Chinese digital and marketing expert, Ashley Dudarenok, shares insights into how the market is evolving. Trade tensions are reshaping the business landscape in China. Far from simply reacting to tariffs, Chinese entrepreneurs and consumers are strategically adapting to new realities.
What do Chinese people and entrepreneurs think about Trump’s tariffs and the current trade war? Are Chinese consumers’ brand loyalties and preferences changing? Do Chinese consumers still buy American brands? How did China become “cool” in 2025? Ashley Dudarenok argues that despite geopolitical tensions, international perceptions of China are changing. Innovations like the “deepseek moment”, popular domestic animations, and unfiltered social media streams from influencers have offered a positive, “raw” view, making China a “cool” destination for young people.
Initially, tariffs caused concern. Chinese businesses are now “positioning themselves as a more trusted, more reliable and very often an alternative partner to many markets in the world.” Ashley believes that brand loyalty is a thing of the past. The serial entrepreneur describes Chinese consumers as “probably the world’s most sophisticated consumers. They are very spoiled, and at the same time, they are very pragmatic.” They “choose the product based on ingredients, based on price, based on rational characteristics rather than the brand itself.”
The luxury market is a key example of this shift. It is undergoing a transformation where “what matters is excellent craftsmanship, excellent ingredients, excellent product itself, and the whole experience.” Brands must adapt their communication strategies to “new market realities that are very different from those 10 years ago.”
Ashley emphasizes a need for a nuanced understanding of a market driven by pragmatism, quality, and a long-term strategic focus on global partnerships. She explains how Chinese markets have strategically shifted – and how corporations can navigate these new realities.
Video Timeline
- 00:00 – What do Chinese entrepreneurs think about the trade war?
- 01:47 – How is consumer brand loyalty changing in China?
- 03:30 – What’s the future of luxury in China?
- 05:36 – Polls show China’s popularity sank during the pandemic but has since rebounded. How did China become “cool” in 2025?
Interested in booking Ashley Dudarenok as a keynote speaker or boardroom advisor?
