Crisis brand management in emerging markets: Insight from the Chinese infant milk powder scandal

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to address a gap in the literature relating to crisis brand management in emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on secondary research and 15 qualitative depth interviews with mothers living in Beijing.

Findings

The study found that the Chinese infant milk powder incident significantly reduced confidence in domestic brands, altered perceptions of domestic brands, and had a profound effect on buying behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based primarily on a consumer perspective and the findings cannot be generalised to a wider population with known levels of statistical significance because of the qualitative methodology and small sample size.

Practical implications

The paper concludes that while crisis brand management requires managers to undertake similar actions whether they work in an emerging or a developed market, the cultural environment may cause them to actually take different actions.

Originality/value

This paper makes an original contribution to knowledge regarding crisis brand management in an emerging market via insight provided by the 2008 Chinese infant milk powder incident.

Citation

Custance, P., Walley, K. and Jiang, D. (2012), "Crisis brand management in emerging markets: Insight from the Chinese infant milk powder scandal", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 18-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634501211193895