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 […]
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 […]
The colorful marketing potential concealed in China’s anime, comics, and games (ACG) market
The Anime, Comics and Games (ACG) market in China attracts a great number of enthusiasts, especially among the youth. According to iiMedia, in 2019 there were about 332 million ACG fans in China, and the number is expected to exceed 400 million by the end of 2021. Cartoons and anime series represent the most successful category […]
“土” is in: How a beverage brand makes corny rural-style advertising cool again
Starting with a viral popularity of its corny theme song, MXBC (Mi Xue Bing Cheng 蜜雪冰城), a beverage brand known for its cheap drinks, became a phenomenal hit among Chinese Gen Z in 2021. MXBC infused a brainwashing jingle and catchy lyrics into their theme song, triggering a wave of parodies and short videos on […]
Feminism in Chinese marketing: How brands are empowering Chinese women
After a long history of favoring males, currently feminism in China is gaining momentum and many brands utilize it in their strategy, promoting feminism in Chinese marketing. What does China’s feminism movement entail? China’s feminist movement has three mayor demands: to make visible the household work that women do and to redistribute it; equal opportunity […]
How brands carve room for body positivity in China
Body positivity refers to the assertion that all people deserve to have a positive body image, regardless of society’s ideal shape, size, and appearance. The body positivity movement challenges existing social standards of what preferred body is, promotes the acceptance of all types of bodies, helps people build confidence and acceptance of their own bodies […]
How to do Guochao marketing: In-depth interviews with Chinese gen Z
What is Guochao marketing “GUO CHAO” (literally “national trend”) refers to the increase consumer favoritism towards Chinese brands, designs and culture. Guochao consumers embrace Chinese cultural designs and products made in China. 75% of Chinese consumers surveyed state they like products that incorporate Guochao design elements. To learn more about Guochao marketing, we conducted in-depth […]
Daxue Talks 9: Leverage Douyin to reach gen Z
Leverage Douyin Fabian Ouwehand, Douyin expert and entrepreneur in China gives us the most recent information on the Chinese digital giant, Douyin (called Tik-Tok in the West). In this China business vlog, we discuss how to use Douyin for marketing purposes and especially how to work with Chinese influencers, KOLs on Douyin. Jump to the […]