French Presidential Elections in China 2022: Which candidates are the most discussed on Chinese social media?
Unlike for the 2017 election, where the suspense was almost total until the second round of the French Presidential Election, this time, things are looking very different. At the time, candidates Marine Le Pen 勒庞 and François Fillon 菲永 were the most searched names on Chinese social media up until the very first day of […]
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 […]
Through black cookies and creamy fillings, Oreo and Jay Chou linked sandwich cookies with Chinese ink art
On October 15th, Oreo, together with its brand ambassador Jay Chou, launched a music video titled “笑奥江湖, 玩心无极” (Laugh proudly at the world, keep a heart of innocence). Oreo linked the color of its classic cookies with the black and white in the traditional Chinese ink paintings. Oreo and Jay Chou’s ink art blockbuster landed […]
The closing down of LinkedIn in China: What is the future for professional networking platforms in China?
On October 14th, 2021, LinkedIn announced it would shut down its service in mainland China. This globally leading professional networking platform entered China in 2014 and operated as one of the few popular western social sites in China for seven years. The absence the workplace networking giant left a lucrative room for alternatives to LinkedIn […]
Financial influencers in China: targeting Gen Z with stocks and digital currency advice
During the pandemic, millions of future financial analysts have been fully immersed in the world of investment. Recently a new generation of investors has been emerging on social media. The proliferation of commission-free online trading has sparked a demand for inexpensive financial advice that can be obtained from the most easily accessible place, namely the […]
Chinese netizens reflections on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics: National pride is alive and well
Whether China won 38 or 42 gold medals, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics caused a rise of netizens commentary on Chinese social media. Through social media listening we gained a deeper understanding China’s national pride, but also openness and appreciation of other cultures. Here are the main takeaways from social listening regarding Chinese netizens reflections on […]
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 […]
Chinese think Apple is crazy: Apple’s splash-resistant ad goes viral for wrong reasons
At the start of July, Apple published a splash ad (one that appears on screen for a few seconds when an app is launched) on major social media platforms in China including Weibo, Bilibili.com, and 携程 Ctrip.com. The ad featured a man holding an iPhone to his ear in the drenching rain. and the short […]
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 […]
Everything you didn’t know Douyin could do
Douyin is one of the most popular social media platforms in China. Owned by the Chinese tech company Bytedance, this APP allows users to upload and share videos under one minute long, but what makes it so special is its ability to tailor content recommendations on members’ interests and tastes through its sophisticate algorithm. According […]