Ultimate guide to KOL marketing in China: What is a KOL and how to unravel their enormous potential
In June 2022, out of a population of 1.41 billion, China had 1.05 billion Internet users, accounting for around 74% of the population, thus recording an increase of 3.8% compared to 2021. Moreover, according to CNNIC, netizens spend an average of 29.5 hours per week online, and 99.6% of them use their mobile to surf […]
Why the next stage of Chinese virtual influencers is body positivity
A virtual influencer is an AI-generated fictional character that brands in China have been using in place of human Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) for a variety of marketing-related activities. Their flawless evergreen youth and ability to be controlled is highly desirable as often a human KOL’s actions or political comments can lead companies to face […]
Genki Forest: a Chinese soda brand planning to tackle Coca-Cola
Founded in 2016, Genki Forest is a Chinese soft drink brand that specializes in sparkling water and instant tea. Due to the increased health awareness among Chinese people, Genki Forest’s relatively healthier products that are “low calorie” and less sugary have successfully catered to a substantial target market in China. Genki Forest announced its plans to become […]
Crackdowns in livestreaming in China: how brands should approach it
2021 was the year of crackdowns in China as the government pushed for the ‘Common Prosperity’ initiative. The government has been tightening regulations to balance wealth and establish a more sustainable economic model. Among the several industries affected, the e-commerce industry – specifically the livestreaming market – has emphasized the importance of abiding by the […]
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 […]
Perfect Diary case study: How this Chinese makeup brand got to the top
The c-beauty brand Perfect Diary is one of the first Chinese cosmetics brands to go global. The rise of this Chinese cosmetics brand started on its home soil of China, using the strategies of KOL marketing, co-branding, and private traffic. This Perfect Diary case study dissects how the brand became so popular so fast. Since […]
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. […]
Douyin marketing in China: enormous opportunities for all kinds of brands
In recent years, China’s biggest tech giants have entered the Chinese short video industry one by one. ByteDance, B Station, Tencent, Baidu, Ali, Sina, Meitu, NetEase and 360 series are competing for attention in the short video industry. Among them is one of the most popular video platforms, Douyin, owned by ByteDance, is the China […]
A guide to live streaming in China
While most of the western internet users still associated live streaming with gaming and entertainment, it has become a ubiquitous shopping channel among Chinese online shoppers. What makes live streaming in China unique, and should brands be investing more in this marketing method? Live streaming is a shopping mode where live streamers, often times KOLs, broadcast […]