Asian Women Are a New Consumer Market

It may surprise many of us in the West that Asian women work in more equitable environments than we ever imagined!  In fact, it has been noted that the gap between women's income and that of men is tightening much more quickly throughout Asia than it is in the West.  A famous Chinese proverb puts it this way:  "Women hold up half the sky."  Many Asian women still desire to fulfill their traditional role as wives and mothers in the home.  Even so, they continue to have more disposable income than ever before.  It may surprise many that Asian women spend seven times the amount of household income on an annual basis as Asian men.

More and more Asian women are leading large companies to the extent that they are even becoming the new heads of entire industries.  One example of this phenomena is Sung Joo Kim of Korea.  She is the chairwoman and CEO of Sungioo Group AG and MCM Holdings.  Another noteworthy example is Yan Cheung, nicknamed "the recycling queen."  She is the chairlady and co-founder of Nine Dragons Paper Holdings.  It is reported that she is the richest woman in China today.

Asian women of the present time are well educated and employed in high-paying jobs.  They are enjoying more disposable income.  In fact, today's affluent Asian women are younger too.  Eighty percent of wealthy women in China are under the age of forty five.  This is compared to thirty percent in the United States and nineteen percent in Japan.  Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that in order to get the attention of Asian women consumers, brands and products need to speak to the young, successful female age group.  It would be wise for businesspeople in the Asian market to think between the ages of eighteen and twenty five in terms of marketing.  This would be ambitious... and very smart!

Harlan Urwiler

For more information, please feel free to visit my website at:  http://www.myorientalgallery.com/.