China’s market is vast, diverse, and digitally unique. Simply translating your website or ads won’t capture the attention of Chinese customers. Successful brands like Nike, McDonald’s, and Starbucks don’t just translate—they adapt, ensuring their message resonates with cultural and regional expectations.

GMA has years of experience helping international brands entering China. We’ve seen what works—and what ends Brands in trouble. Our team specializes in digital marketing, e-commerce, and localization strategies tailored to the Chinese market.

This guide will show you why localization is key to success in China. You’ll learn how leading brands adapt their strategies, which platforms to prioritize, and how to create content that truly engages Chinese consumers. Let’s get started.

Decoding Localization – Thriving in China’s Dynamic Landscape

Localization is the process of organizing a business or industry so that its main activities happen in local areas rather than nationally or internationally.

Cambridge Dictionnary

Mastering Marketing Content Localization – China’s Winning Strategy

An effective content strategy is nowadays an essential factor for growth within the company. Defining your content localization strategy means determining the markets you want to enter, the goals you want to achieve, and the corresponding tactics to provide content that Chinese consumers expect.

It’s important to keep in mind that localization is different from just translating words into English, Mandarin, or other languages. Indeed, it is a much more in-depth process of adapting the content of a website or application to local and regional expectations and realities.

It is, therefore, necessary to decide on a specific plan that describes the steps necessary that content need to be translated in order to make it understandable and clear to the final audience.

Studies show that approximately 52% of potential customers prefer to shop on websites accessible in their native language, so translated content is really one of the best practices to build your brand. This type of site automatically appears more reliable in the eyes of users and allows them to offer a better customer experience locally.

Companies that Use Localizing Content

• ASOS:  The Asos company uses localized content marketing by translating all the content on its platform, but also by offering various payment methods and accepting dozens of currencies depending on the user’s location. 
• Nike: The company translated the content of its site. They also did some in-depth research and adjusted their post based on their favorite sports in a particular region or country. The Argentinian site of Nike highlights football, for example, while the American side is more focused on basketball.

• McDonald’s: They translated the menu, but also adapted it to the realities of a culture where a Big Mac, or a beef burger, cannot become a bestseller. That’s why they introduced new dishes to the menu, like Mac Maharajah and other dishes inspired by Indian street food. These novelties encouraged the inhabitants to frequent the restaurant.

Localized Content – A Cornerstone for Company Success in China

The Chinese population continues to diversify day by day. As a result, competition is fiercer in the country. Companies must therefore segment the market differently and offer increasingly localized products. If the population is segmented correctly, 80% of your business’s sales come from 20% of your customers.

Millennials were the most important source of growth and the main target of companies in the 2010s, in recent years the tone has changed and the main target now reaches Generation Z. This target group qualifies as free, independent, curious, globally aware, and lucky to evolve in a privileged and comfortable environment. For this type of audience, localized content marketing is omnipresent and especially through digital marketing and social networks which are the preferred tool of modern consumers.

Not only you got to localize your business content for China, but the Chinese market is so big and diverse that you’ll have to adopt different strategies depending on which region of the country you are targetting.

Cracking the Chinese Market – A Guide to Successful Localization Strategies

To break through the Chinese market, you’ll absolutely need to be ok with flexibility and scrapping your 3 years business plan. If you are not ready to adapt to the fast change of the market and its trends or to quickly adopt the new mega platform to efficiently reach out to consumers, don’t waste your time with China.

Matching Your Brand with Social Media Gold

Localizing your content strategy starts with an intelligent selection of local platforms that fits your sector, audience demographic, KPI & end goals. Is your aim to drive sales? Or are you primarily focusing on branding? Are you looking for a prospect/lead generation strategy? Project needs dictate the platforms best suited in each case & at each specific stage.

Selecting local channels will dictate the type of content and strategy you engage in. For Weibo for example you have a “buzz” platform, an open network where users can see posts from anyone. WeChat however is a more close-knit community based as a branding tool or portal for information for prospects. 

Navigating China’s Unique Ecosystems

Smart Channel Selection begins with understanding the different Chinese eco-systems, broadly there are two when we consider E-Commerce for example. Alibaba’s platforms including Tmall & Taobao are connected with Weibo as the E-Commerce giant has a stake in this platform. Inversely WeChat & Jing Dong are outside of this and have an alternative e-com infrastructure with WeChat stores & JD being leveraged by a WeChat strategy.

This is why it’s vital to consult on the market before entering in order to understand how to drive qualified traffic and increase sales conversion.

Consider also factors such as Chinese Business Licencing, certain platforms allow for setup without this whilst others require a CBL. Official protocol for platform set-up should be followed to avoid policy & regulatory issues for each specific channel.

Cultural Fusion – Designing an Adaptive Marketing Blueprint

With China’s separate and unique eco-system ring-fenced by the Great Firewall, all content not only has to be in Mandarin but also formatted and amended for Chinese platforms, searching algorithms & keyword sets in Characters & Pinyin.

The implication of this is that a China strategy does not have to rely on your existing marketing material. New keywords, banners, creatives, logos, and visuals can be created to tailor your offering to the local demographic. Outside of this ecosystem content will most often not be visible or be considered highly relevant.

Compartmentalizing China for brands can help with tailoring messages and images whilst remaining true to your core values, key messages & aesthetic. This is why brands need to build China teams and utilize local agencies on the ground.

Your Chinese Website for example is extremely important to consider. Having a website written in simplified Chinese version on a multi-lingual main site is actually not the solution.

Firstly this is a nightmare in terms of both SEO and SEM, ranking your website on Baidu(China’s largest search engine with a 75% market share) is an important component of any web development project.

Typically, a website will need to be audited & optimized for Mandarin Keyword Searches so building a dedicated Chinese Website is effective. This allows the site to be built as a vehicle for visibility in China’s unique ecosystem, especially for keyword searches on Baidu.

Strategies for Acquiring Optimal Localization Marketing Content

A Good Pre-Market Analysis 

It is very important to do complete market research before defining your marketing content localization strategy. Indeed, you should have a good idea of how national companies and international competitors communicate in order to learn from them on certain points and to know how to differentiate themselves positively from them on other points. The competition from locals in China should not be underestimated, which has now become very competitive in many sectors.

The ideal way to prepare your strategy is to establish a persona. The idea is to collect as much information as possible to better understand the expectations and needs of your customers in order to successfully retain them. But also to succeed in targeting prospects who have similar profiles in order to convert them into new customers. Customer analysis is, therefore, the best way to target your prospects and understand what messages to send them, or through which channels to use.

Qualitative, quantitative studies, surveys, or even pre-marketing reports allow you to locate your product or service with one or more targets and in a specific sector.

Observation of the Results 

Impressions are of little worth without a strong, localized brand to achieve that exposure. Having said this marketing has to be grounded in both quantitative data and the more qualitative process of building a brand, something less tangible to measure.

Over time you will learn an intense amount about consumers’ behavior on platforms, analysis, and feedback from both your China agency and the consumer can make or break a campaign.

This involves by definition a high degree of flexibility when it comes to strategy, what are your consumers responding to positively, what is driving the highest engagement and conversion rates and how can you develop that area. It’s an ongoing conversation based on figures in terms of impressions, click-through rates, and engagement levels (comment number, share rate, store conversion rates, etc).

Agencies can use systems such as KAWO for analyzing engagement rates on larger-scale campaigns, it allows less human error and focuses on what keywords and content types are actually driving the highest engagement rates. It’s super-smart.

Market reports with this data should be presented on a monthly or bi-monthly basis that provides transparent and meaningful analysis with suggestions on how to move forward.

When it comes to Media Buying, click-through rates on ad space have to be analyzed in relation to conversion rates on stores & websites. Sticking funds on DSP without a strategy for placement or the right banner design can simply waste the budget.

3. Continuously Refining Baidu’s Mandarin Search Algorithm

It is essential to break into the Chinese market to be visible and well-referenced. To do this, the company must use the language spoken in the region of the target audience and can, for example, integrate Baidu’s organic ranking which is based on keywords. The important thing is not to write on your site to automatically engage the consumer, but it is to optimize and update your site to have maximum visibility.

Using good keywords in Mandarin will allow you to increase your referencing and therefore your visibility to reach the largest possible audience. Indeed, these keywords will allow you to:

• Feed and optimize content: Defining a list of relevant keywords that you can decline will allow you to find a multitude of content ideas for your articles.
• Feeding the “Long Tail”: It is an economic principle to adapt to referencing which designates keywords that are little used, highly targeted, made up of synonyms, and not very competitive, which therefore generate little traffic but the accumulation of which can represent a relatively large part on your site.
• Create a tree structure: Thanks to this structure you will be able to define the important silos for the positioning of a site in the results of search engines. Thus, for each main keyword, it is necessary to determine a tree structure of pages that will include this main keyword and its variations.

If you do not have your own in-house localization team, it is possible to work with professional agencies specializing in translation and localization services. An agency can help you set up an ongoing localization process for frequent updates. Of course, you can also select freelance translators to translate the content in question.

Searching Algorithms are not just confined to Baidu of course, WeChat has a search function, albeit far less developed, whilst cross-border platforms of course have searching bars for both brand names and product types based on sector. Weibo has a surprisingly developed ‘discover’ section where trending news in specific categories is up-ranked. You can also ‘pay to play’ by spending to rank highly on Sina Weibo’s category-based news feed. Remember Sina Corp themselves are one of the major news sources in Mainland China.

Use Content Aggregators & News Based Strategy 

Key players

• Toutiao: Toutiao could well be the ‘Buzz Feed’ of China, although there are many fundamental differences in how they operate. Toutiao is a news app or more specifically a news aggregator that now boasts 270+ million monthly active users (MAUs) and has been valued at $20 billion (as of 2020). The company acts as an information provider with content receiving 4.2 billion views every day making it one of the top platforms for delivering content to its target audience.

• Sina Weibo News: With the recent explosion in digital success of trending platforms like Douyin, Toutiao, and WeChat mini-programs, it can be easy to forget the power and relevance of Weibo. However, don’t dismiss the influence of Weibo as it is arguably one of the most influential social networks in China. With its user base approaching the 500 million mark (2021), the marketing potential of this platform is quite vast.
• Tencent News: Tencent News ads are precisely targeted based on user attributes, browsing data, and interest preferences. This advertising platform works well for businesses that want to target more professional consumers, such as bankers or web designers. Ads are positioned to entice users to download or go to a designated page to further promote conversions. The app had 295 million monthly active users as of December 2020.
• Sohu News: Launched in February 1998, Sohu, which has the same product line as “Yahoo !”, is dominant in the advertising sector, with 60% of the Chinese market. Its audience rate is 700,000 page views per day.

Aggregation of news allows for users to select categories of interest, hence a more targeted ad-based strategy with users pre-selecting the news they want to engage within their feeds, also by extension paid promotions. News apps are a growing phenomenon with ‘advertorials’ (ad articles) allowing brands to increase exposure in a newsworthy context.

In addition lead generation via these apps is very effective, ads can directly link to HTML5, in-built contact forms to take prospects’ contact details and initial messages. A powerful solution for growing your email database, follower number, or for prospective customers to pass onto a sales team. A news-led approach lends itself to PR & article publication of content. 

The content becomes highly localized when it is featured in local news-based sources, it’s not just coming from your official sources.

Chinese Social Media are great for content localization

Wechat

Use the many features available on WeChat to reach out to your Chinese customers with content optimized to appeal to them. Publish weekly post feature text, videos, and audio for instance. Join the WeChat channel and share short videos regularly.

Design a mini-program to promote a new product/service; For your company to have a WeChat official account is not only a sign to locals that you are a legitimate company but also that you understand the market which is the purpose of localizing your marketing strategy.

Weibo

We talked about Weibo news in the above paragraph, but using Weibo as a communication tool for your brands is also a great idea. Treat Weibo as a social media that has the virality of Twitter but the aesthetic of Instagram. Just like WeChat, Weibo has many marketing tools that can be used to build a loyal followers base. In short, Weibo is a great app to share your content and so storytelling and to collaborate with Kols.

