KEY POINTS:
New Zealand companies looking to sell products to China's one billion plus people should think small says Shanghai-based New Zealander Ben Shipley.
According to Shipley, New Zealand companies can't compete with mass-market products but there are real opportunities for those producing "high value, high brand, high quality" goods.
"It's a playing field that New Zealand can compete with bigger countries," says Shipley.
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Shipley cites clothing companies Icebreaker and Untouched World offering "interesting products with a fashion edge".
He also says New Zealand food and beverage products, especially seafood, could find ready markets in China.
However, the Chinese market isn't for everyone.
"If your business model is based on an IP [intellectual property] difference to protect the product, don't go to China," he says.
Shipley, the 28-year-old son of former prime minister Jenny Shipley, has found a business niche marketing to China's urban youth - those born after 1980.
Shipley formed ConfuciusSays, a creative marketing agency, a year ago after working in Shanghai for two years at a business-to-business magazine.
With four permanent staff and six contractors the agency uses social networks, word-of-mouth and new media such as internet blogs to spread brand messages to niche, youth markets.
ConfuciusSays has helped companies like 42Below wring as much value as possible out of their marketing budget in the vast Chinese market.
Rather than paying a lot of money to advertise in traditional media, Shipley has run "invitation only" 42Below cocktail parties for Shanghai's hip, cool creative set.
"What we're doing is translating the brand into a Chinese context," he says.
Shipley is in Auckland to speak at the inaugural China Business Forum being held in Auckland on Thursday.
Other speakers include former prime ministers Mike Moore and Jenny Shipley, Foong Wai Fong founder of Megatrends Asia, and Mary Boyd from the Economist Intelligence Unit.
* Forum coverage on nzherald.co.nz tomorrow.
Ben Shipley's tips for succeeding in China
