In China, the brand of smokes one carries/offers to others reveals a lot about their social class and situation. The marketing, the size and shape of box, the iconography, the colours, and the style of character calligraphy all contribute to build a story for each.
Hongmei, 5 RMB ($0.70) and Baisha 4 RMB ($0.60) are among the cheapest cigarettes sold in China. Very popular with the migrant worker population. No nonsense.
Popular among the working middle class is Hongtashan, 7 RMB ($1). The majority of which are manual workers. Often brands are favoured within the local region they are produced. Double Happiness, also 7 RMB ($1), is recognized as a good business brand, indicating the alliance is also a personal one.
Panda, 120 RMB ($18) was a favourite of Deng Xiaoping, as the panda symbolizes positive diplomatic relations (though China recently stopped the tradition of gifting live pandas to allied nations). Zhong Hua 45 RMB ($7) is also up there with its lavish yet solid look.
[Wallpaper* June 2009 issue]
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