Robbed from the Hikvision playbook, now Dahua takes it turn.
Dahua, China's second largest manufacturer, is ramping up its marketing.
Dahua announced a new ad campaign calling themselves a 'California treasure' comparable to the California Gold Rush:

Who Is Dahua Technology?
Dahua Technology USA is the regional sales / support office (with ~50 employees) for the Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., Ltd [link no longer available]. (with ~10,000 employees).
China is the foundation of Dahua's business, its R&D, its manufacturing, etc. Dahua USA's regional office, with ~0.5% of Zheijiang Dahua's employees, is based in Southern California.
Why **** **?
***** ********** ** ** a ********** ******** ** risky. **** ******* **** who ***** ** **** their******** ********** ************* *** **** *** years *** ** **** not **** **** ********* to ********* *****'* ********** to ********** ** ** slight.
***** ** ******** **** same ******* ** ****** ***** **** / OSPA ******.
Insulting ** **** *********
*** ****** *** ***** is **** **** **** it ** ****** ** be '*****' ********** **** Hikvision's ************ ************* ********** as ******** ********* ***** **********,**********-****** ************.
*** **** ********* **** find ** ********* *** duplicitous ** ******* * branch ****** ****** ***** a '********** ********'. ******, Chinese ******** ***** ****** object ** *** ******** company ********** ** ** a "******** *ǎ***í.'
***** ** ********** *** better ********* ** *** US **** **** **** the **** *** ***** but **** ****** ******** **** ****** **** self-deprecating ********* ********** ** ** American.
UPDATE: **** ******
***** *** ******** / softened *** ********** / treasure ****** ** ***** 2017 ******* ** **** campaign, **** ** **** ads ***** **** ** side *****:

