postkard media” agency Mailman Group. He now admits if he knew more at the time, he probably wouldn’t have gone.

“The reality is [you’re] dealing on different terms. The approach is very different. The quicker you understand that, the quicker you’re going to start to realise where it is that you’re going to find value and create a business in China.”

Navigating China’s unique online environment, Mailman has since engaged 100 million-plus Chinese fans for Manchester United, produced 26 million Weibo reads for UFC, and garnered 140 million media impressions for GoUSA.

With numbers like these, many see the “Middle Kingdom” as an unchartered land of opportunity, but Collins cautions the voyage: “Expect you’ll lose. Expect it’s going to be difficult. Expect that you won’t win without local support. Expect that the market is not designed for you. It’s designed for them.”

With a warning like this, would you still take on the dragon? In this episode of The CMO Show, JV and Mark share the story of the man who broke into China’s accelerated market, thrived, and survived to tell the tale.

The CMO Show is a podcast about brand storytelling and the future of marketing. To listen to previous episodes, visit the website or follow along on iTunes or SoundCloud.