Little Red Book

Just like Weibo, Little Red Book aka RED is a social media that has a good potential for building a strong community and is aesthetically pleasing. If you are a company operating in the beauty and lifestyle sector, being present on RED would be a huge bonus. RED users are looking for lifestyle inspiration and tips but also for product reviews which is the core content of the app.

Working closely with RED Kols is something we would encourage beauty and lifestyle brands to do. RED also offers live-streaming features, which we would definitely recommend making use of in China.

Douyin

Douyin is Tiktok’s sister app. Just like Toutiao it belongs to the Bytedance group and has a very powerful algorithm. If you are gonna use a short video strategy to promote your brand in China, definitely use Douyin instead of Tiktok. Note that there are many short video and live streaming app in China, one of the biggest being Kuaishou.

Localizing in China: The Example of Starbucks

Starbucks made the choice in China of the global strategy named “Digital flywheel” in 2016. The fierce competition between the big names of the Chinese Internet and the essential role of mobile devices in accessing the web has created for traditional Chinese consumers a very high general expectation in terms of convenience of access and use of the net. This is why the famous coffee company has totally recreated new digital content adapted to the cultures of the Middle Empire. 

Starbucks has therefore decided to go through several to reach its audience:

• Launch of a Tmall store
• Creation of the WeChat mini program “Say it with Starbucks”: Starbucks has given its Chinese users the option to send “Hongbao” (“red envelopes” containing money) on WeChat, a traditional gift during the New Year
• An augmented reality coffee in Shanghai

Read more about Starbuck Success in China

More Localization Examples:

• SK-II
• The North Face
• Mc Donald

Want to Start Localizing Your Content for China?

China is a complex yet lucrative market, those who stand to gain the most have developed a smart communication strategy with the right long-term partner in Mainland. You have to remain flexible and open-minded based on a continual feedback loop, also remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.

If you’re new to the market it can take time to build a brand & traction, step by step. If you’re looking for a long-term partner & have a serious project in mind don’t hesitate to get in touch for an initial consultation.

The Chinese market is one of the most promising in the world for foreign companies. Our agency has been successful at helping these businesses find success and we’re always looking to improve our services further!

Feel free to contact us for more information about our solutions and pricing, we will be happy to schedule a meeting.

For brands looking to enter the Chinese market, Tencent Ads is a game-changer. With 55% of mobile internet usage happening on Tencent platforms, it’s one of the most effective ways to connect with Chinese consumers.

At Gentlemen Marketing Agency (GMA), we specialize in helping foreign brands succeed in China. With years of experience in digital marketing and deep knowledge of Tencent’s ecosystem, we know what works—and what doesn’t.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Tencent Ads: the best platforms, ad formats, and proven strategies to maximize your results. Let’s get started!

Tencent: The Creator of Glorious WeChat

WeChat, the insanely popular social media platform that all brands are competing to conquer, is indeed owned by Tencent. With more than 1.6 billion users as of 2023, WeChat is the most popular social media platform in China and it is this app that made Tencent popular and put it in the group of the biggest tech companies in the world. It’s also where most of Tencent’s revenue comes from.

However, WeChat is not the only star in Tencent’s sky. In 2020, a quarter of Chinese businesses’ online advertising allocation was spent on WeChat- but that’s just the beginning. By advertising with Tencent, your ads will be over hundreds of thousands of applications and millions of users will be under your radar. That’s how big the company is, not to mention that Tencent continues to expand.

Advertising on Tencent is one of the most popular ways to reach potential Chinese customers. Advertising on Tencent products gives companies the chance to reach Chinese consumers who spend the majority of their time online – 55% of mobile internet usage.

Advertising Options on Tencent

Tencent offers a variety of ad types, including banner ads, video ads, and native ads. The most common ones are:

Banner ads 

Banner ads are static or animated images that are displayed on a web page or app. In terms of cost, they are more budget-friendly. They may be cheaper options but they still work pretty well and produce good results. Tencent also utilizes a location feature for banner ads, making them tailored for each user.

Video Ads

Unlike other types of ads, incentive video advertising is more immersive and can be placed in a variety of positions to make it more noticeable.

Native ads 

Native ads are the type of ads that are used with the surrounding content and are integrated into the content of a web page or app. Highly effective, native ads make up most of the brands’ views on Tencent.

Alternative Tencent Platforms for Advertising Apart from WeChat

While WeChat advertising is most brands’ top priority, there are many available platform options to advertise and reach out to a wide range of audiences.

Advertising on WeChat

WeChat advertising allows brands to show ads on users’ timelines and WeChat Official Account articles, which is fantastic for expanding official account followers as well as steering internet traffic.

WeChat Moments Advertising

This type of advertising is a Facebook-style ad that appears on users’ timelines. Users and ads are selected as a match according to factors like age, location and many other aspects.

WeChat Official Account Advertising (Banner Ads)

Official account ads are usually preferred by established and well-known brands. Official accounts are usually followed by millions of users if you can create and develop effective marketing strategies.

The various types of WeChat official account ads are article banners, text-type banners, influencer banners, and video-type banners. Banner ads are image-based and can be up to 8MB in size. The banner ad is placed at the top of an official account article.

WeChat Mini-Program Advertising

This type of ad can be a big priority for your brand to reach users in China, as WeChat mini-programs have become extremely popular. These ads come in the form of gaming ads, banner ads, or pop-ups.

Advertising on QQ

QQ is another social media platform that is owned by Tencent. Similar to WeChat, almost all Chinese people living on the mainland have an account there. It is the most popular text exchange app and instead of emailing Chinese people use this app to communicate with each other.

This platform is especially popular among the young generation and brands who target popular items make use of this platform effectively to reach their target customers.

QQ’s algorithm lets businesses fine-tune their campaigns by optimizing for screens, apps, pop-ups, and banners. QQ also helps brands meet diverse targets like e-commerce expenses or product/brand promotion.

Advertising on Tencent Music Platforms

Tencent also controls some of China’s most popular music apps, so-called ‘Spotify’ such as QQ Music. By utilizing tailored Tencent music ads, brands can reach out to bigger groups of people who love listening to music.

Advertising on Tencent News Platform

China’s one popular mobile news app Tencent News is the perfect website for global advertisers who want to target Chinese users. The ads can be based on user browsing data and choices, which enables brands to reach out to the target audience.

Tips for Successful Tencent Ads

Here are a few basic strategies to help you run a successful Tencent ads campaign:

Study your target customers, and define your audience and objectives

Before starting any type of marketing campaign, you need to study your target customers. This is even more important when advertising on Tencent. You need to understand who your target audience is, what their needs and desires are, and what type of content they are most likely to engage with.

You can target your ads on Tencent by age, gender, interests, and even location. This allows you to create very specific campaigns that are tailored to your target audience.

Set a budget, bid strategically, and choose your ad type wisely

Tencent offers a variety of ad types to choose from, each with its strengths and weaknesses. You need to understand the differences between each type of ad to choose the right one for your campaign.

Mobile is the future, invest in the mobile version

The mobile version of Tencent’s apps is growing rapidly, with more and more users accessing the internet through their smartphones. This trend is only going to continue, so it’s important to invest in creating a strong mobile presence for your business.

Invest in multiple Tencent platforms

While WeChat is the most popular Tencent app, there are many others that you can use to reach your target audience. By investing in multiple platforms, you’ll be able to reach more people and create a stronger presence on Tencent.

Monitor your results and adjust accordingly

As with any advertising campaign, you will need to monitor your results and make adjustments as needed. This includes testing different ad formats and targeting options to find what works best for your business.

Gentlemen Marketing Agency: Your Agent Based In China

Tired of the drawn-out process that comes with getting your WeChat account verified? 

GMA can help get it done quickly and easily.

GMA offers a wide range of WeChat marketing solutions to help businesses reach their target audience on the world’s largest social media platform. From WeChat account verification to content creation and distribution, our team of experienced professionals can help you every step of the way.

Contact us today!

Navigating the complex Business landscape of China’s market requires more than just a “conventional” approach to marketing and sales.

As businesses expand their footprint in this dynamic market, many find themselves partnered with marketing agencies and bolstered by robust internal teams. However, when anticipated results falter and strategic gaps widen, a reevaluation of marketing and sales infrastructure becomes imperative. This article explores the transformative approach of auditing, coaching, and restructuring marketing and sales strategies to realign with the overarching business objectives and market dynamics.

The Prevailing Challenges Many international companies in China face a common set of challenges that impede their growth and effectiveness:

• Existing Agency Relationships: Companies often stick with their existing marketing agencies, even when the results are suboptimal, due to the comfort and familiarity of established relationships.
• Internal Team Limitations: Internal teams, while knowledgeable about the brand, may lack local market insights or the flexibility needed to adapt quickly to the changing Chinese consumer landscape.
• Financial Constraints: The high costs associated with maintaining or expanding internal teams can strain budgets, particularly when results don’t justify the investment.
• Past Disappointments: Previous unsatisfactory experiences with marketing agencies can deter firms from seeking external help, fearing a repeat of poor outcomes.

A Strategic Solution To overcome these challenges, businesses must consider a structured approach encompassing audit, coaching, and restructuring:

1. Comprehensive Audit: Begin with a thorough audit of existing marketing and sales strategies. This diagnostic phase will help identify the disconnects between current practices and the targeted outcomes. An audit also provides a benchmark against industry standards and competitive practices.
2. Expert Coaching: Post-audit, engaging in expert coaching sessions for your internal team can bridge knowledge gaps, particularly in areas requiring nuanced understanding of the Chinese market. Coaching by seasoned professionals can rejuvenate your team’s approach and infuse new thinking and tactics aligned with local preferences and behaviors.
3. Restructuring Strategies: Based on insights derived from the audit and coaching phases, restructuring your marketing and sales strategy is a natural progression. This may involve realigning goals, introducing new marketing technologies, overhauling campaign strategies, or streamlining processes to enhance agility and responsiveness.

Implementation and Integration Successfully implementing these changes requires careful integration with your company’s culture and operational framework. Change management practices should be employed to ensure smooth adoption and minimal disruption. Furthermore, continuous monitoring and adjustment of new strategies will be crucial to maintaining relevance and effectiveness in an evolving market.

Conclusion In the face of unsatisfactory results and challenging market dynamics, simply adjusting old methods is not sufficient. Companies must boldly reassess their marketing and sales blueprint through comprehensive audits, targeted coaching, and strategic restructuring. By doing so, businesses can achieve alignment with the unique demands of the Chinese market, leading to improved performance and sustained growth.

Remember, the landscape of marketing and sales in China is perpetually evolving.

Staying ahead means being ready to rethink, relearn, and revamp strategies continually. Your journey towards marketing excellence in China isn’t just about adaptation; it’s about transformation.

GMA can help them optimize their costs and results via:

Audit:

– Business Performance :

– Point out obvious dysfunctions

– Point out areas for improving results

– Education/awareness of the KPIs to be achieved / budget spent

– Point out the disparity in the budget spent on ads (employee under commission by chosen provider)

– Recommendation on the choice of platforms to favour / budget allocation

– Analyzing and making recommendations on their relations with external providers (KOL / Tmall / Dianping …)

– HR Audit:

– Point out the dysfunctions distribution of tasks/responsibilities (we can find roles for each task but not tasks assigned to roles)

– Recommendation dismissal of non-performing employees

– Internal reorganization of marketing teams

Coaching / Training:

Recover the shortcomings seen in the audit to train the teams in different possible formats:

– Full-time: 2 weeks (for example)

– 1 day per week (over a month or two)

If you are interested , Feel free to contact us

Did you know that over 90% of Chinese consumers are more likely to trust a brand with strong local relevance?

Even for companies familiar with the cultural, digital, and social landscapes, China offers a serious challenge for new brands: getting known is only half the battle, you need to get trusted.

At Gentlemen Marketing Agency, we’ve spent years helping international brands thrive in China’s competitive market. Our branding agency team of Chinese and foreign experts specializes in bridging cultural gaps and crafting strategies that work.

In this article, you’ll discover actionable insights, from mastering Baidu SEO to leveraging social media platforms like WeChat and Douyin.

