Time in Australia is the biggest determining factor in Chinese speaking consumers’ media choices, according to a new whitepaper from leading AI marketing platform, EternityX Australia. While Chinese speakers use both Chinese and Western media in Australia, four out of five channels regularly used are Chinese media channels.

The whitepaper for Australian advertisers titled Chinese speaking consumers in Australia – their media and communication preferences, examines the media consumption habits, behaviours and preferences of Chinese-speaking consumers in Australia and gives insight to marketers on the most effective ways to engage this highly lucrative audience set.

The whitepaper revealed that it can take up 20 years before Western media channels are favouredover Chinese channels, which applies to both traditional media channels including TV and print, along with digital, social and streaming channels.

Census data shows there were almost 600,000 Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese) speakers in Australia in 2016, almost twice the number in 2011, with the 2021 Census expected to show further strong growth. 

For many Chinese Australian consumers, English remains a barrier and speaking Chinese at home, which 84% of respondents indicate they do, persists even after many years in Australia.

EternityX Australia director, Luke Bussell said the study has shown that Chinese consumers are young, wealthy and educated with a high tendency towards discretionary spending.

“As a result, they should be on the radar of all Australian advertisers. We also know that marketing communication in Chinese heavily impacts their consumer behaviour, and for the many with limited English, Chinese media is a necessity, not a choice.”

EternityX’s whitepaper also found that Chinese TV streaming services have 82% more regular viewers who speak Chinese than free-to-air TV networks in Australia. Further, 57% of respondents trust brands who translate their advertising into Chinese and 53% are more likely to purchase from a brand who translates their advertising into Chinese.

Luxury goods or beauty products are where 59% of the sample identified that they prefer to spend discretionary funds, with those earning over $150,000 spending $2,537 a month on luxury goods or beauty products on average.

“What we’re seeing from Chinese speaking consumers in Australia is a strong bias towards Chinese media channels,” Bussell continued.

“Combine this with the positive impact that advertising on Chinese media channels has on brand trust and purchase intent and it’s clear that Western media on its own is an ineffective way to connect with and influence Chinese-speaking consumers in Australia.”

EternityX is committed to helping marketers and advertisers navigate the Chinese media landscape both locally and abroad by understanding consumer behaviour. “There is a huge opportunity that a lot of Australian advertisers are missing when it comes to meaningfully engaging Chinese-speaking audiences and it is our mission to close this gap.”