Gasgoo Munich- On Sept. 20, 2026 International Forum(Teda) on Chinese Automotive Industry Development hosted a session themed "Moving Upward: User-Defined Premium — The Spiritual Shaping and User Resonance of Brand Premiumization." Zhang Guohua, president of the China Advertising Association and global vice president of the International Advertising Association, delivered a keynote titled "Premium Isn't Self-Defined: From Product Value Expression to User Resonance." China's auto industry has notched historic breakthroughs, he noted, yet its marketing is mired in hype and chaotic excessive rivalry. True premium, he argued, stems from hardcore quality and spiritual identification with users — not from clever rhetoric or spec-stacking.
Image Source: 2026 TEDA Forum
China's auto production and sales have ranked first globally for 17 straight years, with standout performances in new energy and exports, Zhang said. Yet flashy marketing issues are glaring: exaggerated claims and absolute rhetoric abound. The industry is trapped in excessive rivalry that prizes surface-level specs while neglecting the core of safety and durability. Some companies have bred blind arrogance, he added, lacking the humility to learn from global benchmarks.
He laid out three tiers of premium: product premium, grounded in safety, reliability, and durability; technology premium, driven by breakthroughs in homegrown innovation; and brand premium, which achieves deep emotional and spiritual resonance with users. At its core, a car is a mode of transport — meaning safety, durability, and component reliability form the true foundation of any premium claim.
To that end, he issued four calls to action: hold the line on truthful, compliant advertising; pivot narratives toward hardcore strengths like safety, quality, and durability; stay humble and rational, benchmarking against global best practices; and upgrade communication logic — moving past one-way spec dumping to foster two-way spiritual resonance with users. The China Advertising Association will launch a special advertising governance campaign, steering the industry away from traffic-chasing hype and toward long-term, value-driven marketing.