But beyond the current hot platforms: We’ll guide you through the key strategies needed to establish a successful and trustworthy brand in China.

Key Takeaways

• Building a successful business in China requires understanding the unique concept of Mianzi (social reputation) and adapting to diverse consumer preferences across different regions.
• Investing in a comprehensive Baidu SEO&SEM strategy is essential for increasing brand visibility and reaching a wide audience on China’s dominant search engine.
• Leveraging social media platforms like WeChat, TikTok, and Weibo, as well as collaborating with influencers, can help establish a strong online presence and connect with Chinese consumers.
• Building relationships through Guanxi (networks and connections) is crucial for long – term success in the Chinese market. It takes time to develop trust and rapport with potential partners but can offer valuable insights and support.

Why is Branding Important in China?

Building a successful business in China’s competitive market requires understanding the importance of branding and the concept of Mianzi (social reputation).

Building a successful business in a diverse market

Successfully navigating the diverse market in China requires constant improvement in communication, products, and services. Understanding the cultural nuances and consumer behaviors is crucial to avoid missing the mark with product and marketing strategies.

In the digital age, a digital-first approach is essential, especially in China where people are heavily reliant on screens.

Luxury brands are sought after online, as they are associated with status, impacting how products are positioned on e-commerce websites and social media platforms. Key opinion leaders (KOLs) play a significant role in boosting brand awareness among their followers.

What is the concept of Mianzi (social reputation)?

In the Chinese business landscape and corporate communication, the concept of Mianzi is incredibly important. It goes beyond just social reputation and includes prestige, honor, and respectability. Mianzi can be seen as someone’s public image or social standing, which is tied to intangible qualities such as trust and respect.

This cultural aspect plays a crucial role in branding and acts as a symbol of brand consciousness among consumers. If a brand maintains good Mianzi, it can establish strong connections with its target market due to the inherent trust and respect associated with this status.

The significance of this is that a popular brand can command higher product value or equity, which is crucial for success in China’s consumer-driven economy. While navigating this unfamiliar concept may seem daunting initially, mastering Mianzi can lead to unprecedented growth opportunities for businesses in China.

Strategies for Building Your Brand in China

Invest in a comprehensive Baidu SEO&SEM strategy to increase your brand’s visibility and reach among the Chinese audience. Chinese people won’t buy anything from an unknown brand.

Invest in a Baidu SEO&SEM strategy

Baidu SEO and SEM are crucial for businesses looking to increase their visibility in the Chinese market. Baidu, being the dominant search engine in China, provides an opportunity to reach a large user base that may not be accessible through other platforms.

It is important to optimize keywords and create compelling ads on Baidu’s platform to effectively compete in this diverse environment.

Baidu search engine optimization offers a cost-effective approach, making it an invaluable asset in any branding strategy for the Chinese market. Familiarizing yourself with Baidu goes beyond learning another search engine; it involves understanding its unique dynamics, similar to speaking another business language fluently.

Leverage social media and online platforms

Leveraging social media and online platforms is crucial for successfully building your brand in China. It allows you to connect with Chinese internet users and establish a strong online presence. Here are some key strategies to consider:

Utilize Chinese social media platforms

In China, platforms like WeChat, TikTok (Douyin), and Weibo have a massive user base. By creating engaging content and staying active on these platforms, you can reach a wide audience and increase brand visibility.

Tailor your approach to different platforms

Each social media platform in China caters to different needs and target audiences. For example, WeChat is more personal and communication-focused, while Douyin is known for short videos. By understanding these differences, you can tailor your content to match the expectations of each platform’s users.

Engage in social selling

Social media offers the opportunity for brands in China to not only promote their products but also build relationships with potential consumers. By using social selling techniques, such as personalized messaging and targeted advertising, you can find prospects on social media and nurture them into loyal customers.

Collaborate with influencers

Influencer marketing is highly effective in China’s digital landscape. Partnering with influential individuals who have a large following can help increase brand awareness among their followers and generate trust in your products or services.

Monitor and measure results

To ensure the success of your social media efforts, it’s important to regularly monitor the performance of your campaigns and analyze the data. This will help you understand what works best for your brand in terms of engagement, reach, and conversion rates.

Build relationships through Guanxi

Building relationships through Guanxi is essential for establishing a strong brand presence in China. Guanxi refers to the networks and connections that help facilitate business deals and open doors.

By nurturing these relationships, you can form long-lasting partnerships and increase your chances of success in the Chinese market.

It’s important to approach Guanxi with a long-term mindset, as trust and rapport take time to develop. To show your sincerity and commitment to building strong connections, it’s valuable to have a solid understanding of Chinese culture and customs.

These high-quality relationships can provide competitive advantages by offering market insights, access to resources, and support from supply chain partners.

Key Considerations for Branding in China

When building your brand marketing strategy in China, it is essential to consider the cultural insights, behaviors, and preferences of Chinese consumers. Additionally, managing your e-reputation and utilizing Chinese forums and blogs can greatly enhance your branding strategy.

Cultural insights, behaviors, and preferences

Understanding cultural insights, behaviors, and preferences is crucial for a successful branding strategy in China. Chinese consumers have unique consumer behavior and market preferences that must be considered. It is important to adapt marketing strategies to the post-pandemic landscape.

China’s rich history and strong national branding should also be taken into account by global brands to resonate with the local audience. Overcoming traditional obstacles such as social structure and thought patterns is essential for effective engagement with Chinese consumers.

By understanding these cultural nuances and creating engaging content that appeals to their purchase intentions, successful brands’ presence can be built in the Chinese market.

E-reputation management

Establishing a strong e-reputation on Chinese platforms is crucial for successful branding in China. Chinese consumers heavily rely on the Internet for research and purchasing decisions, making it important to maintain a positive e-reputation. Actively managing your brand’s online presence allows you to control the narrative and shape public perception.

This involves your marketing campaigns, monitoring social media platforms and promptly engaging with customers by responding to reviews and comments. It’s also important to address any negative feedback or complaints in a timely manner to prevent potential damage to your brand image.

Additionally, collaborating with influential individuals, such as key opinion leaders (KOLs) and key opinion consumers (KOCs), who have a large following on social media can greatly influence public perception of your brand.

Utilizing Chinese forums and blogs

Chinese forums and blogs are powerful tools for building your brand in China. They provide a platform for engaging with Chinese consumers and expanding your brand reach. Here are some key strategies for utilizing Chinese forums and blogs:

1. Engage in discussions: Participate in conversations on popular Chinese forums and blogs related to your industry. Share valuable insights, answer questions, and establish yourself as an expert in your field.
2. Build relationships: Connect with influential bloggers or forum moderators who have a large following. Collaborate with them to host online events, write guest posts, or obtain endorsements for your brand.
3. Share user-generated content: Encourage Chinese consumers to share their experiences with your brand on forums and blogs. This helps create buzz around your products or services and builds trust among potential customers.
4. Monitor online reputation: Regularly monitor mentions of your brand on Chinese forums and blogs. Address any negative comments or feedback promptly to protect your online reputation.
5. Utilize paid advertising opportunities: Some popular Chinese forums offer paid advertising options that allow you to target specific demographics or interests. Consider investing in these opportunities to increase brand visibility.
6. Stay up-to-date with trends: Chinese forums and blogs often serve as trendsetters, showcasing the latest products, services, or lifestyle choices. Pay attention to what is popular among the online community and incorporate relevant trends into your branding efforts.

We Can Help to do Branding in China! Contact us!

Branding in China is a vital component of building a successful business in this diverse and competitive market. Understanding the concept of Mianzi and leveraging strategies such as Baidu SEO&SEM, social media platforms, and Guanxi can help foreign companies navigate cultural nuances and gain traction with Chinese people.

Chinese consumers tend to constantly look for the next new thing, and typically aren’t loyal to any one brand. So, it’s important to offer better quality and drop new styles more often.

By embracing local insights, behaviors, and preferences while maintaining brand identity, businesses can position themselves for success in the post-Covid world.

We are a China-based most visible digital agency offering cost-effective solutions to foreign brands interested in tapping into the Chinese market. Our team of Chinese and foreign experts has the experience and know-how needed to succeed in this lucrative, yet complicated market.

Gentlemen Marketing Agency offers many digital marketing and e-commerce solutions, such as web design, e-commerce and social media marketing strategies, localization, market research, KOL marketing, and more.

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us, so that we can schedule a free consultation with one of our experts, that will learn about your brand and present you the best solutions for your China market strategy.

It is certainly the most well-known shopping festival in China, but it isn’t the only Chinese shopping holiday by a long stretch!

These shopping festivals are already rooted in the Chinese culture and have immense potential for high sales volume over a short period of time. They offer a great opportunity for brands to expose themselves to Chinese consumers.

Our Agency, GMA, has over a decade of experience in Chinese digital marketing and e-commerce, we’ve helped countless brands thrive during these high-stakes events. This is our Super Bowl.

I’ll walk you through how our agency tap into China’s top shopping holidays to boost our clients visibility, and drive record-breaking sales.

What are the most popular shopping festivals in China?

Singles Day or 11.11 Shopping Festival

Every year on 11.11, Chinese people celebrate this iconic shopping festival which is the biggest of its kind in the world.

Created as a way for university students to celebrate being single, Double 11 has become an annual event due in part to Alibaba’s promotion. Some of the largest discounts of the year are expected during this festival. Promotions start at the beginning of November, with pre-sales starting weeks before.

For most brands, the Singles Day shopping festival alone has become the primary source of growth and massive sales.

The Spring Festival

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China and also the longest and happiest holiday season, when most of the people meet with their families to celebrate new year. It happens according to Chinese lunar calendar, around January and February. It ends with Lantern Festival.

As it’s the most important holiday, domestic and international brands started celebrating it not only by posting wishes, but also offering many deals.

What is more, every year in China is represented by a different animal (from 12 zodiac animals), and many brands like to celebrate the occasion by offering special patterns, designs, products with that years’ animal symbols.

Valentines’ Day

Valentine’s Day may have started in the West, but it has become very popular among couples in China as well. Many e-commerce platforms offer great deals on gifts for this special days (in fact, in China there are more than one day to celebrate love). Not only women but also men. The most popular products include jewelry, watches, accessories, cosmetics, and makeup products.

Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mooncake Festival also referred to as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is a prominent holiday in many Asian cultures that has been celebrated for over 3000 years. This significant event takes place on the 8th month of the Chinese calendar and occurs during a full moonlit night. Brands often customize special products or mooncakes for this occasion. And families and friends give each other gifts to celebrate the day

Below you can see one of GMA case studies – Lyfen snacks, with a limited edition packaging designed solely for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

618 Mid-Year Shopping Festival

The 618 shopping festival was first started by JD.com (as a contrary to Alibabas’ Singles Day). To start with, 618 was promoted as a marketing scheme but has since developed into a festival and eventually became China’s second biggest retail promotion event next to Singles Day in November as other e-commerce platforms participated, like Taobao and Tmall.

The shopping festival begins with a pre-sale in mid-May that provides an entire month of promotion, leading up to the main event on June 18.

818 Shopping Festival

818 is a shopping festival that is held every year on the 18th of the 8th month. It is created by Suning as a way to celebrate its anniversary. After its creation, some other major companies, like Douyin and Tmall, have followed suit and created their version of the shopping event. They turned it into a shopping festival. One important thing about this festival is, this festival has not yet gone global. Meaning there is potential for international growth and marketing ventures.

Double 12 or Couples Day

Couples day Chinese shopping festival, 12.12, is analogous to America’s Cyber Monday. Just as Singles Day reflects China’s version of Black Friday.

With only six weeks left in the year and Singles Day over, brands are hosting bigger promotions to get rid of their end-of-year stock products.

8th March Women’s Day & 7th March Girl’s Day

International Women’s Day is an annual celebration on March 8. in China that has grown into a shopping festival for many brands focused on female empowerment. Many e-commerce platforms promote campaigns to support this global theme.

