Chinese firm eyes growing local smartphones market

By Isaiah Lucheli

Chinese technology firm has embarked on a marketing campaign to grow its revenues from sale of handsets.

The firm targets major global markets, especially emerging African markets, whose mobile telephony sectors are growing at an impressive rate.

The firm recently launched two new phones in the US market, the ZTE Grand S and the ZTE nubia 5 and partnered with US National Basketball Association (NBA) team Houston Rockets in a bid to endear itself to the American consumer.

In the deal with the NBA team, ZTE will have rights to market its products with the Rockets during the 2013-14 season.

Charity programme

The firm will also participate in the charity programmes organised by the Rockets. ZTE also announced an endorsement deal with forward Chandler Parsons, one of the Rockets’ players. The deal involves social media engagement with fans.

The Chinese Technology firm is also positioning itself to tap into the growing smart phone market that is estimated to grow by 40 per cent every year to 2017.

The company said it is planning to make similar marketing moves in Kenya, as it angles for a share of the fast growing smartphone market.

It said it would introduce some of its handsets in the country that will be sold through independent retailers. ZTE has largely been an infrastructure company in the country and has been contracted by mobile operators and other technology firms to put their networks. It has also had some of its handsets sold through partnerships with mobile operators, but these have not had a meaningful impact in the smartphone market locally.

ZTE Kenya said it would take an approach that positioned its brands closer to the customers, using a model that focuses on the needs of the buyer.

“We have a customer-centered approach to our products We will not focus on what the competition has done or is doing but rather the needs of the customer,” said ZTE Technical Manager Andy Chow.