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The 2021 ranking of heavy-truck brand influence has been unveiled! With a new landscape emerging, who will claim the “Grand Slam”? | Top Story

In 2021, China’s heavy-truck market closed with sales of 1.395 million units. Although it fell short of the stellar performance of 2020—nearly 1.62 million units—it still marked the second-highest annual total in history. Against this backdrop, what did the brand‑communication landscape look like among the leading heavy‑truck manufacturers in 2021?

Release Date:

2022-02-11

In 2021, China’s heavy-truck market closed with sales of 1.395 million units. Although it fell short of the stellar performance of 2020—nearly 1.62 million units—it still achieved the second-highest annual sales figure in history. Against this backdrop, what did the brand‑communication landscape look like among the leading heavy‑truck manufacturers in 2021?

We hope to see the domestic heavy-truck market flourish with a diverse array of players, while also seeing one or two companies assume a leading role—representing China’s indigenous brands in competing against world‑class manufacturers and showcasing the strength and capabilities of Chinese brands. When it comes to brand communication, such efforts are far more than mere icing on the cake; they convey a manufacturer’s product and technological prowess, form an integral part of its overall competitiveness, serve as the crown atop its achievements, and constitute a vital source of influence in the industry.

In 2021, how did the communication indices of the 12 major heavy-truck brands fare? Under the dual pressures of recurring COVID‑19 outbreaks and declining sales, can online engagement effectively help these brands maintain their upward trajectory? Join us as we follow the editor of First Commercial Vehicle Network to revisit the standout moments of 2021 for these 12 heavy-truck brands—and relive those memorable, exhilarating highlights.

In 2021, according to statistics from this site’s “Top Heavy-Truck Brand Communication Influence” analysis team, the 12 major heavy-truck brands collectively amassed a total communication‑index score of 35,065 points, a slight 2.8% decline from 2020’s 36,057 points. Overall, performance remained solid, outpacing the year‑on‑year drop in sales volume. Notably, whereas in 2020 the top three brands were separated by more than 700 points, the gap in 2021 widened to nearly 2,000 points. Moreover, the “siphon effect” among the leading players has grown increasingly pronounced: FAW Jiefang, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, and Foton Daimler Automotive together captured 44% of the index share, signaling a fiercely competitive three‑way battle.

Although the three companies still hold a dominant share, compared with the tripartite balance of 2020, 2021 clearly saw FAW Jiefang emerge as the clear leader—so much so that it now appears difficult for any single player to challenge its position. While Jiefang’s performance is nothing short of remarkable, the figures reflect a year of relentless effort and strategic investment, steadily propelling the brand to the top spot in annual brand‑influence rankings.

In fact, if you trace FAW Jiefang’s communications trajectory in 2021, you’ll see that this championship was well-deserved. Not only was it highly prestigious, but it also vividly showcased the brand’s relentless hard work and determination throughout the year. Across the three key pillars of heavy-truck brand‑influence communication—actual news coverage, industry‑website dissemination, and WeChat‑readership engagement—FAW Jiefang consistently held the top spot. Particularly in industry‑website reach, Jiefang stood unrivaled, virtually unchallenged by competitors. Throughout the year, FAW Jiefang delivered a steady stream of major announcements and noteworthy events, accompanied by numerous standout campaigns that earned recognition as exemplary marketing cases of the year. For instance, on April 28, 2021, veteran Jiefang customer Geng Kaixue, representing four generations of his family, drove over 1,800 kilometers from Zhengzhou, Henan, to FAW Jiefang’s headquarters in Changchun, presenting a 55th‑anniversary edition J6 tractor unit—having logged 3.65 million kilometers without a major overhaul—as a gift to the company. On July 29, a vehicle‑donation ceremony themed “Courageous Responsibility, Honoring Heroes” was held in Bengbu, Anhui. Following an unexpected fire in the truck’s cab, Jiefang owner Song Jialei risked his safety and incurred significant losses to swiftly steer the vehicle away from residential areas and schools. To ensure that this hero would not suffer further hardship, FAW Jiefang presented him with a brand‑new J6 flat‑floor tractor unit.

Article excerpted from (First Commercial Vehicle Network)

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In December, heavy-truck sales totaled 53,000 units, down 52% year on year, with full-year sales settling at 1.39 million units.

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