Brand Management

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Huawei Technologies is a China-based MNC specialising in designing, developing, producing,
and selling telecommunication tools, smart devices, and various consumer electronics products
(Huawei Technologies, 2023). Huawei exemplifies the notion of cultural branding as defined by
Douglas Holt. According to Holt (2004), the purpose of cultural branding is to recognise
developing ideological flaws and to leverage those flaws to build exemplary brands. To assist the
brands in reaching their goals, Holt evolved the model of cultural branding strategy (Holt &
Cameron, 2010). In 2011, the huge Chinese B2B telecom corporation Huawei opted to enter the
most competitive consumer sector in the world in the smartphone category. Since then, the firm
has been driving upmarket, and its flagship phones soon rival Apple and Samsung in quality and
price. While Huawei controlled the Chinese market, it had a major issue in other countries of the
world. Huawei phones didn't have the same status as Apple and Samsung's products. In order to
make Huawei's brand in international markets, the company applied Holt’s cultural branding
concept-based cultural strategy methodology to establish a worldwide brand. The cultural factors
based on the cultural branding strategy adopted by Huawei include recruiting local employees
encompassing sales, marketing, finance, and technical personnel. The cultural branding model
does not require considering public demand and establishing links with various cultures as this is
a top-down model (Cheung, 2018). Considering these factors, Huawei relied on implementing
innovative brand values and faith on a global scale. The strategy helped Huawei win the trust of
diverse cultural people and become an iconic global brand.

Cultural factors

Huawei promoted its Chinese inheritance and focused on its roots to encourage traditional
Chinese virtues such as diligence, persistence, and creativity. They did this to link with the target
audience with a sense of nationwide pride among listeners both at home and abroad.
Understanding customer demands and preferences was a top priority for Huawei, and they
tailored their goods and services appropriately. To make sure their services met the cultural
prospects of their key target audience, they made an investment in market research. Huawei
modified its marketing tactics and offerings to fit with local tastes and cultural norms. They
interacted with regional markets while appreciating and comprehending wide-ranging linguistic,
cultural, and consumer practices (Collins, 2022). They were able to effortlessly blend into
several communities due to this strategy. Inspiring stories were used by Huawei to communicate

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its brand's principles and history. They conveyed their experience, inventiveness, and
commitment to technological advancement through storytelling. They developed an engaging
narrative that connected with customers all over the world by highlighting their development and
accomplishments. To increase its visibility and reputation, Huawei enters into local alliances and
collaborations with major organizations, and businesses worldwide. (Xie & Yan, 2010) These
alliances enable the brand to connect with a wider audience of customers while reaffirming its
dedication to innovation and technology. Huawei successfully uses cultural branding to position
itself as a prominent participant in the global technological scene by carefully fusing its Chinese
inheritance with worldwide ideals, focusing on innovation, interacting with the community, and
offering a superior user experience.

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References
Cheung, G. (May 8, 2018). How Huawei is becoming an Iconic Global Brand. LinkedIn.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-huawei-becoming-iconic-global-brand-glory-
cheung/

Collins, K. (2022). Life after Huawei: Honor bids to become ‘Iconic’ Global phone Brand.
CNET.

Holt, D. B. (2004). How brands become icons: The principles of cultural branding. Harvard
Business School Publishing Corporation.

Holt, D., & Cameron, D. (2010). Cultural strategy. Oxford University Press.

Huawei Technologies. (2023). About us. https://www.huawei.com/en/

Xie, W., & Yan, Y. (2010). Huawei Internationalization Strategy Analysis. International
Business Administration.