In China, International Women’s Day is usually thought of as a holiday for middle-aged women, leaving younger women feeling excluded. So to celebrate being a young girl, some students created Girls’ Day on Mar 7th. Soon the movement became viral. Even if it is not an official shopping festival yet, giant e-commerce platforms are creating special deals and themed promotions for this day.

99 Wine Festival

Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, declared that September would be a month for wine and alcoholic drinks and spirits sales. It is called ’99 wine’ because the number 9 is pronounced the same as wine in Mandarin.

Tmall offers great discounts on alcohol between the 1st to 9th of September. During this festival, both traditional Chinese alcohol brands, like Baijiu, and famous and international wine brands participate.

520 Shopping Festival

In Mandarin, the pronunciation of “520” is similar to “I love you” So May 20th is known as China’s I love you Day.

Though it is typically celebrated by couples, I love you Day also encompasses spending time with family and friends. Although its popularity fluctuates, it offers many opportunities for brands to sell their products using the romance and love theme.

Numerous e-commerce platforms and physical stores offer discounts on this romantic celebration day.

National Day Golden Week

Every year on the first day of October China celebrates its National Day in honor of the country’s founding in 1949. It is a national holiday that lasts for a week and it is called the golden week. During this time millions of China travel and shop.

During this special time of the year, brands give their customers special deals and promotions. In 2018, Xiaomi, the famous tech company in China, made a discount on certain phone models. This boosted its sales significantly.

From the biggest shopping malls to local convenience stores to e-commerce channels themed promotions are offered to the customers.

How can foreign brands cash in on China’s lucrative shopping festivals?

If you want to make the most of Chinese shopping festivals, you have to adjust your marketing strategies accordingly. Plan ahead, research well, and get to know your market and your target Chinese shoppers.

In the China market, Over 90% of shopping festival purchases are made through mobile phones

With the advancement of mobile payment, shoppers are increasingly paying for their purchases directly on the app. Therefore, optimizing the user experience and the purchase process on the app can improve the conversion rate dramatically.

Market your products on Chinese e-commerce platforms

Forget about your western websites. If you want to sell your products you have to utilize Chinese e-commerce platforms. These platforms control the majority of the online shopping market in China, and they have the biggest reach.

Develop an effective marketing plan and brand awareness

You will need to come up with an effective marketing plan for the Chinese market. This should include strategies to increase the visibility of your brand and products on the different Chinese e-commerce platforms, as well. To create brand awareness, the use of social media platforms, such as WeChat and Weibo, is essential.

Promote your shopping festival deals in advance

Attracting traffic to your newly launched brand on a Chinese e-commerce site is essential. To do so, you have to start giving adverts across marketing channels that correspond with any upcoming shopping festivals. Be sure to offer discounts on products you are selling in celebration of the festival. These ads should entice customers by specifically targeting the event and linking directly to discounted items.

Devise a marketing strategy centered around key opinion leaders

During China’s shopping festivals, KOLs can magically enable brands to stand out from the competition. To work with the right KOLs is essential and the best way to do this is by researching their past performances.

You can also check out the comments and reviews left on the products they have promoted in the past. Having a good understanding of KOL’s audience will help you tailor your message accordingly, making it even more effective during the festivals.

Want to start a shopping festival campaign in China?

We got your back. We can help you to stand out during the festivals by creating a powerful marketing strategy to reach Chinese consumers.

Our team has extensive experience in helping brands stand out during shopping festivals by developing effective campaigns.

We understand the importance of having the right visuals, the right influencers, and the right strategy to get the most out of the festival.

We also understand the importance of understanding the audience and tailoring the message accordingly.

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us, so that one of our experts can learn about your brands and the needs you have. Let’s keep in touch!

Branding, advertising, and budgets are constantly changing. A big question that always obsesses marketers is: What are the trends of Marketing in China today?

I am Philip , Founder of GMA and here is what my feedbacks about China

10 Trends in China: Stay Ahead in the World’s Fastest-Moving Market

China’s marketing landscape is constantly evolving, fueled by innovative platforms, consumer preferences, and technological advancements.

Whether you’re a startup or an established brand, keeping up with these trends is critical to success.

Will digital marketing be a big trend this year again or not?

The concept is not new in China, but change seems constant.
Increasingly, brands are using digital media to reach their targets with the ultimate goal: commitment.
Marketers must understand, integrate and develop skills, tools, and platforms to thrive in this “digital arena.”

1⃣ The Rise of Douyin for B2B and B2C Marketing

• Why It Matters: Douyin (China’s TikTok) is no longer just a consumer platform—it’s now driving B2B engagement too. Brands use it to build awareness, showcase products, and generate leads through short videos and live streams.
• How to Leverage It: Post behind-the-scenes videos, product demos, and interactive live streams. Pair it with shoppable content to convert views into sales instantly.

Pro Tip: Douyin’s AI-powered algorithm ensures your content reaches the right audience if it’s creative and engaging.

2⃣ Mini Programs Are Reshaping E-Commerce

• Why It Matters: WeChat Mini Programs (and Alipay Mini Program) let brands create app-like experiences within WeChat. From product catalogs to flash sales, they make the purchase journey seamless.
• How to Leverage It: Build a Mini Program to showcase your products, enable direct purchases, and offer exclusive deals to your followers.

Pro Tip: Use QR codes in physical stores or campaigns to drive traffic to your Mini Program.

3⃣ Social Commerce Dominates Consumer Behavior for 2025

• Why It Matters: Platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) Douyin and Pinduoduo combine social interaction with shopping. Consumers trust reviews, KOL recommendations, and peer influence.

• How to Leverage It: Collaborate with influencers to showcase your products in real-life scenarios. Encourage user-generated content and create interactive campaigns.

Pro Tip: Highlight testimonials and reviews prominently to build trust.

4⃣ Live Streaming Is the New Sales Channel

• Why It Matters: Live streaming isn’t just for entertainment—it’s a sales-driving powerhouse. From Douyin to Taobao Live, brands are using live video to showcase products and close deals in real time.
• How to Leverage It: Host live streams during shopping festivals or product launches. Use charismatic hosts and exclusive discounts to drive engagement and sales.

Pro Tip: Partner with experienced live streamers to reach their established audiences.

5⃣ The Growth of KOC (Key Opinion Consumers)

KOC = testimonials of Real People

• Why It Matters: KOCs (everyday consumers with small but loyal followings) are gaining traction. Their authentic reviews feel more trustworthy than polished influencer campaigns.
• How to Leverage It: Engage with KOCs to test and review your products on platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

“In China smaller, scalable KOC campaign on little red book maximize reach and authenticity explained Philip Chen GMA” .

6⃣ Sustainability

• Why It Matters: Younger consumers, especially Gen Z, prioritize eco-friendly products and brands with sustainable practices.
• How to Leverage It: Highlight your sustainability efforts in marketing campaigns. Use recyclable packaging, promote eco-conscious production, and share your story transparently.

Pro Tip: Incorporate green certifications and data in your marketing to validate your claims.

In China, western branding is becoming more and more reputable, especially among Chinese Middle Class. It communicates the origin of the brand and ensures a certain level of quality of the product.
The Chinese are well aware that Western brands have a better reputation, a better image quality, and Suitainability

7⃣ Localization Is Key to Consumer Connection

• Why It Matters: China is diverse, with preferences varying by region. Tailored, localized campaigns resonate more effectively than one-size-fits-all strategies.
• How to Leverage It: Adapt your messaging, product design, and even packaging to regional preferences.

Pro Tip: Partner with local partner, listen to them or local expert who know the local market.

8⃣ AI-Powered Personalization Drives Loyalty

• Why It Matters: AI is enabling hyper-personalized recommendations, from WeChat ads to JD product suggestions. Consumers expect tailored experiences.
• How to Leverage It: Use AI tools to segment your audience and deliver personalized content, offers, and ads based on browsing or purchasing behavior.

Pro Tip: Pair personalization with loyalty programs for long-term retention.

Pro Tip 2: AI video are good for startups and to deliver regular messages

7- The Metaverse and Virtual Influencers

• Virtual influencers and digital events in the metaverse are being explored by major brands to engage tech-savvy Gen Z consumers.
• VR/AR experiences for products like cosmetics or real estate are on the rise.

9⃣ The Power of Festivals and Shopping Events

• Why It Matters: Shopping festivals like Singles’ Day (11.11) and 618 Festival drive massive sales spikes. Festivals are also an opportunity for unique, event-specific campaigns.
• How to Leverage It: Prepare exclusive product bundles, discounts, and engaging campaigns around these dates.
• Pro Tip: Start marketing weeks before the festival to build anticipation and capture early interest.

Full Strategy Win Consumers

• Why It Matters: Chinese consumers expect seamless integration between online and offline experiences. Brands that master omni-channel marketing dominate the market.
• How to Leverage It: Use online platforms to drive foot traffic to offline stores and vice versa. For example, offer online coupons redeemable in physical locations.

Pro Tip: Invest in smart technologies like QR codes, AR experiences, or in-store pickup options to bridge the gap.

Management of Crisis, co-branding , Community Management, Crossmedia

Many thinkers have developed this algorithm with respect to the Cross-Media 1 +1> 2 which means that multiple sources of communication can increase the presence, improve visibility, and much more.

It would be interesting to mix traditional media and digital media, to vary the presence and reach different types of consumers in different places. But integration is not so easy and the big problem for brands is measuring the efficiency with this kind of process.

China is a complex country, and the pervasiveness of government in business and in the lives of Chinese citizens makes foreign brands not immune to scandal. Brands in the food industry in China have been particularly affected by crises.

Reminder: co-branding is a marketing or commercial practice which aims to promote simultaneously two separate companies.
The meeting of the two brands is presented via the creation of a co-branded product mixing two products or advertising involving several brands in order to reduce the investment in advertising, and have a greater impact. Partnership “brand” or “business” is fashionable and just beginning to develop..

Final Thoughts

China’s marketing landscape isn’t just evolving—it’s redefining what’s possible. The trends above aren’t optional—they’re must-haves for any brand looking to succeed in this hyper-competitive market. Adapt quickly, execute boldly, and stay ahead of the curve.

This is your roadmap to crushing it in China’s marketing world. Are you ready to make it happen?

We are a Digital Marketing Agency in China

Contact us to know more about our services

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In the past couple of years, Maimai has become an incredibly popular career and social networking platform, boasting 110 million verified members. It’s the go-to site for professional networking in China today.

The platform made significant strides by tailoring its features to Chinese markets – offering an anonymous chat option, mobile version capabilities, and real-name registry services along with smart partnerships with market leaders.

So, as a foreign company, how does Maimai helps us?

Linkedin is off the Chinese market: Maimai fills in the gap

LinkedIn, the world’s most renowned professional networking site, launched a China-specific adaptation in 2014 to ensure it adhered to that country’s strict online regulations. The website ran comfortably for several years until October 2021 when LinkedIn announced that it would be shutting down its Chinese version to comply with local laws.

LinkedIn’s recent departure from the market has opened up a big opportunity for Maimai. The Chinese career and social networking platform has quickly taken advantage of this. It turned out to be not only the biggest China-based platform but also the top professional networking platform in terms of user rate.

With LinkedIn’s unexpected exit from the market, Maimai had a tremendous opportunity presented to them—one they seized quickly. As a result, it has become not only the most prominent China-based platform but is also currently seen as one of the premier networking sites in terms of user engagement.

What type of demographic makes up the user base of Maimai?

In Maimai, the vast majority of members are male- accounting for a full 60%. It also comes as no surprise that the majority of Maimai users are highly educated, with 70% holding a bachelor’s degree or above.

Most Maimai users range from 23 to 35 years old, making it the optimal platform for those who are in between jobs or shifting professions. Maimai is mainly used by urbanites in cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Beijing.

What is more, 85% of Maimai users have above-average expense power. Maimai users boast an impressive average monthly discretionary income of RMB 8,800 (US$ 1,300), almost twice China’s average pay.

Maimai users are mostly employed, with the majority holding white-collar jobs. Most Maimai users have knowledge or experience in start-ups.

What makes Maimai essential for businesses?

With an astonishing 80 million users, MaiMai is a rapidly-growing platform. When targeting the Chinese market, utilizing local platforms is essential to ensure you are connecting with the most fitting businesses for your company.

