Hong Kong residents have always been lack of confidence in the selection of Miss Hong Kong, because the chosen beauties have always been considered as not beautiful enough. Lack of beauty is treated as more important than lack of wisdom, and this is the characteristic of beauty economy, what you see comes first and will always be the first.

We know that if a grand beauty is not supported by wisdom, her beauty will be at a discount. In fact, whether or not Miss Hong Kong is beautiful is only skin deep, the more important question is that this kind of selection has fallen into the predetermined pattern, without much innovative format. Spending time only on the ability to scout beauties will not change the waning trend, and this bottleneck is not the question of quality, but format. 

If we look at the problems of Chinese products with the beauty economy thinking, we will notice the same characteristic: the quality of our products is often not the problem, the real problem is how our products are provided: no brands, only provision. Therefore, we too have bottleneck in our exports. As a matter of fact, even without the economic crisis, this bottleneck would emerge anyway, just like the selection Miss Hong Kong. 

We know that when a problem pops up, how to solve the problem is most important; and the method used depends on how we look at the problem. Let’s look at it philosophically, the emergence of some scenarios (such as the current crisis) has actually one purpose: to let the habitual operating model change. Overview from this angle of the problems encountered by our export enterprises would make our export enterprises think of new modeling directions, and then seek change. This is the so called “fortune and misfortune are mutually dependent”.

Lately I was counseling some of our export-centered member enterprises on how to build their own brands. At first only taking foreign orders, those OEM (Original equipment manufacturers) having their own factories now take part in overseas trade exhibitions with their own brands, forgoing overseas middlemen and make direct contact with end customers; Foreign trade companies make their own brands, turning the former producers into their own products’ providers. This kind of change is definitely not easy to make, because they are not used to it. But you have to know that the former habit was the result of spoiling by the foreigners, and now the foreigners are having bad times, it is therefore the time to allow for the change of their habits. Viewing from this perspective, it is now the best opportunity for export oriented enterprises, and the best time to reformulate rules.

Those who know only how to complain when faced with circumstances are not clever, it is similar to saying that beautiful girls are lacking when one can’t see any beautiful Miss Hong Kong. Theoretically speaking, bottleneck can definitely be broken. The crucial questions are: when will it be broken, who is going to break it and how to break it? Those who enjoy watching beauties will still see beautiful Miss Hong Kong, but of course, what is needed is more than just patience.