****

Read this IPVM report for free.
This article is part of IPVM's 6,817 reports, 914 tests and is only available to members. To get a one-time preview of our work, enter your work email to access the full article.
Comments (60)
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
rewrite:
"In 2016 Dahua discovered Fool's Gold........."
Create New Topic
Attila Szucs
Marketing is always exciting. Don't say I didn't told. :D
Create New Topic
Brian Rhodes
Of all the California historical milestones to embrace, why in the world did Dahua pick the Gold Rush?
Grade-school history classes taught me that the Gold Rush and the subsequent western expansion wasn't exactly kind to Chinese immigrants.
This is not an analogy that works, for many reasons.
Isn't California the home of 'moving pictures'? Wouldn't that be more copacetic here?
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #3
You'll discover it the same way, digging thru the dirt.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #3
Hardly. She just brought it with her :)
Create New Topic
JP Wenger
I work for Dahua USA, and I am pretty sure I am also American. Just throwing that out there.
Edit: Also born and raised in California
Create New Topic
Edward Knoch
It's just advertising - seriously. What we should be more concerned about is not that they are claim jumpers on the provenance of California, it should really be the fact that we have come to accept that American Industry has so failed it's consumers that we have no options but to buy foreign made products.
Let's face it, they've out performed, produced, developed us in this market space. Until a viable (and I mean viable in that it better work for more than a week and not have a high DOA rate) alternative is presented, we're at the mercy of EA products (with no end-in-sight).
What I find slightly troubling is the fact that our Federal $$$ are being spent on purchasing product that are produced by a communist government. Yes - I said it. Most, if not all companies in China have a percentage ownership by the Communist Government. Would you buy a product that had open access to your network and can implant bots to scour open ports and insecure systems and report home? It's troubling that we buy these products and don't get a good look into the back-end of the product.
If I were an Average American consumer, I'd consider that point and think about the ramifications. If I were the Federal Government, I'd be "pooping bricks" knowing that I have no accessibility to their code base. I'm certain the CERT and SANS folks out there would LOVE to take a look at the code base on these cameras.
We see all these breaches in network security at major Federal Institutions and we attribute it to hackers. Really, we've literally given foreign governments direct access to security platforms. Even with "regulations and prohibitions on their use", some "yahoo" who wants to watch their inventory and puts up a cheap "pro-card" purchased product has most likely mounted one of these cameras to watch their DLA inventory as its being moved from base to base.
That concerns me more than devious marketing. I sincerely hope that we can step back from worrying about "advertising" and focus on the real security threat posed by Chinese manufactures. The real objective here should be to find home-grown products that meet or exceed these products, that are made here and transparently provide access to their back-end code to ensure they are "gold-level" and have ensure INFOSEC and COMSEC.
I know there is still American Ingenuity and Industry - it's out there. Show us the products that are quality and produced here and I will switch to purchasing from them (or trusted country partners).
Finally - we need to see the unfair trade and manufacturing practices of the Chinese Government curtailed and eliminated. No more "state-sponsored" funding of Chinese Manufacturers - deny them access to our market and this will stop - they will have to survive on their own - not on the basis of the RMB or influx of government investment. If you established a high tariff (80% or more on products know to be receiving substantial government investment), that will discourage that behavior.
Okay - off of my little rant horse....
My two-bits. You all have a very nice day...
Create New Topic
John Honovich
Update: Hikvision has deleted the Ezviz California 'Story' page:
And, on LinkedIn, Hikvision now acknowledges Ezviz is a subsidiary of Hikvision.
Mega companies trying to fake their identity is simply not prudent.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Integrator #4
I know this is off topic, but can I just add that the dahua logo sucks so badly. It clearly says "AHUA". I mean HIKVision isn't much better really - you instantly think of red-neck trailer park hicks. Unless you pronounce it "Hike-Vision" - but even then, are we going on a hiking trip?
"Axis" is the best - very cool sounding name, good logo - they definitely nailed it.
Just had to throw that in.
Create New Topic
Farzad Nouri
IPVM supposed to be a fair and neutral website that can be used as a source. but this kind of news shows the enmity against Dahua since they did not accept sponsorship. this is not the first time. IPVM always give good news about HIKvision while destroys Dahua since HIKvision is one of IPVM sponsors. by the way dahua has more than 10K employees right now. you can easily check it in their website. I think now everybody feels IPVM discriminating behavior toward two Chinese manufacturer. I want to know WHY?
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
Didn't March Networks do something very similar? When were acquired by Chinese company Infonova the press release claimed Infonova was headquartered in New Jersey...forgetting to mention that in was their "USA headquarters" office location.
Create New Topic
Michael Budalich
08/11/16 02:48pm
I really want to know who votes yes on this poll....
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Distributor #6
What I find amazing is that everyone who knows Dahua or Hikvision well says the same things about them, every time. Everyone despises & loathes them. Yet they keep buying them "because it's cheap" but then they complain that they can't make any money on them because it's being whored out on Amazon and eBay and the immoral manufacturers are stealing their own customer's customers...
But then again, we refuse to make things in America anymore... It's a sad state in this disposable America we've created. When can I distribute an American made security system?
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #3
Star-spangled banner ad:
Create New Topic
Jon Dillabaugh
08/11/16 07:08pm
Can you pass the Dahua pop quiz?
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Manufacturer #8
So first of all, this is a badly copied ad message done by many others outside the industry. The most notable parallel was the series of TV commercials done by Mazda for their "Skyactiv" where they (badly) tried to tie some historic event with their new car technologies.
At least the Mazda commercial tied significant innovations in history with Mazda's significant innovation now.
The Dahua ad says, "Hey look at this random discovery that happened back in 1848 that shaped California, we're in California too, so you should consider us awesome too."
When you compare to actual California companies that contributed notably to shaping California (Apple, Intel, Microsoft - or if you go more toward this industry, IQinVision and Arecont Vision) - then this feels like just another typical Asian advertising effort - from the hip and just copying what others have done without really thinking it through.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Manufacturer #11
I think the ad shows that at least Dahua understands the psychological component of how marketing works. The ad has nice composition, color, and branding; everything that is important for a brand. Marketing is about evoking a feeling from a customer and I think that by positioning themselves as an American company, they are trying to establish themselves as a new player in the American market.
What sort of baffles me is why they did not decide to leverage the fact that they are one of the largest suppliers and manufacturers of surveillance products internationally? Maybe they have market research that shows Americans do not like overtly knowing that their product was from China?
This is my point of contention with the ad; I know for the most part that advertisements are not inherently truthful, but why position yourself in such a way? It's not like they lack the technology to back up their claims...
I really want to see how their presence in the US plays in the next couple of years. I do not think a Chinese company entering into the American market will face the same barriers as an American company in China. US companies have had difficulties breaking into the Chinese market with Apple being the notable exception. But Apple already has problems maintaining their foothold in China.
I think the biggest hurdle for Dahua and Hikvision is that they have to capture market share in a market that they've helped saturate. They will also have to post up a significant profits if they're going to work off the short term debt that they have created for themselves.
Unrelated question: Is Hikvision selling Ezviz in China?
Create New Topic
Horace Lasell
Could we please update voting options to "Shi" or "No" ? Thanks!
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #12
We are Dahua. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile
Create New Topic
John Honovich
Dahua has modified / softened the California / treasure aspect in their 2017 version of this campaign, 2016 vs 2017 ads shown side by side below:
Create New Topic