Purpose　-　There　are　different　views　on　how　to　gain　a　sustainable　competitive　advantage　(SCA)　for　firms.　This　topic　has　become　an　important　research　area　in　strategic　management.　The　purpose　of　this　paper　is　to　provide　an　approach　for　Chinese　firms　to　use　as　a　springboard　to　identify　sources　of　SCA　through　marketing　innovation.　Design/methodology/approach　-　Based　on　a　cursory　review　of　the　generic　literature　on　how　to　gain　SCA,　this　paper　considers　innovation　as　a　primary　source　of　a　firm＇s　competitive　advantage.　From　a　practical　viewpoint,　marketing　innovation　is　identified　as　a　significant　source　of　SCA,　especially　for　those　firms　operating　in　the　dynamic　and　competitive　Chinese　economic　environment.　Through　an　analysis　of　marketing　innovations　at　the　Huawei　Technologies　Co.　Ltd　in　China,　an　approach　is　developed　to　help　managers　identify　their　unique　sources　of　SCA　through　marketing　innovation.　Findings　-　This　study　reveals　marketing　innovation　results　from　a　considered　analysis　of　the　various　marketing　factors　in　the　environment　and　the　inter-relationships　between　these　factors.　Subsequently,　new　sources　of　SCA　can　be　identified,　based　on　a　firm＇s　previous　sources　of　competitive　advantage.　In　this　process,　different　types　of　competitive　advantage　are　viewed　in　a　holistic　framework,　which　provides　the　basis　for　improving　firm　performance.　Practical　implications　-　The　approach　developed　in　this　paper　offers　a　basis　for　managers　to　identify　their　firm＇s　unique　SCA　through　marketing　innovation.　Originality/value　-　The　paper　provides　insights　for　academics　and　professionals　in　the　field　and　adds　to　the　literature　on　emerging　economies　and　SCA.　©　Emerald　Group　Publishing　Limited.