Chinese film star Wu Xiubo was in the popular TV reality show Where Are We Going, Dad? sponsored by the automaker. Photos Provided to China Daily

Luxury automaker Infiniti has a standout growth rate, new branding campaign and outreach to consumers

Looking back, 2013 could prove to be a landmark year for Infiniti in China.

It spent only a week to become a household name by sponsoring the TV reality show Where Are We Going, Dad?, which turned out to be an audience rating winner all over the country.

Also in 2013, Infiniti sold 17,108 vehicles, up 54 percent from the previous year, standout growth among luxury brands in China.

But at the beginning of 2013, the outlook was far less rosy, said Daniel Kirchert, managing director of Infiniti China.

The first half of the year was spent "recovering from the extreme tough 2012", said Kirchert.

Data from the China Automobile Dealers Association shows Infiniti's inventory of unsold cars topped the ranks of carmakers for six consecutive months by February 2013.

After Kirchert took the helm in May, he implemented a series of policies to ease the overstock and helped dealers make a profit. The inventory remained at a healthy level for the rest of the first half.

But in the second half, Infiniti truly turned around.

Kirchert described the comeback as "putting it down and starting all over again".

"Infiniti's vision is to become an important member in the exclusive mainstream luxury auto brand club.

"To that end, we've further clarified our direction in China - that is to build 'the most emotional premium auto brand' to differentiate ourselves from traditional luxury brands."