[THE INVESTOR]  Just like the number 7 is considered a lucky number in many regions, the number 8 is an auspicious number in Chinese culture. It is because of its pronunciation, “ba”, which sounds like the Chinese word for prosperity, “fa”, and its shape represents a perfect balance.

But for Samsung Electronics, the “ba” could mean bad luck.

The year 2017 was supposed to be the best timing for the Korean tech giant to pour marketing resources in the all-important Chinese market along with the planned launch of its flagship Galaxy S8 smartphone and its bigger-screen sibling Galaxy Note 8. 

Probably with that in mind, Samsung skipped the name Note 6 for this year’s model to sync the number of Note products with the Galaxy S lineup.

Now when its Note brand is sitting on the brink of extinction, however, industry watchers say Samsung may be missing the perfect marketing opportunities in China next year.

“Utilizing the number 8 can be a good marketing strategy in the Chinese market for Samsung as local consumers literally love the number,” said Kim Man-ki, professor at Sookmyung Hospitality Business School in Seoul, adding that Samsung seems to be now facing a much tougher battle in the Chinese market, where local smartphone makers Hauwei, Oppo, and Vivo claim the top spots, while its archrival Apple iPhones are still hot-sellers in the premium segment.

“Amid the unfavorable sentiment of the Chinese public toward Korean firms due to the Korean government’s recent decision to deploy US-made missile defense systems, Samsung will have to bend over backward to find ways to restore consumer trust for its products first by improving product quality,” he said.

Some critics say even Samsung’s marketing campaign for the upcoming Galaxy S8, not to mention the Note 8, will likely lose steam in China where few people distinguish between the S series handsets and the latest fire-prone Note phones.

Adding to Samsung’s concerns is that Apple is also expected to deploy an aggressive marketing scheme in China marking the 10th anniversary of its iPhone next year.

Amid mixed views about the survival of the Note brand, Samsung is also gauging the risks of ditching the brand, sources said.

“It is risky and costly to eliminate the Note brand, considering Samsung and its suppliers have already made enormous investments into related facilities and labor,” said an official from a parts supplier on condition of anonymity.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)