MaiMai is the perfect solution for businesses seeking relevant companies, clients, and investors quickly. Connecting with potential partners through traditional or international platforms can be time-consuming; with MaiMai businesses gets access to essential contacts without a hassle.

It’s a frequently used platform in China and yet many businesses are unaware. It is an opportunity for foreign businesses to create a firm foothold and build up their contacts before the competition moves in. Navigating the corporate landscape in China can be an overwhelming task, so establishing a direct line to key contacts is invaluable. At GMA we can help you get started on the platform and generate valuable leads for your business.

What are some useful features of Maimai for businesses?

Maimai search

Maimai’s search feature is its most remarkable asset since it allows you to explore 6 distinct categories: names, job postings, anonymous posts, trend topics, market news updates, and real-name stories. With such a variety of resources at your disposal – the possibilities are endless.

Maimai VIP

Businesses can join Maimai for free; however, VIP accounts cost around 70 CNY per month and give you access to extra features. Moreover, businesses have the option of advertising on Maimai’s platform. Subscribers must pay a fee if they want unlimited access to search results—regular accounts are limited to ten connections monthly while VIPs are allotted forty.

Maimai ads

Maimai offers beneficial advertisement options to businesses aiming to increase their Chinese presence. Advertisements are integrated based on the profile of the users, making them more likely to click and share.

How to use ads on Maimai?

Maimai offers beneficial advertisement options to businesses aiming to increase their Chinese presence. Advertisements are integrated based on the profile of the users, making them more likely to click and share.

For users, display ads are an effective way to garner attention quickly and direct brand exposure, promotions, or top-notch content.

Content ads help drive home your message by providing customers with the information they can trust and use when making purchase decisions while increasing their awareness of the brand. Enterprises can build up their influence through workplace live streaming, recruitment plazas, and other event momentum activities.

What lies at the core of Maimai’s achievement?

Maimai was expressly crafted with Chinese culture in mind, and its founders understand their users like no other. As the only platform designed to meet the needs of China’s distinct networking system, Maimai has created features specifically tailored to user expectations.

Undoubtedly, Maimai’s anonymous social networking feature has been a major contributing factor to its success. Through this function, users can comfortably share their honest thoughts about the companies they work for without fear of repercussions or judgment.

In modern-day China, laborers face immense anxiety in their daily lives. That’s why Maimai is such a blessing for so many; the platform provides users with the ability to express themselves without fear of exposure and seek new employment chances. From airing grievances to asking inquiries anonymously, Chinese individuals flock to Maimai due to its anonymity and job-hunting capabilities.

Do you need help opening an official and verified social media account in China?

If so, we are here to assist you. The process is detailed and requires a lot of documents – all written in Chinese. And it’s even more complicated if your business isn’t registered within the country! We can guide you through this challenge by identifying which platform best fits your needs and crafting a strategy tailored to your target audience that also remains within budget. Don’t go it alone – let Gentlemen Marketing Agency be there with you every step of the way!

If you’re doing business in China, it’s important to adapt your digital marketing strategy to the latest trends in the Chinese market, so that Chinese consumers get attracted to your offer. 

In this article, we present 10 trends you need to know about. From WeChat marketing to live streaming, these are the top ways to reach Chinese consumers online.

Overview of China’s Digital Ecosystem

Millions of people in China go online every day, and the country has one of the most active digital ecosystems in the world. Chinese consumers are avid users of mobile payments, social media, and e-commerce, and businesses are increasingly looking to tap into this market.

But this is where the struggle begins. Chinese Internet users have access to completely different websites, social media platforms, online marketplaces, and search engine options than ‘the rest of the world’. Most of the foreign companies entering the market don’t even realize, how different the digital sphere in China is. 

Let’s look at the graphics above. Do you recognize any of those logos? We don’t use any of them. The most popular search engine in China is Baidu, accounting for more than 70% of the market share. Baidu is a whole ecosystem itself, offering many forums, video platforms, encyclopedias, libraries, and more. 

When it comes to social media, the most popular social media platform is definitely WeChat, gathering more than 1.26 billion monthly active users. Other popular applications are; Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and Kuaishou. 

When it comes to e-commerce platforms, Alibaba Group is the definite leader of the market, being an owner of the biggest B2C platform – Taobao, and the biggest B2B platform – Tmall. But there are also many other platforms, like JD.com, Kaola, Vipshop, and Pinduoduo, to name a few. 

What is most important to understand is that the Chinese market lowes ‘super-apps‘, so all the apps and platforms, from social media to e-commerce, have multiple different functions and features. Chinese Internet users are used to extreme convenience and simplicity, having access to almost everything they need, inside one application. This is why, when working on digital marketing strategies for the Chinese market, it’s crucial to have an overall approach, to leverage those applications in the best possible way. 

Best Digital Marketing Strategies in China

As you have an overall understanding of how the digital world works in the Chinese market, let’s take a look at the trends shaping digital marketing in China in 2024. 

1. Branding & Storytelling are the key
2. Social media as a brand awareness tool
3. E-Commerce is becoming more social
4. Influencer Marketing
5. Explore niche and specialized platforms
6. PR, Chinese forums, and content marketing
7. Chinese Website and Baidu SEO
8. Live-Streaming
9. Video focused content marketing
10. Metaverse
11. User experience and customization
12. Localization by professionals

For the past decade, numerous global brands have entered China. And now they see it as their main arena for growth as well as new, smaller businesses looking for opportunities to make a fortune in this country. The most important question remains as to what digital marketing strategy works well in China.

1. Branding & Storytelling are the key

Nowadays, branding and content are the most important factors when optimizing your marketing strategy. Chinese customers are not patient and are really selective, if they don’t like it, they will just pass on it.

It is not exaggerated to say that Chinese consumers are scared of new and unknown brands.

China is huge and thus the Chinese market is a complicated one in the sense that there are countless producers. Yes, merchants are selling everything you need for life here. Meanwhile, the legal system to protect consumers from fake goods is not yet as fully developed as in the West.

Young Chinese consumers are more aware of the environment and global changes and they start being more selective when choosing brands they want to buy from. They want to be more sustainable and invest in products that don’t harm animals, the environment, or the economy, so it’s important to be transparent and tell the story of your brand and its values instead of just promoting the products. 

If you have attractive, well-designed content, you will not only attract your customers but you will encourage them to buy and even make them become loyal to your brand (this is harder as Chinese customers are not really typically loyal if they find something better they will often change). Branding is very important for consumers in China, and no one will buy from unknown brands with unclear values.

Many consumers have been cheated with counterfeit products, fake reputable brands, and domestic brands that are expensive but of poor quality. Accordingly, they become paranoid and cautious toward less recognized or unbranded products.

Additionally, Chinese people buy brands not only for the functions they have but also to reflect their social status. Moreover, they improve how other people perceive them. Chinese consumers are willing to pay more if the brand can bring them prestige and respect in their social circle. That’s why luxury consumer products enjoyed such phenomenal growth in China for the past 2 decades.

Brand awareness should be your priority of focus if you are new to China. So, how to increase your brand awareness?

2. Social Media as a brand awareness tool

95% of people who live in large Chinese cities have an account with at least one social network.

Not only that, but China’s social media users are far more active than in other countries. With 91% of them saying they had visited a social app site in the past six months.

Social networks also have a larger impact on the buying decisions of Chinese consumers than on those of any other country.

We cannot really call social media a trend now, it has been a must-have for many years, but its importance and influence on shopping decisions on Millennials and Gen Z is growing rapidly. Most brands are present on social media, what is actually the trend now is to know how to link the advertising campaigns effectively to the social aspect.

Apart from WeChat which we talked about before, there are many other platforms that are super popular in China. The most popular are; Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. All of them have different audiences and will be suitable for different brands, but it’s best to leverage all of them for your digital marketing in China. 

Social media platforms in China are more complex and convenient than the Western ones and can really help you make your brand known in China. You can use them to promote your products, collaborate with influencers, sell your products directly in the app through social e-commerce or simply contact your consumers, as they don’t even open emails, so you can’t count on Newsletters like we do in the West. 

If a Chinese consumer sees a product being discussed positively on an SM, especially by a friend or acquaintance, they are far more likely to actually purchase the product than their counterpart in other countries. Peer recommendations have a huge influence on Chinese culture, as formal institutions are less likely to be trusted.

China’s social network landscape is fragmented and sophisticated. Today, we are taking a deeper look at WeChat and Weibo in comparison as well as other more niche and specialized platforms so that brands have an overall picture. For a better deep dive into all major Chinese social networks, please, check our Top 10 Chinese Social media guide where we look at all the marketing features of these channels.

Wechat, China’s ‘super App’

WeChat is the most powerful APP in China.

WeChat, which started as a simple messaging social media app, nowadays is a whole ecosystem itself, offering multiple functions. Examples include; messaging, video calls, official accounts, short-videos sub-platforms, WeChat payment method, e-commerce stores within the app, access to other services, like taxis, bikes, medical help, and much more. 

Wechat is a great app to generate private traffic through an official account and every other tool available to businesses on the app. The aim of private traffic in China is to build loyalty through traffic acquired on social media accounts.

However it is not an easy social media to enter, Wechat is not based on exposure or influence but more on a one-to-one, personalized and dedicated communications with users.

Wechat is perfectly understanding the huge success and booming of mobile and is taking advantage of it by offering brands the opportunity to combine social aspects and commercial ones. The app tends to be what we can call a “social e-commerce platform” enhancing social media and e-commerce activities in conjunction with one another (more on that below). 

The app has perfectly understood the benefits of embracing mobile technology in China. As you can see in the graphic above, WeChat offers WeChat Stores, and most of the brands in China and foreign companies use this function to offer their products inside the platform. 

Apart from that, WeChat also has a great online consumer management system, you can be integrated with consumers by sending them newsletters, special discount coupons, or even private messages. There are also functions like WeChat H5 brochures, where you can present your brand in a short, interactive mini-app. And of course, all your products can be purchased with the use of WeChat Pay, without the need of leaving the app. 

Weibo, the Chinese ‘Twitter / X’

Meanwhile, Weibo is a more open platform where users come to socialize with friends and new people. To entertain themselves, they watch videos as well as discover trendy topics or hot social information.

Celebrities, famous bloggers, media outfits, government departments, and ordinary users all create and share content on Weibo, making it a very bustling and exciting social hub to hang out.

Xiaohongshu, The Chinese Instagram

Xiaohongshu is often called “Chinese Instagram” because the core of the platform lies in user-generated content. The app was created mostly for women and they are the main audience, making it a perfect platform for beauty, lifestyle, and fashion content.

Xiaohongshu is very popular among Chinese influencers, it also offers e-commerce services etc.

Douyin, The Chinese version of TikTok

Douyin is a fairly ‘new’ revelation in the Chinese social media landscape. This short-video app, known as TikTok outside of China, managed to climb to the place of the second most popular social media platform in the country.

Douyin is popular thanks to fast, funny content but it also offers many bu

Generate awareness through content marketing

No matter which platform you choose to do your branding on a Chinese social network, high-quality content that users repost or share is the most important element. Unique, informative, and interesting content will engage followers and attract new ones.

After registering an official account on social media platforms of your choice, brands can post content or push feeds to their subscribers.

Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu are open platforms where even non-followers can view your posts and the posting default setting is public. In addition, everyone can also see the reposts, comments, or likes.

Therefore, they are very suitable for viral campaigns or viral content, which aim to boost brand awareness extensively and help you grow your potential Chinese customers base.

WeChat is a closed community. Normally, WeChat users can only see posts pushed by official accounts to which they subscribe. So your followers on Wechat tend to be more condensed and targeted.

In terms of content type, on Weibo, businesses can make use of the media-rich nature of Weibo to create multimedia content including things like videos, pictures, live streaming, and adding emojis to their posts. Besides, the “@tag” function enables users to tag relevant parties in the posts, while the “#hashtag” function leads users to a dedicated page that garners all posts with the same topic.

