short take · china strategy

china may not be getting harder. it may just be less forgiving.

written by marc-olivier arnold12 august 2026

For a while, the right distributor, the right stores, and some international reputation could take a brand a long way here. That doesn't hold like it used to. People have seen too much. Being foreign, or niche, or a hit elsewhere, doesn't say much on its own anymore. The usual fix is more localisation. But that gets you attention, not always meaning. What's actually left once the halo wears off? China just finds out faster.