家具是一种文化、一种生活，家具是有灵魂的。打造家具品牌就是打造家具文化，品牌是文化的躯壳，而文化是品牌的灵魂。如果一个品牌没有文化的支持，无异于失去了灵魂，伟大的品牌之所以伟大，并不是它能够取得大部分顾客的认知，而是它创造了一种文化，一种让顾客可以奉为终生的品牌信仰。
中国家具行业的发展前景，目前可以用一句话形容，就是“埋伏在鲜花与掌声下的危机”。在当前全球化的经济条件下，产业的发展是需要依靠品牌的带动，而中国家具行业并没有几个品牌称得上是家喻户晓，更加不要谈成为国际品牌。在中国家具行业产量和出口量继续攀升的同时，我们要理性看到中国家具行业潜在的问题，没有强势的文化品牌将是中国家具业发展的一大障碍。
打造中国家具品牌文化，对所有的品牌建设而言，绝对没有投机取巧的捷径，品牌的成熟绝不会一蹴而就，这是我们必须清楚的基本道理。但在遵循这一基本道理的同时我们可以寻找一个“借鸡生蛋”的方法。
合资品牌。在企业没有实力打造自主品牌时，合资品牌是一种省力的好方法。采取这种方式的企业通常是寻找一家国际著名品牌的企业进行合作，由对方用无形资产出资，而我方采取实物出资的方式，共同拥有该品牌在中国市场的使用权。但这种方式很容易引起品牌纠纷，所以企业最好采用母子品牌战略，一边借助合资品牌，一边培养自己新的自有品牌，以免日后处于被动局面。
收购品牌。这种方式的品牌战略要求企业具备一定的资金实力，在长期代理加工赚取原始积累后，第一时间可以做的就是在外国收购一个知名品牌，嫁接该品牌的资源，迅速掌握成功品牌的能力。但一般该品牌是二线品牌或著名品牌处在衰退期，因此要注意防范风险，而不能一味追求速度或价格便宜。
OEM品牌。现在对中国家具企业来说，最容易走的一条品牌道路可能是OEM品牌，也就是将自己的代理加工能力转变成核心能力，进而上升为企业品牌内涵，不过这种品牌战略不是每个企业都可以做到，因为它对企业的成本管理要求很高，特别对系统管理能力的要求就不是一般企业可以达到的。
品牌文化是根本，从行业及企业长期发展选择，品牌文化无疑才是中国家具企业的最优选择。正如我们所知道的，在家具设计方面，欧洲家具讲究个性化，意大利家具强调艺术感染力、英国家具则具有明显的古典与绅士风度、法国家具最浪漫……
中国家具品牌只有树立与其它品牌差异化的根本途径，才能使品牌长久不衰。品牌的核心价值，要从品牌文化入手，塑造与其它强势品牌不同的核心内涵，因为家具不仅仅是一种器物，更加是一种生活方式。
举办中国家具文化节，对于中国家具协会和地方政府来说，都是一种尝试，希望能籍此为中国家具业的可持续发展引路，通过弘扬、彰显中国家具文化，塑造中国当代家具品牌文化的内核，树起中华民族别树一格的家具品牌文化。我们有着五千年的中华民族文化底蕴，有着数百万中国家具人的同心合力，扎根于“中国家具商贸之都”――广东乐从这样一个既继承了中国家具文化传统又便于吸收世界家具文化精粹的沃土，必定可以锻造出属于中华民族的家具品牌文化，使我国始终屹立于世界家具产业强国之林。
Building up Furniture Brand Culture
By Mr. Chen Bao-guang, Vice Chairman of China National Furniture Association
Furniture is a kind of culture, a kind of living. Furniture is provided with soul, to create a brand is to create one kind of culture, brand is the body of culture, while culture is the soul of brand. In case a brand goes without cultural support, it is nothing else but losing soul, a great brand becomes great not for it is recognized by most of the clients, but it creates one kind of culture, a brand the clients can believe in all the life.
The long term potential of Chinese furniture industry can be described in one word, “the crisis hidden by flowers and applauses”. Due to the current economic condition of globalization, no industry can be developed without being driven by brands, whereas none of the brands in Chinese furniture industry is widely known, saying nothing of becoming an international brand. When the output and export volume of Chinese furniture industry keep on increasing, we shall be rationally aware of the potential problems of Chinese furniture industry, the absence of forceful cultural brands will be the biggest obstacle against the development of Chinese furniture industry.
Absolutely there is no short cut for creating any brand culture of Chinese furniture, and no brand can accomplish success in an action, which is a basic principle we must be clearly aware of. Nevertheless, we can look for some method of “making use of the others’ technology to achieve our own objectives” while keeping to this basic principle.
Jointly-funded brand. When an enterprise is lack of strength to create its own brand, to fund a brand jointly is a good and labor saving method. Such an enterprise will normally cooperate with some enterprise with world known brand, the other party will invest with immaterial assets, while we will invest in kind, and then both parties jointly possess the right of use of this brand in Chinese market. However it may result in brand disputes, therefore the enterprise shall preferably adopt parent-subsidiary strategy, drawing support from the jointly-funded brand on one hand, and developing new brand of own on the other hand, so as not to be in the dock in days to come.
Brand acquisition. Such kind of brand strategy requires the enterprise with certain economic strength. After processing as an agent for a long time to gain primitive accumulation, the enterprise can purchase a famous brand at abroad immediately, and transfer the resources of this brand to quickly grasp the ability of a successful brand. However, such a brand is normally a second class brand or a declining famous brand; thereby you must pay attention to keep away from risks, instead of blindly seeking for speed and cheap price.
OEM brand. The easiest way for the furniture enterprises in China may be OEM brand now, i.e. to turn the capability of processing as an agent into core ability, and then advance as the connotation of corporate brand, however, not all of the enterprises can fulfill such a brand strategy for it requires highly of cost control of the enterprise, and particularly the ability required for system management could not be satisfied by common enterprises.
Brand culture is fundamental. From the viewpoint of long term development of this industry and the enterprises, brand culture is undoubtedly the optimum choice of the furniture enterprises in China. Just as we know, with regard to furniture design, European furniture is particular about individualization, Italian furniture stresses on the fascination of arts, British furniture is obviously provided with classical and gentlemanly style, and French furniture is most romantic…
Only when we find the fundamental way differing from the other brands, can the furniture brands of China be everlasting. We shall, starting with brand culture, create some core connotation differing from the other forceful brands to achieve the core value of a brand, for furniture is not just an object, but a life style.
For both China National Furniture Association and the local government, it is a kind of trial to hold China Furniture Cultural Festival, through which we hope to blaze a way in sustainable development of the furniture industry of China, and figure the core of contemporary furniture brand culture of China, build up the furniture brand culture with a unique style of the Chinese Nation by carrying forward and highlighting Chinese furniture culture. We, relying on the time-honored civilization of the Chinese Nation, uniting all efforts of numerous fellow traders, taking root in Lecong, “the Furniture Business & Trade Center of China”, a land inheriting traditional Chinese furniture culture and easy to absorb the cream of world furniture culture, are bound to build up the furniture brand culture belonging to the Chinese Nation, enabling China to remain invincible in the furniture industry of the world.