On WeChat, the content that users like to repost is interactive with text and photos/audio/video. This makes it a good place for long, detailed articles to introduce a business but also mainly to share interesting tips.

The language style is also more formal and professional. Remember to highlight the most essential parts so that it’ll be easy for readers to skim. Attractive visuals and a well-designed layout are also important to retain readers.

Other platforms are dependent on the type of your brand. You can post videos on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, use influencers, sell products directly on the platform, and promote products through live streams, challenges, etc. They give more opportunities for promotion but are more dependent on the type of products or services you offer.

3. E-Commerce is becoming more social

Social commerce is gaining traction in China. This is understandable when social media is already a place for Chinese consumers to discover new brands, and read reviews/ opinions/ experiences of other people with products and services before making purchases.

The online shopping function of Chinese social networks just makes the whole buying process faster, and more convenient, and thus the conversion rate of social commerce is very high.

Buyers can easily access and browse shops smoothly as well as make purchases with one-click payment without leaving the app for an e-commerce platform.

M-Commerce (short for Mobile Commerce) is clearly booming because the Chinese are spending a lot of their time on their mobile devices. The place to reach your customer is on their mobile, it is more convenient and they are more willing to receive advertisements. Customers spend most of their time on Chinese social media platforms, therefore this is where e-commerce is heading in China. 

Social eCommerce is just beginning to know a bright future in China. Especially Wechat which is on the way to becoming the future e-commerce platform in China with brands able to launch micro-stores within the application itself. In fact, most Gen Z is purchasing through WeChat Stores, believing it’s the most convenient way. 

Most of the apps are integrating e-commerce within social media, which is becoming very useful for consumers. It’s partially due to the popularity of influencers and live-streaming, where it’s very convenient to put links directing consumers to the product page within the platform so that they can buy the item in just one or two clicks. 

Another reason is the fact that, as we mentioned earlier, Chinese people prefer word-of-mouth marketing and they strongly value the social aspect of digital shopping. They want to see the reviews, engage with other users of products they want to buy, and so on. This is why platforms like Xiaohongshu or Douyin integrate e-commerce in their offers, and e-commerce platforms like Taobao or Pinduoduo add social features to their platforms. 

4. Influencer marketing

So-called KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) and KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers) are Chinese influencers that have huge power over the shopping decisions of Chinese consumers. They became popular a few years ago and today the use of Chinese influencers in your digital marketing strategy is almost essential, especially in sectors like fashion, beauty, baby products, new technologies, etc. 

KOLs are internet celebrities and most of them are specialists in their fields of interest, attracting many brands, that want to collaborate with them.

On the Chinese market, KOLs can be bloggers, celebrities, authorities, or professionals in a certain industry who have a huge number of followers/ subscribers.

The social influence of KOLs is enormous. Their posts not only reach a large and loyal audience but also influence significantly the purchase decisions of their fans.

A good influencer campaign can bring millions in sales, as word-of-mouth marketing in China is far more effective, due to many scandals and counterfeiting products on the market. Chinese consumers trust recommendations from their friends, family, and favorite influencers more than official brand announcements. 

Today we see a shift in the strategy, and many brands, also the biggest ones, decide to work with KOCs instead of KOLs. KOLs are big internet personas, gathering millions of followers. But recently China has seen many scandals with KOLs being involved and the audience is slowly losing trust in all those stars. Instead, they move on to KOCs, which are ordinary users of products they promote to a smaller audience, gathering more engaged followers and gaining trust among their fans. 

Brand awareness will expand and brand equity will be reinforced through the credibility of KOLs with whom they cooperate.

The most common form of cooperation with KOLs involves sponsored content creation. Brands find a KOL who likes their products and is a good fit for their positioning. They then negotiate and arrange for them to write promotional articles and recommend their products or services.

KOLs can also share/ repost messages of brands or co-organize online campaigns.

The other benefit of KOLs is market segmentation. You won’t hire the same Kol to reach Chinese customers in lower-tier cities as you would for Shanghai or Beijing for instance.

5. Explore niche and specialized Chinese social networks to reach a super-targeted audience

A solid presence on WeChat, Weibo or Douyin is a must. However, it is increasingly competitive to get your brands noticed by customers in the noise of millions of posts, tweets, and campaigns happening every second on those well-known sites.

Meanwhile, you can take a look into more specialized platforms that serve unique niches. These smaller, passion-based networks allow Western companies to connect with conversations that really matter and drive authentic traffic to your business.

Here are some niche social media platforms that are growing in popularity:

Xueqiu (Snowball): Equity & Finance Social Network

Founded in 2010, Xueqiu is the one-stop platform to discuss and learn about a wide range of financial services. This could be the ideal platform for foreign companies in the financial or real estate industries that want to enter the Chinese market and reach out to target Chinese consumers.

Keep: The Hub of Health and Fitness Enthusiasts

Launched in February 2015, Keep is a platform dedicated to the health and fitness niche. This platform is a great choice for international companies and brands that want to take part in the rise of the fitness industry in China market and create relevant sports marketing campaigns.

Mafengwo: Chinese people’s favorite tour guide

As Chinese travelers are increasingly sophisticated and knowledgeable, they prefer to create their own unique travel experiences. Many navigate to Mafengwo to help them plan their trips.

For businesses in the tourism industry, this is the ideal place for marketing in the Chinese consumer market.

6. PR, Chinese forums, and content marketing

Another powerful strategy is to tap into the large and active user groups on local forums. Forums in the West may be outdated but in China, it’s still significant. Large communities of similar interests gather on different forums to discuss their favorite topics.

For international brands, forums can be a source of valuable insights into your targeted customers as well as a place to seed your content strategy to increase brand awareness, expertise, and image.

In addition, peer reviews are highly influential in a collectivist society. Consumers really care about feedback from other consumers. Positive discussions about brands online can greatly lead to more trust and sales, but negative ones spread fast like cancer and damage the brand image.

Therefore, it is critical for brands to involve, monitor, and promote a positive reputation across forums.

Another advantage of being active on forums is that posts on forums rank highly on Baidu, thus contributing to your visibility on the most popular search engine.

Here are some of the most popular forums in China:

• Baidu Tieba 百度贴吧

It is known for allowing users to create their own “吧” (sub-forums), about any topic under the sun, such as your favorite idol, your favorite game, your city, or even your high school.

• Zhihu 知乎

Zhihu provides good information and analysis on a wide range of topics, and there are lots of famous people actively participating in discussions.

If you want to know the opinions of “intellectual elites”, Zhihu is the best place to go.

• Douban Group 豆瓣小组

Douban has a reputation for being a community of young intellectuals. Anything from literature to minimalism to travel is being discussed here within communities of like-minded people.

7. Chinese website coupled with Baidu SEO

You will need a website in China, and you should see it not as a separate hub of information but as a part of the digital ecosystem that consumers would pass till they reach the buying stage.

What to keep in mind before launching your website in China

• Well-integrated with social media

When you create a website, you need to look at all the points at which social media popular in China can be utilized. For example, WeChat or QQ should be used for logins to a website built for China.

While virtually every Chinese netizen has an email address, it is used far less than you might expect. Inputting a mobile phone number and receiving a unique SMS confirmation, is much more widespread.

Youku or QQ video should be built into a Chinese website for embedding videos, and WeChat pay and/or Alibaba’s Alipay should be the payment method integrated.

• Design and UX

UX or design requires thoughtful and methodical consideration of factors such as environment, attention span, and screen space. As with anywhere, it is highly important that the purpose and audience are clearly defined when creating a website for China.

China is a mobile-first country, so your website must be adapted for mobile device usage. Additionally, integrating the website that you create for China with WeChat or building a Chinese WeChat minisite will create a more seamless user experience.

Besides, when looking to build Chinese websites, the content architecture, image choice, and user flow must be evaluated for Chinese audiences.

• To succeed in China, a Business Localized content instead of translated content

The Chinese language is full of high-contextual meaning and your website will have to be using the Chinese language (Chinese characters). International businesses can not afford to be cheap! You should hire professionals for your china content.

When creating a website for China, it is important to keep in mind that the content should speak directly to your target market: the Chinese consumer.

Rather than hire a translator, hire a copywriter with knowledge in your specific industry that can adapt and polish your content for a Chinese audience.

• Domain and Hosting

If you want your website to rank on Chinese search engines, your website must be hosted in China.

To host your website in China, your Chinese website domain name must be managed by a Chinese registrar, your organization must be registered in China, and you must apply for an ICP license.

An ICP license is a permit issued by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology that is mandatory for China-based websites to operate in China.

Applying for an ICP license can take some time, so it is important to plan this in advance when you build a Chinese website.

A website is pointless if not seen on Baidu

Similar to the West, search engine optimization is one important pillar of your digital marketing plan. And in the Chinese market, Baidu is the king.

Considering that +80% of Chinese consumers conduct intensive searches online (either on search engines, social media, or e-commerce platforms) to learn about products or services, being visible on Baidu is critical to capturing targeted traffic to your website and ultimately generating sales.

In China, Baidu holds the most market share. A myriad of smaller and vertical search engines like Google CN, Sogou, Soso, eTao, and Qihoo 360 exist – each caters to a specific target group.

Knowing which China Search Engine to invest in and the right budget allocation makes all the difference in your search ROI.

In addition, an integrated search engine strategy that combines both China Search Engine Marketing (SEM PPC) and China Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is also important to your overall China Search Marketing ROI.

8. Live-streaming

Live streaming is one of the biggest revelations of recent years and it became especially profitable and popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. As people were locked at home, they started watching streaming videos, to see the quality and usage of products they were interested to buy. Live streaming is a huge industry in China, attracting more and more consumers and streamers every day.

One of the main reasons for its popularity is the fact, that due to many scandals with fake products and bad quality of services, most consumers don’t trust the official promotion of brands. They prefer to rely on friends’ and influencers’ opinions and recommendations. Live-streaming is another step, as they can see products live, in real use. 

There are many streaming platforms, like Taobao Live, Douyin, and Wiya, where there are long live streams, showing how to prepare meals, or do perfect make-up. There are also streams of people picking vegetables, showing the exact quality of products that are available to purchase. Live-streaming is one of the leading tools in digital marketing in China in 2023 and it’s worth investing money and time in leveraging this function for your brand. 

9. Video is the future of Content Marketing in China

The number of Chinese video users is constantly increasing year after year, this number is also due to the booming of smartphone users and the booming of the digital era. It is not only about watching movies, short films, or music video clips. You can deliver a message, target a customer, engage your customer, display a video ad, and make consumers buy.

A video is an all-in-one tool; utilizing visuals, text, and audio, which is the reason why it is a really efficient tool. Apart from longer videos, the digital marketing landscape in the Chinese market is being flooded by applications and features offering short videos. 

The most popular one, Douyin, known as Tik Tok outside of China, is one of the most successful mobile apps worldwide. In China, Douyin offers much more functions, with integrated live-streaming and e-commerce features, offering consumers an all-in-one experience.

Apart from Douyin, there are other apps, some are dedicated to short videos and live-streaming only (like Kuaishou), while others add the short-videos feature to their existing offer (like WeChat Channels in the WeChat app). 

10. Metaverse, phygital and virtual realities

You have probably heard many times about O2O, it is the new trend that you need to optimize if you want to succeed in your marketing campaign.

Now that AI dominates the headlines, the Metaverse seems like yesterday news.

And while I by no means would advise to make it the central pillars of your Chinese digital marketing strategy, it has its uses as a complementary channel. And in some cases can help you go viral on Chinese social media.

The connection between online and offline seems to be closer than ever. Consumers are discovering products online, making a selection of the products that they like the most, they can then experience it offline by going directly to the showroom or to the stores, the whole process can still be linked digitally with interactive WeChat accounts and websites.

Another thing that really speeded up in 2023 is the metaverse, and the use of virtual reality in marketing and e-commerce. Something that is still rather unknown in the West, is a whole big thing, leveraged by most of the biggest brands in China.

Companies like Maybelline, Gucci, Coca-cola are opening their metaverse stores, collaborate with games to create engaging content for younger generations, that are very excited about the new trend and want more. There are virtual fashion shows on Xiaohongshu, or virtual collections of NFTs to purchase. We can say, that this is definitely the hottest trend of this year and it will definitely stay. 

