China is far more than just a massive line item on a global commercial spreadsheet. With a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, intense brand competition, and an appetite for speed, it represents one of the most vibrant yet complex environments for qualitative research.
To explore what makes Chinese consumers truly tick – and how global brands can navigate local fieldwork hurdles- I chatted with Shirui Chen, Senior Researcher and Strategist at 8th Day.
Field Notes has partnered with 8th Day for many years on complex global projects, and we’ve long been big fans of their team. They share our passion for languages – almost everyone on their team speaks at least three – and they approach every brief as open-minded cultural guides rather than applying rigid, off-the-shelf research templates.
Rui’s journey into research started in advertising copywriting in Beijing. Driven to understand genuine human behaviour, Rui moved to London to study Material and Visual Cultural Anthropology at University College London (UCL). Today at 8th Day, she leads international qual studies that help global brand leaders understand everyday culture.
Here are Rui’s key insights on why brands must look to China, how digital self-ethnography unlocks deep consumer truths, and how to run seamless fieldwork on the ground.
1. Why China? A “Lab for Alternative Futures”
When Western headquarters commission research in China, the brief can sometimes focus purely on market size, population volume, or luxury spending power. But according to Rui, looking at China solely through a commercial volume lens misses the bigger picture.
“China is a market that is most receptive to imagination and creativity. As a researcher or strategist, I see China as a lab for alternative futures. You see so many crazy things happening so fast.”
Rui points to a unique cultural intersection: the fusion of 5,000 years of cultural heritage with world-class modern production infrastructure.
“You have an abundance of ancient cultural wisdom – traditional medicine, ceramics, fashion, food. But in the meantime, China has incredible production capability. In the past, ‘Made in China’ sounded low-end. Now, if you have an idea, you can make a prototype come true almost instantly with way less time and energy. Independent creators can customise furniture accessories online and have them delivered to their door within two days.”
Combine this hyper-efficient infrastructure with intense local commercial competition – such as Shanghai hosting over 1,000 independent coffee shops – and brands are forced to innovate aggressively just to stay memorable.
Busting the “Conventional” Myth
Rui notes that the biggest misconception Western brands hold is assuming Chinese consumers are strictly conventional or homogeneous.
“The biggest myth probably is thinking Chinese consumers are very conventional and collective. While group dynamics matter, there is crazy individuality happening. Conventional is the biggest misconception – Chinese consumers are wildly creative and receptive to out-of-the-box ideas.”
Furthermore, Chinese consumers possess a massive appetite for sensory storytelling and imaginative concepts. In categories like fragrance or premium spirits, consumers love filling in emotional gaps and projecting moods onto subtle brand narratives.
2. Chronically Online: The Value of Digital Self-Ethnography in China
China’s digital landscape operates in a league of its own. From 5G connectivity available seamlessly across underground subway systems to all-in-one super-apps, Chinese consumers live connected lives.
“If you go to China, everyone is chronically online. People are watching their phones while crossing the zebra crossing, and subways have full 5G coverage. There is no way out of the internet!”
Because platforms like WeChat interweave messaging, social feeds, and e-commerce into a single continuous experience, Rui highlights that digital self-ethnography and screen recording tasks offer extraordinary depth – even from smaller participant sample sizes.
“All social media platforms are heavily embedded in e-commerce. You see what people are buying, where they are sharing experiences, and posting selfies all on the same platform. You can capture an incredible abundance of their world from just a single entry or profile.”
3. Overcoming Local Skepticism and Building Partner Trust
Despite China’s digital maturity, running remote qualitative research on international platforms can still feel daunting for local recruitment partners on the ground.
At Field Notes, this is something we’ve seen firsthand over many years of running studies in the region: China presents very specific infrastructure realities – from navigating the Great Firewall to accounting for the absence of the Google Play Store – that require deliberate platform design if research software is to work reliably in-market.
When local recruiters express hesitation about adopting a new digital tool, Rui explains that it rarely stems from stubbornness. Instead, it is almost always driven by practical anxiety – a fear that unfamiliar software or technical friction will create extra administrative burden, disrupt fieldwork, or confuse respondents.
Building lasting trust with local partners requires a practical, empathetic approach. In our discussion, three key principles emerged that reflect both 8th Day’s fieldwork philosophy and our own day-to-day practices at Field Notes:
- Demonstrating Practical Value Upfront: Show local recruiters how a purpose-built app simplifies participant management and eliminates manual file handling. “You need to frame it as: ‘We want to work on this together to make your job easier, not just sell you a tool’.”
- Hands-On Onboarding: Provide clear guidance and support so partners feel completely confident explaining the platform setup and tasks to respondents.
- Encouraging a “Try It Once” Trial: Giving partners a low-stakes opportunity to test the workflow in practice proves that video uploads are seamless and that they won’t have to spend hours manually managing heavy media files over email or WeChat.
This “try it once” shift reflects our own experience at Field Notes. One of the most rewarding aspects of supporting international studies in China has been seeing local partners initially approach a new platform with understandable skepticism, only to become its biggest advocates once they experience how much smoother and stress-free fieldwork becomes for everyone involved.
4. Fieldwork Tips: Tapping into Creative Projection and the “Homework Mindset”
When designing activity guides, discussion tasks, and self-ethnography prompts for Chinese participants, Rui shares key cultural levers that unlock gold-standard insights:
A. Leverage Their Natural Skill for Projection
Chinese participants excel at metaphorical thinking and detailed projection. Rather than asking literal questions, invite them to describe abstract moods, visual personas, or sensory associations.
“Chinese participants are amazing at projection. In beauty studies, when we ask, ‘What kind of woman uses this cream? How does it make you feel?’, they give us incredibly rich, vivid descriptions. In Western markets, respondents tend to be much more literal. Design questions that invite Chinese respondents to imagine and project.”
B. Tap into the “Homework Mindset”
One of the most rewarding aspects of conducting self-ethnography in China is the extraordinary level of effort participants invest in their task submissions.
“Chinese participants have a collective memory of doing homework in school – they take assignments very seriously! The quality of pre-tasks and post-tasks is amazing.”
I am lucky to witness this daily. Participants frequently edit their video diary entries off-platform – adding custom subtitles, transitions, and titles before uploading. They treat research time with immense respect and bring incredible creativity to every submission.
C. Localise Stimulus Beyond Surface Edits
When testing global concepts, avoid superficial edits. Localising stimulus isn’t just using AI to swap a Western face for an Asian face; it requires adapting the underlying cultural context, tone, and everyday environment.
Summary: “Book Your Flight”
When asked what final piece of advice she would give to a global insight lead planning their very first qualitative project in China, Rui kept it simple:
“Book your flight!”
There is simply no substitute for experiencing China’s fast-moving culture firsthand, partnering with agencies who understand local nuances, and using purpose-built platforms to capture authentic human stories.
Thank you so much Rui, for your time and for this fascinating conversation!
Do you want to discuss your next project in China? Drop me a message at giulia@fieldnotes.space
