Is That What They Call “Communism”?

And again coming back to the Chinese Internet. Chinese are well-known with their patriotism, and this point concerns social networks as well. Why, but what else remains them to do, if such popular cyberspaces as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Flickr, Blogger are still kept blocked in China? However, there are analogical Chinese networks that are almost absolutely identical to their western colleagues - Kaixin 001, Renren, 51, Youku, Fanfou, Qzone.

But it’s not the plot of matter. What it will go about are not these clones, but about the “Chinese social network of highest quality” – it’s called «Р1.cn». I won’t be surprised if you say that you have never heard about it before, because Р1.cn is a private network, and you can join to it only by invitation. We will talk about this later, but now let’s think why Р1.cn intentionally restricts the number of users while other social Medias work hard to attract as many people as possible? It neither rushed into the Open Platform ‘hype’, nor tried anything on the hottest Social Games yet. From the early beginning Р1.cn positioned itself as some kind of elite club, using Eric Cartman tactics – “You are not allowed here!”

Р1.cn was founded in Jan 2007, and unlike many SNS (Social network services) acquiring the first wave of users via spamming, virus marketing or social gaming, Р1.cn’s early users actually came from the real life. The co-founder of P1.cn Wang Yu Wang said they had had some photographers who had been asked to spent time on night club, shopping mall etc. They had taken photos for those fashionable young guys, then invited them to Р1.cn in person and asked for permission if they could replace their photos on P1.cn to attract more users in such way.

There are three ways of joining the Р1.cn-community: by friend’s invitation; by invitation of a photographer who finds you interesting enough (or, to say exactly – “good dressed”) to take a picture of you; or you can apply online for membership, a picture of you is required, surely.
  As Wang says, “It helps us to verify identity and guarantee the high quality of our user base.”

But who is this “high quality user”?

According to statistical research, there are probably 20 million wealthy people, i.e. P1.cn’s target users, In China. The QQ service is huge with over 200 million active users; The “51” service says it has over 100million users; Renren and Kaixin001 surely have over 20millions users already.” But by Wang, “We estimate the quality, but not the quantity, and we are not going to compete with any of other social networks”.

Wang shared with interviewer his reflections on the theme of "quality" of their users. According to research, the largest percent of the Kaixin001 website users is made from so-called “white collars”, with average monthly income of 3000RMB, Renren and 51.cn websites keep the medium with income of 2000RMB in average; QQ’s users are youngest with the average income of less than 2000RMB and the significant part of them earns around 500RMB monthly. “But as for P1’s users, their average income makes monthly 8000RMB. We have less users but we are much more attractive for  luxury and fashion brands”,- says Wang, smiling.

  When Wang was asked, what is he going to do, if one day, for example, Kaixin001 website decides to target to the same users, as P1.cn does. Wang answered that this is unlikely to happen, because Р1.cn users also attend Kaixin001 and QQ networks, but they will never get “hooked” by them. Just because they’d better spend more time shopping, partying or communicating with people, who have similar lifestyle in real life. As for P1.cn, there should be other approach to it.

And while everybody’s attention is drawn to public social networks, Р 1 is becoming the most popular private social network, with around 600 thousands users, mostly from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou. The company is planning further expansion to such big cities as Chengdou, Wuhan.

So far as Р1.cn focuses on users interested in fashion, parties and luxurious things, who are wealthy and young, being at the age between 20 and 40, it is not surprising that P1.cn attracts attention of such famous brands as Bentley, TAG Heuer. These companies re sure, that P1.cn posesses some unique value the other SNSs do not have. Their products fit P1 users’ lifestyle, and there is a great possibility, that they will get interested luxury products and buy it. That’s why, for example, Bentley’s advertisement takes remarkable place on the front page of the Fashion album of the P1.cn network.

And, finally, what’s interesting – you can find no information about the «P1.cn» service in China’s biggest search engine – Baidu controlled thoroughly by vigilant Chinese government. This fact makes me think that the Chinese government is not happy at all with such “bourgeois habits”.

 
  And here the Chinese gilded youth is: