CharlieTown Milk Tea: The rise of China’s “Hermès of Milk Tea”
CharlieTown Milk Tea has quickly risen to prominence in Shanghai, earning the title of the “Hermès of Milk Tea” among milk tea consumers. First opened in November 2021, CharlieTown Milk Tea has opened a total of 8 stores in the past three years. Despite its high price and minimalist lineup, the brand has captivated both […]
“Do you prefer traditional gasoline cars or electronic vehicles?”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
On February 4th, a Zeekr 001 vehicle caught fire in a commercial area parking lot in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province. Although the fire department arrived at the scene in a timely manner and the fire did not result in any casualties, this incident has raised concerns among Chinese consumers about the safety of electric vehicle batteries […]
Omnichannel strategies in China: luxury brands’ attempts to multiply consumer touchpoints
China’s luxury market seeks steady recovery amidst challenges in 2022, which rebounded in 2023, as the market is driven by core luxury consumers who are less financially impacted by a slowing GDP. With the vigorous development of domestic luxury e-commerce, omnichannel luxury retail is making progress in China. Luxury brands are not merely adapting to […]
Kuaishou is much more than just another Douyin
Kuaishou, a massive short-video app that has already gone public, might not be widely recognized beyond China, unlike Douyin. For foreign investors, it could be perceived as just another Chinese tech unicorn that has undergone an IPO. Among Chinese urban dwellers, however, the app is often labeled as a 土tu (tacky) app, known for its […]
“Why young people don’t love eating snacks anymore?”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
Weilong (卫龙), one of China’s most popular snack brands known for its spicy noodles (辣条), is seeing a decrease of 3.5% in revenue for the first time in the past four years. Although as a snack manufacturer, Weilong mainly targets the younger generation of China, mostly under the age of 25 usually with lower purchasing power and […]
“Why are fast fashion brands facing a wave of store closures?”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
International fast fashion retail giants such as H&M, Zara, and GAP are finding it difficult to keep up with the ever-changing preferences of Chinese consumers. For example, H&M alone has closed 119 physical stores in China from 479 in 2020 to 445 in 2021, during which the Xinjiang cotton controversy happened, to 360 in 2022. On Weibo, there have […]
“Why people don’t like to buy diamond rings anymore?”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
In China, the diamond ring market is shrinking, the market size of which decreased by 18% as compared to 2022 from 82 billion RMB (approximately 11.25 billion USD). Facing a fatigued market, Darry Ring, known as DR, which specializes in engagement rings and marriage rings, experienced a sales decline of 20% in 2022 from the previous year and a net profit […]
Chinese Valentine’s Day: decoding how brands craft Qixi campaigns
The Qixi Festival (七夕), also known as the “Double Seventh Festival” or Chinese Valentine’s Day, is a celebration deeply rooted in Chinese culture. It occurs on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. This year, it was on the 22nd of August. The festival originates from the legend of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl […]
“What do you think of the number of people getting married during May 20th falling off a cliff?”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
Due to the resemblance of the pronunciation of “520 (wǔ èr líng) or 521 (wǔ èr yī)” and “我爱你, wǒ ài nǐ”, which directly translates to “I love you” in English. It has become a growing trend for people in China to use the date May 20th as an unofficial Valentine’s day. As such, it […]
“Why are young people sinking into suboptimal health”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
Recently, the medical examination of a 33-year-old man went viral. The man from Hengshui, Hebei province, went into the routine test thinking he was in good health, but to his surprise, he was diagnosed with several geriatric diseases, including elevated levels of uric acid and blood lipids, moderate to severe fatty liver, and thyroid nodules. […]
“Would you be willing to have pre-prepared food in a restaurant?”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
China’s pre-prepared food industry has been booming in recent years with a market size of 59.92 million RMB in 2022, forecasted to reach over a trillion RMB by 2026. Due to the economic and convenient aspects of pre-made food as well as a growing number of restaurant chains, it has become increasingly common for restaurants to opt […]
“Why is Gardasil 9 so popular now”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
The HPV (Human papillomavirus) vaccines (人类乳头瘤病毒疫苗) prove to be effective in preventing HPV infections. It also reduces the risks of cervical cancer, anal cancer, vaginal cancer, and so forth. Among these, cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer among women. By 2022, 125 countries have included HPV vaccines in their national routine for girls […]