China News Roundup: G.O.D. Taunts D&G, Jackie Chan Jets, Grey Goose Says "I Do" In Beijing

HK Brand Goods Of Desire (G.O.D.) Satirizes D&G's Recent PR Disaster A roundup of news coming out of China this week, from one Hong Kong retailer's response to D&G's photo fiasco to Jackie Chan's role in building Embraer's brand and Grey Goose's big-screen debut in Beijing. Hong Kong Retailer G.O.D. Welcomes Photographers In D&G Send-Up Taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to satirizing Dolce & Gabbana's Hong Kong PR disaster last month, which saw thousands of come out to protest after Hong Kongers were prevented from taking photographs of the D&G flagship, the local retailer Goods of Desire (G.O.D.) installed a window display this week at its Causeway Bay flagship featuring a camera-toting mannequin inviting people to "Just shoot, no worries." From the Wall Street Journal: The [Dolce & Gabbana protests] “marked Hong Kongers’ coming of age,” G.O.D. co-founder Douglas Young said. “Hong Kong people are saying it’s not about how much money you have,” he said. “It’s about dignity and depth and culture and manners.” G.O.D., whose merchandise and brand resemble U.S. retailers such as Urban Outfitters and American Apparel, has built a business on funny, streetwise takes on Hong Kong lore. One of its most popular and long-running products are its T-shirts that say “Delay No More,” an English transliteration of a Cantonese profanity. “We try to approach the issue from a more oblique angle, and we thought there’s nothing wrong with people taking photos of our window,” Mr. Young said. “We encourage people to do so. We always do.” Embraer Presents Legacy 650 Jet To Jackie Chan It's not just fashion and luxury brands that are hungry to tap China's swelling ranks of wealthy businesspeople. This week, the Brazilian jet manufacturer Embraer, which has been pushing hard to expand into China for the past several years, held an event last Friday during which it presented a Legacy 650 jet to brand envoy Jackie Chan. Decked out in a red-and-yellow color scheme, and featuring "Jackie" and the character "龙" ("Dragon", as well as Chan's given name), the jet is designed to promote Embraer's "entire line of executive aircraft, not only in the rapidly growing greater China market, but globally," the company announced prior to the event. From the AFP: "This delivery is a moment of historical importance to Embraer because it solidifies an already long and successful relationship between China and Embraer," said Ernest Edwards, president of Embraer's Executive Jets unit. By turning to Chan, a Hong Kong Chinese superstar with global appeal, Embraer hopes to translate his charisma and celebrity into increased recognition and sales for the Brazilian jets. "I believe that Embraer is poised to become a major player in the Chinese executive jet market," said Chan, who described himself as a "brand ambassador" for the manufacturer. Embraer might have one of China's most recognizable stars on board, but it's far from the only business jet maker angling to get a bigger piece of the potentially large China market. Despite tight regulations on private airspace, China's newly wealthy have become increasingly fixated on private jets in recent years -- to the point of jetting around on illegal "black flights" in some cases. In response, private jet operators and manufacturers have been all too willing to crowd into the market, despite its notoriously red tape constrained airspace policies and byzantine application procedures. Grey Goose Debuts Limited Edition Gift Box At "I Do" Film Premiere This week, the French vodka maker Grey Goose released a limited edition gift set at the Beijing premiere of the new film "I Do" (我愿意). Attended by Chinese celebrities like Li Bingbing and Sun Honglei, the premiere included a special toast by the stars of the film, featuring two special cocktails developed for the event by Grey Goose. Guests at the premiere received the limited edition gift boxes, including two bottles of Grey Goose customized with the movie title and a photo of its stars. Tweet Follow @JingDaily

China News Roundup: G.O.D. Taunts D&G, Jackie Chan Jets, Grey Goose Says "I Do" In Beijing

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Published February 07, 2012

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China News Roundup: G.O.D. Taunts D&G, Jackie Chan Jets, Grey Goose Says "I Do" In Beijing