Above: The evil geniuses at Taiwan's NMA have produced an online Kim Jong-un-inspired game Best Korea Smackdown. The animation gang has also produced what is maybe its most subversive ever little video about American-Chinese relations with its "Iron Man 3" commentary.

China is the second largest economy in the world and every significant brand's future is impacted by its growth (or collapse)—but who's got the time?! Here's the week's reads that will make you look like a keen China observer in case you find yourself immersed in a cultural conversation.

This week: BMW's China brand... Spotify's in Asia... Ginseng... Iron Man 3 "chinky eyes"... Online retail... HTC's branded disaster... Xiaomi denies Jobs copy... Hertz buys to rent... Alibaba phones... Apple porn... Burberry and YSL... WeChat... "cat models"... and more.Continue reading...

Above, Beijing t-shirt maker Plastered releases its 草泥马老板 ("Grass Mud Horse" Boss) shirt. 

China is the second largest economy in the world and every significant brand's future is impacted by its growth (or collapse)—but who's got the time?! Here's the week's reads that will make you look like a keen China observer in case you find yourself immersed in a cultural conversation.

This week: Beckham's Adidias/Nike problem... McDonald's closes iconic location... bashing Apple... Steve Jobs manga... what your brand of car says about your sex life... Walmart... Nongfu... more infant formula scandals... Jackie Chan... Vera Wang... bye bye black Audis... and much more.Continue reading...

At top: Attention art directors looking for something new and cool. Check out the perspective art of this Beijing Chemical Engineering University student. 

China is the second largest economy in the world and every significant brand's future is impacted by its growth (or collapse)—but who's got the time?! Here's the week's reads that will make you look like a keen China observer in case you find yourself immersed in a cultural conversation.

This week: ad spend... what China wants in 2013... suspicions about VW's recall... Apple... Buick's recall... Microsoft on Taobao... BMW partnerships... one evil mechanic's genius business development idea... Gangnam grannies take on Harlem noodle shake... and more.Continue reading...

#8.20. That was the new social media tag for the embarrassing fallout that hit China's CCTV on the nation's annual "Consumer Rights Gala" program. Thanks to a slew of dopey social media moves by a celebrity, CCTV's attack of Apple appeared to be exposed as a state-coordinated hatchet job on the Cupertino tech giant.

As we reported in our weekly China news round-up, CCTV's annual March 15 Consumer Rights Day Gala (央视315晚会) is one-half "60 Minutes" and one-half "The Bachelor." Each year, CCTV targets one or two companies to castigate and shame publicly for, in its view, abusing consumer trust. For several years in a row, CCTV has come down especially hard on foreign brands. But now, the popular annual event may have been severely weakened by, ironically, abusing consumer trust.Continue reading...

"Chinese radio and television stations are to ban advertisements for expensive gifts such as watches, rare stamps and gold coins, as part of a push by the government to crack down on extravagance and waste."

China's coming campaign of frugality was no secret. But that announcement from China's state-run media sealed the deal, and maybe the purse strings, of China's state-run spending class.

Demonstrating just how powerful a spending segment the Chinese cadre is, shares of Burberry and other luxury brands immediately dropped. Meanwhile, shares of high-end Chinese liquor brands Kweichow Moutai and Wuliangye Yibin — both of which routinely dominate China's CCTV ad buys and are a staple of state dinners — have recently dropped. Last spring, the CCP also declared that all state-owned vehicles must be domestic and carry price tags under about $30,000. That move saw brands like Audi sigh and grimace. (In 2009, a full 20 percent of Audi's China revenue was from sales to state officials.)Continue reading...

Hostess liquidation sees opportunists stock up on Twinkies as future of its brands hangs in balance and unions cling to hope of a buyer.

BP seen as takeover target now, as valuation slides.

GM opens $1.3 billion China plant for Baojun budget brand.

Ben & Jerry's turns fans' Instagram pictures into ads.

CCTV ad haul for Chinese television bodes well for economy.

Cisco to buy networking-hardware company Meraki for $1.2 billion.

Citigroup to cut more jobs.

Dish Network is frustrated in dream of breaking into wireless.Continue reading...

Apple, as ever, is all the talk in China:

• Company loses iPad trademark in China and faces $1.6 billion lawsuit, prompting question: "Why Haven’t the Apple Stores Been Shut Down?"

• Labor woes continue with The Economist weighing in on the "but these jobs are better than farming rice" argument.

• Is this a 7th generation iPod nano? With a camera?

• iPhone woes continue as Apple admits China Mobile SIM cards and iPhone 4S are not speaking the same language.

• Siri gets Rosetta Stone: Chinese.

But it's not all Apple in China:Continue reading...

Are you ready for Brandchannel's daily (we hope!) rundown of World Cup marketing, branding, and advertising linkage?

First, everyone else go home! The most creative World Cup-related ad has been located: Bet-at-home.com (above).

As FIFA cracks down on ambush marketers, Nike is dubbed ambush marketing God King by Reuters and Ad Age (no surprise here.)Continue reading...