11. User experience and customization

Because of the huge number of marketing campaigns, you have to focus on your customers’ sensibilities, and experience and you have to understand your customer’s needs and create a real, meaningful experience. However, the point here is to be creative, you have to engage your customers not only by sending them advertising messages but also by encouraging their self-expression and individual participation.

More and more brands are turning their consumers into designers or brand representatives. Consumers are not loyal to brands and can easy switch to other foreign companies offering similar products, if they have more attractive branding or more engaging UX design. 

Young consumers want their products to be unique and personalised, so that they can show off something different than all the rest. Many companies offer customized products or engaging experiences, to attract young consumers to their brands. Offering something unique is also very helpful in creating buzz and attracting Key Opinion Leaders, that might get interested and start to talk about your brand. 

12. Localize your Digital Strategy to China

Last, but certainly not least: focus on local marketing strategies.

You may have probably heard this a million times, but focusing on local doesn’t mean that you will need to completely change your products, tastes, and preferences to local ones. The idea is actually to understand the customer’s needs and adapt your product whilst not forgetting one’s core product strategy.

For example, have you ever tried those colorful burgers at KFC, a pink spicy hamburger? This is roasted cheese spicy chicken with pink bread. The brighter colors proved to be a strong novelty in China and effectively generate sales for KFC, they kept a distinct brand whilst responding to consumer demand. Below you can see another of localized products in KFC – Chinese hot pot. 

Another example is Starbucks, that, apart from coffee, offers a big variety of tea flavours in its cafes. The most famous and the biggest one, located in Shanghai, offers more than 20 different tea flavors.

Are You Interested in Implementing These Digital Marketing Trends in Your China Strategy? Contact Us!

Following trends in digital marketing in China is not an easy task. Many of them are new, as China is the trendsetter when it comes to the digital world in general. Another thing is the fact that China’s online ecosystem is completely different than anything we are used to in the West. What is more, those trends change super fast, so it’s important to act now!

We are a China marketing agency with more than 10 years of experience in digital marketing for the Chinese market. We worked with over 600 brands from different industries, helping them navigate through China’s online world and creating the best-suitable marketing strategies for each brand.

Our Services: Designed for Your Success

• Market Insight and Analysis: Understanding the Chinese market is crucial. We provide comprehensive insights into consumer behavior and trends.
• Brand Localization: Your brand’s voice matters. We fine-tune your message to resonate with Chinese audiences while keeping your brand marketing and core values intact.
• Digital Marketing Excellence: Utilizing platforms like Weibo, Douyin, and WeChat, we create campaigns that engage and convert. We also check your Western marketing efforts for comparison, so that nothing goes to waste.
• E-commerce Strategy: Dominate online sales on Tmall, JD.com, and more, leveraging our e-commerce expertise to successfully market your brand.
• Social Media Mastery: From content creation to community management, we handle it all.
• Influencer Collaborations: Partnering with the right KOLs can elevate your brand. We make those connections happen.

We offer many different services, depending on the needs and budget of our customers, starting from market research, web design, localization, naming, branding, e-reputation, influencer marketing, e-commerce, social media set-up, online reputation management, and many more.

Check some of our case studies:

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us to discuss your project in China. We offer a free discovery call, where our experts can learn about your brand and see what are the best ways to help your brand in China.

Why Partner with Us?

• Proven Track Record: Our portfolio is a testament to our success in bringing brands to life in the Chinese market.
• Cultural Savvy: We’re not just marketing experts; we understand China’s unique cultural landscape.
• Innovative Approaches: Stay ahead of the curve with our forward-thinking strategies.
• Focus on Results: Our goal is to deliver measurable success and ROI.

Whether you’re new to the Chinese market or looking to expand your presence, we tailor our services to your needs. With Gentlemen Marketing Agency, your brand is in capable hands.

Interested in learning more? Explore our range of services and success stories on our website. Let’s connect and discuss how we can help your brand soar in China.

In over 10 years working in Chinese market I’ve help my fair share of Brands with their Chinese PR. Usually they fall in two categories:

• Companies that want to get first noticed by Chinese consumers
• Brands that found themselves in the middle of a PR disaster (usually a self-inflicted wound)

In this article, I will explain to you how public relations work in China. And give you the best practices international brands should follow.

So you can both be seen, but avoid the sensitivities and other pitfalls that pave the way.

How to Manage Public Relations in China?

Public Relations (PR) in China is about strategically sharing press releases with the right media. It’s all about crafting profiles that highlight your company. This can happen through traditional media like newspapers or blogs, Chinese social media platforms where influencers talk about your brand, or even the community discussing your brand on social media.

PR has a unique advantage – it endures over time and gets you noticed by trustworthy sources on other websites, lending credibility to your brand. So how to manage them correctly just like Chinese companies do? Let’s take a look.

Define a public relations strategy

Knowledge of these external influences can determine the success of your China public relations strategy.

Traditional newspapers vs. online reading in China

China is one of the few countries where print media has not faced a steep decline. Newspapers are still successful among consumers.

The development of Internet technology and the rapid changes in new media have led to huge changes in audience reading habits and media contact behavior. Therefore, the traditional newspaper industry is facing the dilemma of reader loss.

The increase in online media made the landscape even more fragmented and seems complicated for new players in the market. But it presents great opportunities for China’s public relations strategy. Many of these online media platforms are independent of the government so it will be easier to access this kind of platform.

Focus on the localization of your content

When you want to do PR to promote your branding, of course, you will think about using Chinese in your campaign, but pay attention to which Chinese you use. In China, there are two types of written Chinese, that are:

• Traditional Chinese: Hong Kong and Taiwan
• Simplified Chinese for China’s mainland

You need to adapt your PR communication to be more effective. Localization, not only in PR content but also in strategies, is the most important aspect of developing your public relations strategy in China, Most social networks that foreign companies are used to are blocked by the Chinese Great Firewall.

In China, they have their own social media. WeChat, the leading social platform, has more than 1.3 billion active users. It is also a powerful tool for marketing strategies in China.

If you work with Chinese specialists and/or native content writers it’s better. They have the keys to writing the perfect message for your consumers and for the government. It will be more effective for your target.

Legal restrictions should be taken into consideration when doing PR

Media are always “controlled” by the Chinese government for the country’s interest. Articles thus must stay aligned with the overall official state perspectives.

Those platforms for public release in China set a system of sensitive word captions, which means if your articles include certain sensitive words, they will be blocked or you can even not publish them.

Those words are very difficult to know, and they are changing all the time, but they are normally in 3 categories:

• Politically sensitive words: There are many violations involving politics, usually mentioning the government, the name of the country leader, the error of the country’s leadership position, the name of the country’s institution, etc.
• Pornographic content, vulgar words: those are all illegal words.
• Malicious promotion words: Vocabulary such as account number, card number, payment, remittance, payment, payment, Alipay, bank card, how much money, etc.

Press release: essential for your strategy

As one of the important channels for public relations management, press release plays an essential role. It’s a strong tool to create relationships with media agencies. It’s also a great way to control the data newsworthy about your company, etc.

Why press releases are so important?

Better Website Authority = Better Baidu Ranking

Press releases are coms/articles/videos published by media companies/blogs. If media companies’ post seems genuine, they are often the fruit of a partnership between a company and a media channel.

This kind of partnership allows companies to be talked about by media/blogs in a very controlled environment. For media outlets, it is also a win as it provides interesting & exclusive content and/or monetary compensation.

A press release usually also means a backlink. As for Google, the more backlinks to your website, the more authority it gets, giving you more chance to rank above your competitor.

Companies’ positive images associated with keywords

Just imagine, if a brand has no mention or information when you are looking for it on your everyday search engine? You would not trust it, right?

Well, a press release is one of the most cost-efficient ways to get a third-party website to talk about you. The more third-party websites talk about you, the more trust you’ll gain from consumers. As said earlier, it is also a way to control what is being said about your brand online.

High-quality press releases will be included and displayed on high-quality, large-volume news homepages. If you publish enough high-quality content, it can form an automatic association between keywords and companies.

Provide information sources for encyclopedia & SEO boosts

For companies or individuals who want to do encyclopedias, one of the thresholds is to provide “reference materials“, which are news sources. In other words, if you want to be displayed on the Wiki, it is best to appear directly in the news.

This means that you need to keep the press release information on the search engine. With this information, you may be able to do Baidu Baike for you or your business and Baidu SEO.

Long-term effect: press release lasts in time

News releases are particularly not time-sensitive due to real and considerable & useful information. This means that the news releases published will not disappear and can be accessed continuously.

As long as you search on the search engine, the news releases will appear. Therefore, it is a cost-efficient tool long-term establishment of brand image and reputation with good results.

An important role in negative public relations management

All companies will have both positive and negative public opinion/information on the Internet. A qualified public relations is to prepare in advance and take precautions. In the era of the information explosion, once your negative information is seen and forwarded by netizens, the resulting public opinion will lose control afterward.

At this time, you need to issue a large number of positive and effective press releases to suppress quickly and effectively those negative public opinions,  thereby reducing corporate losses.

Social media in China is a powerful tool for your PR

Social media are very important in your China public relations strategy. Chinese people, more than in other countries are very active on social media.

Using social media is effective in your public relations strategy because you can create content shareable. You can communicate with your Chinese consumers and create a community of followers. You create engagement with users and it will improve your reputation.

Weibo, the second Chinese social platform, is often used for PR activities in China. It is an open social platform, so it can reach many audiences.

A PR strategy suitable for the budget is a good strategy

This type of online public relations communication works very well in China.

Why ask about the budget before doing public relations activities? Because as we are doing a PR campaign, we have to be very clear about how much your budget is to do. Given that in China, there are too many channels for PR, so the choice is very important. A suitable channel needs half of the work but double the results.

Therefore, it is important to make suitable communication channels according to the budget.

What is your objective for PR, brand exposure, or conversion rate?

For temporary public relations activities, or activities that need to be planned one month in advance or two months in advance. Assuming that we have fixed the budget for PR, the next step is to set goals.

What do you want to get from the campaign? This should be a question you need to discuss with your agency. Because different goals have different channels and different strategies.

We Specialise in China Public Relations Suitable for Any Budget

Public relations is not so hard to understand in China, the theory is the same everywhere. However, the channels and the PR content are different, and they are essential and the most important part of your PR activities in China. You need to know how it works and its differences if you don’t want to fail and waste your money.

The power of the government can’t be put aside because it has an influence on all the media. In addition, language and cultural barriers between brands and consumers have to be taken into account. Keep in mind that China is not like Western countries. It’s better if you find a specialist in the Chinese market or a native to help you to create your public relations strategy.

We are a specialist PR agency, based in Shanghai. We have a deep understanding of Chinese digital marketing and PR campaigns.

We are always updated about the latest trends and the real methods for success. We offer cost-effective, long-lasting solutions that will gain you good e-reputation and increased visibility in China.

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us, so that we can discuss your project and create the best PR strategy for your China entry.

They follow of way of big US Firms like Tesla, microsoft, Starbucks etc.

Chinese CEOs are right now increasingly embracing personal branding via livestreaming, leveraging this powerful medium to enhance their company’s visibility and drive sales. Here are five key trends illustrating how top executives in China are using livestreaming as a strategic tool:

1. Direct Engagement with Consumers: Chinese CEOs are using livestreaming platforms like Douyin (TikTok) and Taobao Live to engage directly with consumers. This direct interaction builds trust and authenticity, allowing CEOs to address consumer queries in real-time and showcase products effectively.
2. Influence on Purchasing Decisions: The presence of top executives in livestream sessions can significantly influence consumer purchasing decisions. Consumers perceive their involvement as a guarantee of quality and commitment, which can lead to increased sales during and after the livestream.
3. Boosting Brand Image and Loyalty: By appearing in livestreams, CEOs can enhance their brand’s image by aligning it with their personal values and charisma. This not only attracts new customers but also strengthens loyalty among existing ones, who feel a more personal connection to the brand.
4. Showcasing Product Features and Demonstrations: Livestreaming allows CEOs to demonstrate products in detail, which is particularly effective for complex or new products. Demonstrations by the CEO can highlight the product’s unique features and usability, persuading viewers to convert their interest into purchases.
5. Crisis Management and Transparency: (GOOD PLUS° ) In times of crisis or when addressing sensitive issues, CEOs’ participation in livestreams can project transparency and sincerity. This approach is used to manage public perception effectively, delivering unfiltered messages that can mitigate potential damage to the company’s reputation.

