China’s virtual influencers now endorse brands and livestream e-commerce
Due to the growing demand for entertainment and the rapid development of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), China’s virtual influencer industry is experiencing exponential growth. According to iiMedia, in 2022, China’s virtual influencer industry was valued at RMB 186.61 billion overall, with a core market size of RMB 12.08 billion. Projections indicate that by 2025, […]
China’s metaverse: The next frontier in retail
In 2021, the Chinese government set Metaverse technology development as an objective for the country’s economic growth. With government incentives and a strong interest from Chinese consumers, Chinese tech giants have aggressively invested in Metaverse technology and applications ever since. VR enhanced gaming is of course one of those applications, but those technologies apply far […]
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 […]
How brands adapted their marketing strategy to improve customer experience in China
Customer experience in China is defined by an exceptional level of after-sales services and sophisticated loyalty programs that are integrated into both e-commerce channels and social media. WeChat has long been the main channel for customer experience and retention in China. Customers can learn about brands’ events and new releases through WeChat mini-programs, public accounts, […]
This fitness influencer’s Tiktok exploded through the COVID lockdown in Shanghai
Throughout April 2022, Will Liu appeared to be the most popular search on Baidu, with over 5 million search indexes in total. Liu’s search indexes doubled that of other popular celebrities. So who is Will Liu, and what makes him so popular? Who is Will Liu? Will Liu is a Taiwanese singer and actor, best […]
Watch virtual idol Ling do aerial ski tricks in this Zhixuan TVC
On February 5th, 2022, in celebration of the Beijing Olympic Games, Yili’s (伊利, one of China’s dairy giants) sub-brand, Zhixuan (植选, directly translated to “Plant Select”) released a video, “Beijing’s Rhythm of the Winter Olympics” (京韵冬奥), fusing the characteristics of traditional Chinese cultures, in collaboration with Qiu Jirong (裘继戎, a famous Peking Opera artist) and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]