Abstract
Shows how child‐centred marketing in China has gradually developed, using an example the traditional hero figure Wukong, who now appears and behaves in a far more child‐friendly way than before. Uses child‐centred qualitative research, including drawings, play and photography, as well as interviews with parents and children, to assess trends among Chinese children and youth. Finds that gender is important in children’s choice of toys and games, especially for boys, and that empowerment is a dominant theme in their choice, and also in their aspirations for employment; they are curious, and wish to be successful, powerful and popular. Moves on to young people, finding that peer group pressures are their strongest influences and spending time with friends their favourite leisure activity; they appear to put the individual ahead of the family and to value self‐actualisation over external recognition, in strong contrast to traditional Chinese culture. Finishes with what counts as cool in China: this is a mix of western and traditional Chinese values, with sporting ability and competence scoring high, but musical tastes were for Chinese rather than international artists.