From visibility to long-term trust: Chinese brands in Europe

Europe is increasingly becoming an important market for the internationalization of Chinese brands. Building visibility and consumer relevance across Europe requires more than market entry: it means reaching audiences in trusted media environments across diverse markets and technologies, according to industry insiders in a seminar in Beijing on Oct. 21.

A seminar on the analysis of the situation for Chinese brands expanding to Europe is held in Beijing on Oct. 21, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the French Embassy in Beijing)

At the seminar, officials and representatives from Chinese and European media shared their views on the changes in the European media landscape, consumer trust and brand reputation, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing Chinese brands entering the European market.

Pascal Gondrand, Commercial Counsellor at the French Embassy in China, said that Europe is naturally among Chinese companies' priority destinations, thanks to the size of its market and its growth potential. Within this context, France occupies a special place. "It has quality infrastructure, recognized talent, and a dynamic ecosystem. It also serves as a strategic gateway to the European market, " he said in his opening remarks.

"This attractiveness is reflected in the figures. In 2025, China ranked seventh among foreign investors in France in terms of number of projects and fifth in terms of jobs created or maintained. For many Chinese companies, the challenge is about establishing themselves in the European market for the long term, building a strong image, and earning consumer trust," he continued.

According to the reports from a European media organization RTL AdAlliance, against a backdrop of misinformation and growing concerns about the reliability of digital content, 61% of Europeans say they can trust a brand they discover for the first time through an advertisement on linear TV – the highest level among the media environments measured. This trusted environment is increasingly extending across the TV and streaming landscape, as broadcasters bring their content to digital platforms and audiences move seamlessly between linear television, Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) and streaming.

Stéphane Coruble, the CEO of RTL AdAlliance noted that Chinese brands are increasingly looking to Europe as an important market for their international growth. But reaching European consumers requires more than scale: it requires an understanding of local markets and the ability to build trust, not only visibility.

For Chinese companies expanding into Europe, cultural differences, diverse consumer habits, and local media landscapes pose major challenges to Chinese brands. Echoing this view, the media representatives at the seminar believe that simply expanding exposure is no longer sufficient to support long-term brand building. Understanding the market environments of different European countries and connecting with the public in trusted media contexts are becoming important issues in the internationalization of Chinese brands.

Stéphane stated that European consumers have already formed a favorable impression of Chinese products such as automobiles and smartphones. Chinese brand building has increased noticeably over the past three years, gradually shaping a perception of "high-quality products." However, brand perception depends to a large extent on communication and branding, and product quality and brand building are both indispensable. He suggested that Chinese companies can communicate with local audiences in ways familiar to Europeans—for example, through a combination of TV and digital video, expanding from a single-country market to multi-regional coordination, leveraging major sporting events and targeted thematic marketing, and premium content placement. These are important steps for Chinese brands to build trust through localized communication in Europe.

(With reference to People's Daily)