SAIC Roewe says that it wants to get ordinary people to add some perseverance to the activity and to recognize ordinary people’s heroism as a way to contribute to social progress and brand cohesion.

Mohe, China’s northernmost city in Heilongjiang province, is where Roewe chose to test its vehicles under extreme temperature conditions and to show the toughness and durability of its SUV in a severe environment, More than 10 Roewe W5s joined a motorcade that travelled at least 700 kilometers from Mohe, across Heilongjiang province and Inner Mongolia autonomous region, to the town of Mangui in Inner Mongolia autonomous region and the Arctic Village in Heilongjiang.

Mohe, has long been seen as a no-go place by just about everyone because of its extremely low temperatures, for example, minus 58 Degree Celsius , but for some, the cold can also reveal an unyielding spirit and willpower. Mohe is home to a number of workers and experts, who‘ve spent years collecting information and who don’t think their work is any big deal, but who deserve respect for their perseverance and courage.

It’s only by placing yourself there among the mountains and water that you can feel a sense of awe for the scenery and tough climate and get deeper insight into the workings of the team of surveyors meandering through the thick forests at Singanense in Roewe W5.

These professionals are no strangers to adversity and know that every road can lead to adventure. That’s what most of the participants thought about the four-day survey activity.  And, while most people might know Mohe as nothing more than a dot on the map, its unique position gives it a different meaning in exploring the north.

The participants were amazed at the vast sweep of the land and the solemn majesty of northernmost China and expressed a deep respect for the people there. But while racing ahead on the path through life it’s good to take a break to share our feelings about these professionals and their perseverance, to survey those common souls around us with affection.

Zhou Ruqiang, the heart and soul of a group of meteorologists stationed at Mohe and a native of Guangdong province, answered the country’s call to help establish a weather station here, 60 years ago and gave up many chances to be transferred, choosing to stay in this alien world. 

Cong Dejun, head of the Mangui Logging Co’s fire dep’t, has worked here since 1988 in fire prevention and has made an extraordinary contribution to that field, thanks to his skills and experience.

The poignancy of these ordinary people’s lives was not lost on the participants, for whom, exploring the north seemed to take on a special meaning for them and their cars. 

In 2013, China’s car sales rose to a record 21 million, but, in contrast, the share of many domestic brands dropped more than 1 percentage point over the first 11 months of the year. That drop, however, didn’t necessarily mean that Chinese brands were a failure, in fact, either the intersection detection from CNCAP (China New Car assessment Programe) and the satisfaction survey of J.D.Power showed Chinese cars making great strides over the past three years, closing the gap between them and their joint-venture rivals. 

The problem was that their rivals’ market strategy and Chinese policies were evolving, while small cars were being beaten by the joint ventures. Multinational car companies made inroads in the below-80,000-yuan market and tighter quotas in some cities raised customer’s expectation of buying cars, shifted the competition from prices to brands, dealing a blow to Chinese models that had no edge in brand influence.

Still, even though the market isn’t so desirable overall, some companies are still chasing their dreams, which brings us hope. So, to date, SAIC has put 23 billion yuan into strengthening its brand and planned to spend another 22 billion, in the 2011- 15 period, by the end of which time its brand will roll out dozens of new models.

This steady input was bound to have good returns, and SAIC’s passenger vehicle sales for 2012 amounted to 200,000, and were worth 20 billion yuan, with the price per unit exceeding 100,000 yuan, putting the company on a par with some famous joint ventures.

Tang Yuejin, head of PR for SAIC Motor’s passenger vehicle, put it this way: Chinese vehicles need people who are committed to getting things done, which is also reflected in the Roewe survey activity. And, for the past three years, the Roewe W5 has joined many activities, such as the one from Youyiguan, in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, to the Stilwell Road, from India’s Rado to Kunming of China’s Yunnan province, and the one from the Yunnan-Myanmar battlefield to Mohe. These were not just about surveying the Chinese landscape, but more about paying tribute to people of perseverance and action and the spirit of heroes and their significance for the troubled world of Chinese brands.

In Mohe, fishermen in winter will break a hole in the ice -- an arduous activity, especially in the biting wind and tough ice. But, once a hole is opened, the water flows up and fish jump out of the water. So, they say that, if you just hold onto your patience and persist, you’ll eventually be rewarded.

By Guan Hongye, Automobiles Marketing Magazine