Live streaming in China: advancing into the AI era with complete service solutions
The live streaming market in China is experiencing remarkable growth and innovation, offering a unique platform for businesses to engage with their audience and drive sales. As of February 2022, over 703 million live streaming users resided in China, constituting about 68.2% of the country’s total internet users. The live streaming market in China continues […]
Rebranding success: KANS’ transformation into a leading anti-ageing skincare brand in China
KANS (韩束) is a Chinese skincare brand founded by parent company Shanghai Chicmax cosmetics in 2002. Prior to its re-brand in 2021, KANS functioned as a medium-to-high-end skincare brand within the company’s portfolio, focusing on providing effective skincare products for Chinese women under the slogan “Science realises your beauty”. In 2021, the brand underwent a […]
Why China’s Idol Economy is at its Turning Point
The year 2021 has been the turning point for China’s idol economy. After several years of booming growth, it fell into decline from July 2021 onwards. The “Operation Qinglang” (清朗运动, the operation to cleanse the entertainment industry) launched by the Cyberspace Administration of China in August dealt a huge blow to the idol economy. With […]
What to expect from Double 11 2021? Pre-sales, new records and top brands
The Double Eleven Shopping Festival, also known as Single’s Day refers to the online promotion day on November 11 (11/11). 2021 is the 12th Double Eleven shopping festival in history. On this day, many online merchants conduct large-scale promotional activities on online platforms like Tmall, Jingdong and Taobao. As sales start at midnight, according to data from iiMedia Research, in […]
Cultural Opinion Leaders (COLs): The future of China’s KOL economy
As Li Jiaqi and Viya win the titles “king” and “queen” of this year’s Singles’ Day and fashion brands keep on collaborating with the same handful of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), China’s KOL economy is in flux. Gen-Z consumers looking for more authentic and deeper tastemakers are the main driver of change. KOLs’ standardized format […]
Metahumans in China: The next frontier of KOL marketing
The term “Metahuman” first appeared in the DC comics universe and used to refer to “human beings with superpowers”. Now, the term is used to describe super-realistic digital humans, the most realistic form of virtual influencers. With the development of technology, the 3D sphere included digital simulation which is very close to a real person. In […]
FILA asks Chinese who are today’s idols
On June 28th, FILA’s new campaign 《对话》 (Conversation) and its Weibo hashtag #一个时代的偶像# (#The Idols of Our Time) was released and soon became a hot topic. By 5th July, this topic was read 460+ million times and discussed 456,000+ times (including 155,000+ posts with the hashtag). With this ad, the brand celebrated its 110th-anniversary using […]
AYAYI: The first metahuman in China has already made an “offline appearance” at Guerlain’s event
The first metahuman AYAYI (super realistic digital human) was created by RM Inc. (燃麦科技) earlier this year. AYAYI made her first appearance on Red on May 20th, 2021, the Chinese version of Valentine’s Day. As of July 1st, AYAYI’s first笔记 (note) launched on Red has won 95,000+ likes, 13,000+ favorites, and 2+ million reads. All […]
Chinese Digital Marketing Ecosystem in 2021
This article on Chinese digital marketing ecosystem in 2021 was published in the 2021 spring edition of the German Chamber Ticker, download the Ticker Magazine here! The events of 2020 did not change the trajectory of Chinese e-commerce, but rather accelerated the country’s consumption to a digital future that was, sooner or later, inevitable. As we […]
Influencer marketing in the West: What Chinese brands should know
This article sharing strategies for influencer marketing in the west is a part of our 7 Continents initiative where we use market research and consulting to help Chinese brands western market strategies. Learn more about our services for Chinese brands on our 7 Continents page. According to the State of Influencer Marketing 2021 report from […]
The many faces of virtual influencers in China: Vocaloids, KOLs, KOCs, idols and brand ambassadors
L’Oréal announced their branded virtual idol for the brand’s Chinese fans, Mr Ou. L’Oréal is not the only brand to invest in a virtual ambassador, virtual influencers in China are a growing phenomena. In fact, by 2023, China’s virtual KOL market is expected to be worth RMB 1.5 billion according to South China Morning Post. […]
18 inspiring Chinese New Year marketing campaigns 2021: Most creative, artistic, game changing and culturally competent
Lunar New Year is one of the most important and beloved holidays in China. On New Year’s Eve, Chinese families reunite and gather around the festive table, sharing their favorite dishes, handing out red envelopes of cash, and spreading good wishes for the New Year. Brands use this holiday to showcase their localization through specialized […]