These trends underscore the strategic importance of livestreaming for personal branding in China’s corporate leadership, revealing a dynamic approach to modern digital marketing and customer engagement.

Xpeng Vice president on Tiktok

Tech-related businesses are increasingly urging their employees to establish a robust online presence, but this trend isn’t without its challenges, especially when public comments can dramatically influence market perceptions and company value.

Social media everywhere in China

The allure of social media fame comes with considerable risks. High-profile business figures like Yu Minhong have encountered severe backlash and volatility in stock prices due to offhand remarks. This trend is not isolated, as other employees in similar positions have faced job losses after their online activities attracted unwanted controversy.

Lei Jun also called the Steve Job of China

Zhou Hongyi, 360

Despite these pitfalls, some leaders champion the cause of turning entrepreneurs into online celebrities. Zhou Hongyi, CEO of the cybersecurity giant 360 Group, actively promotes this idea, suggesting that a strong online presence is crucial for modern business success. His personal efforts to engage with the public through platforms like Douyin have not only enhanced his visibility but also underscored his belief in the power of social media to bypass traditional advertising and directly engage with potential customers.

Yu Minhong, CEO of East Buy,

This Top Chinese entrepreneur found himself in hot water after a casual comment during a livestream led to a significant drop in his company’s stock value. This incident highlighted the high stakes involved in social media interactions.

The impact of social media on business is GREAT , reshaping how Chiense firms communicate their value, interact with their audiences, and even influence their market standing. While the rewards can be significant, the risks, as shown by the experiences of Yu and others, are equally substantial.

This evolution in business strategy demonstrates the transformative power of social media, making it an indispensable part of modern corporate practices, albeit one that requires careful navigation to avoid potential pitfalls.

Qu Jing Baidu

In a scenario that underscores the double-edged sword of social media for corporate figures, Qu Jing, former Vice President and PR head at Baidu, experienced rapid online fame and subsequent controversy. After posting a series of videos on Douyin that inadvertently endorsed a toxic workplace culture, her remarks, such as dismissing an employee’s personal issues and downplaying work-life balance, led to a sharp backlash.

result : 2.1% drop in Baidu’s stock, erasing 6 billion Hong Kong dollars in value. The incident sparked a debate on the suitability and responsibilities of corporate executives engaging in social media, culminating in Qu’s departure from Baidu shortly after the controversy.

The broader conversation around corporate leaders’ engagement on social media platforms continues to evolve. On platforms like Zhihu, discussions delve into the risks and benefits of CEOs becoming internet celebrities, with many questioning the alignment between personal online personas and professional responsibilities.

Such incidents highlight the complex dynamics at play when corporate leaders engage with social media, blending personal expression with public expectations and corporate accountability.

Branding is the key to success in China

In China, a strong Brand will always win against an unknown brand. Chinese consumers tend not to trust brands they don’t know and therefore not to buy their products. In addition, without a strong brand, you can’t expect to find resellers, distributors, to land a spot on Tmall or JD, or people to buy your products/ services.

A well-known brand is a synonym for safe to buy in China. It means the brand is reliable and credible therefore consumers are not scared to pay for it. Therefore, brands should put their efforts into building a strong brand value and image while also maintaining brand consistency.

Starting a Brand business in China in 2024 requires a deep understanding of digital trends, consumer behavior, and the regulatory environment. By embracing e-commerce capabilities on platforms like Douyin, engaging with consumers on Xiaohongshu, and collaborating with KOLs, businesses can effectively tap into the vast Chinese market. Additionally, focusing on sustainability and technological advancements will align with consumer values and technological trends, setting a strong foundation for business success in China’s dynamic market.

The importance of brand consistency in China: a Coca-Cola case study

Coca-Cola’s Content and Creative Excellence Director in China, Richard Cotton, revealed that consistency is key to success for the Coca-cola company in China, where a complicated retail landscape and a highly competitive category offer challenges to brands.

He explained that building brand awareness starts with getting the basics right, including price, distribution, and brand message. For example, Coca-Cola clearly shows its consistency of being a drink that makes you happy and is shared with others, while at the same time adapting to the tastes of the Chinese market:

• the Chinese name of Coca-Cola可口可乐 “kekoukele” which means “tasty fun”,
• Coca-cola marketing campaigns in China on Wechat, show groups of friends and family having fun together.

Brand consistency is the key to earning customer trust and elevating your ROI. Branding is the key to every sector, but it is much more than colors, nice fonts, and a fancy logo localized to the Chinese market and culture.

Brand consistency is the trick for your public image, and for your reputation. An identity with which people can relate, share ideas, and find solutions to their problems.

Managed well, branding can meet:

• customers’ expectations
• new customers
• leads

Did you know that the average revenue increase attributed to always presenting the brand consistently is 33%?

Brands should put efforts into maintaining brand consistency, why?

A big reason for maintaining brand consistency is that it can help to prevent consumer confusion. When a brand changes its look or feel too dramatically, it can be hard for consumers to keep track of what the brand represents, and this can lead to them being less likely to trust or buy from the brand in the future.

Another reason for keeping branding consistent is that it can help to create a sense of stability and reliability for customers. If they know that a certain brand always looks and feels the same, they’ll be more likely to turn to that brand when they need something, because they’ll know that it will consistently meet their expectations.

Customers are very demanding when it comes to buying beauty products. They are very cautious in their choice and spend a lot of time online looking for information on companies and their products.

Brand consistency ensures visibility and recognition within target groups, so you can stay on top of the choice when they need your product. An example is Starbucks when someone needs coffee in China.

A brand is what people will remember most about your company, so if you want to make an impression among Chinese consumers, it should be:

• representative,
• strong,
• consistent,
• others.

If you want to be their go-to company, Chinese customers should feel as though they could recommend you to friends and family. If you achieve this, your success in the Chinese market is almost certain. Why? Because the Chinese, in their pre-purchase phase, rely on relatives and friends for the choice of brands and products to use.

A good e-reputation is crucial success with E-commerce in China

In China more than everywhere else the reputation of a brand is what will make the difference. Chinese consumers do trust new brands and are not risk-takers, resulting in a very low conversion rate.

For an unknown brand with no E-reputation, the cost of getting visitors will be the same as for a famous brand, the difference is that they will get 100 sales for 1000 visits while the unknown one will get 1.

E-reputation should be the base of your marketing strategy when doing e-commerce in China, whatever platform you choose.

Brands should find a balance between brand localization and consistency

Localization is essential to entering the Chinese market because, in China, you cannot simply translate your message and expect the same level of interest from an audience with a different background.

However, it can create issues in brand consistency which is also important to be successful in this market.

• Localize too much, and you may lose your brand’s authenticity
• Fail to localize enough, and the product may not be to Chinese tastes.

Therefore, how do find the right way to localize and maintain brand consistency?

No matter the aspect (taste adaptation, product adaptation, or product promotion ideas) having a dedicated development process for products intended for the Chinese market is a key aspect to successfully entering the Chinese market. The idea is not to turn your back on your brand identity or culture, but rather to leverage the elements that make your product popular in the Chinese market and study what to leave intact and what to adapt to Chinese culture.

For example, Coca-cola managed to find this balance, adapting its advertising campaigns to the Chinese market (this is the marketing campaign for the Chinese Valentine’s Day 520), but maintaining its consistent and recognizable brand.

How to maintain brand consistency in China?

Companies should consistently apply branding guidelines

Every business should set and consistently apply branding guidelines which include details about:

• Brand’s tone of voice,
• preferred professional terms,
• general code of conduct.

Not applying them is a waste of time and above all your staff and customers might not understand your brand’s value and image. The creation of marketing materials and the representation of your company would suffer from it.

Educate all staff members about the brand’s value and image

As soon as you have created the branding guidelines, you will need all staff members to be aware of them. You can do this by having a meeting with them about the brand, describing in detail everything they need to know about the company’s history, fundamental values ​​, and tone of voice.

In addition, you should keep the brand guidelines to allow staff to review this document if they are unsure of how to represent their brand.

Thanks to this you will no longer have online and offline marketing messages that confuse potential customers and you will be able to maintain the consistency of your brand.

Companies should provide staff with branding resources

How can staff maintain consistency if they need to create things for external use?

A company should provide them with branding resources like:

• Logo variations
• Graphics
• Color palettes
• others

Whether it’s social media graphics or white papers, branding resources can maintain consistency and avoid confusing potential customers.

Brand consistency: From your website to social media and e-commerce platforms

Many companies believe that a logo and a website are sufficient to express the value and image of the brand and to offer an excellent customer experience. But this is absolutely wrong because every phase of the customer experience must be marked to maintain consistency. Therefore, from your website to social media and to the e-commerce platform it should be branded.

If your brand is inconsistent, a purchase is unlikely to occur as Chinese customers buy from brands they can trust, leading to questions asked and money spent elsewhere.

How to work on branding and e-reputation in China?

China has a history of scandals and a culture of scams. Everyone has been scammed once in their life or has been taught since childhood to be aware of scams. Therefore, any Chinese consumers or businessmen will do research before converting with you.

If they can’t find anything online about you, you’ll probably be considered spam. Letting them find you when typing related keywords on Baidu and then doing some research about your company will help the conversion process.

The other important point is that mailing does not work in China. Peoples use Wechat to communicate. Chinese businessmen expect you to be on Wechat and to have an e-brochure to share with them.

Building your online image

The construction of your image passes first of all by creating a loyal community of followers. This can be done through WeChat as well as on other Chinese social media such as Weibo, Douyin but also blogs, and forums in your sector.

Social media in China are the best place to work on Branding

Social media in China are the best place to work on your branding and storytelling. Choosing the right social media to reach your goal is the most important step of your journey, however, there are so many, therefore it can be tricky.

GMA help you with that and run campaigns according to your need:

• KOLs,
• buzz,
• content,
• storytelling,
• sales
• etc.

PR is a good way to build your e-reputation

It is one of the most cost-effective solutions there is out there. It is a basic of marketing where the right people talk about you. Our job? connect you to the right people and use their credibility to help you grow in China.

In China, E-reputation is key to success and PR is a good way to build credibility. Not only you are getting experts talking about you, but it also means backlinks from authority websites which means: Visibility.

Having contact with the specialized press is essential for an effective branding campaign. Our PR campaigns with the press are organized around several elements:

• An extensive network of contacts (We are connected with over 2000 journalists)
• A regular relationship (We will provide you with a detailed report on our PR campaigns every month)
• High-quality content (We don’t just simply create content for you, we create the right content for your target type)
• A team of experts (Our communication with online customers is very effective because we employ a team of native speakers).

Forums and KOLs to strengthen your credibility

Complete your PR efforts and strengthen your credibility with UGC using forums and KOLs to talk about you. KOLs and communities are powerful and widely listen to on the Chinese internet. Their opinion matters the most. Let us create a community around your brand and connect you to the right KOLs.

Loyalty in China , the ultimate goal for brands

Maintaining brand consistency is crucial for success in any market, especially in China, where consumer expectations and competitive landscapes are rapidly evolving.

For businesses aiming to leverage brand consistency as a strategic advantage, here are five critical questions to consider:

How does brand consistency affect customer perception and loyalty in China?

This question explores the impact of a consistent brand identity (including logos, messaging, and customer experience) across all channels on building trust and recognition among Chinese consumers. A consistent brand is often seen as more reliable, which can enhance customer loyalty and facilitate repeat business.

What role does brand consistency play in differentiating products in a crowded market?

In China’s highly competitive market, standing out is key. Understanding how consistent branding can make your products or services easily recognizable and memorable compared to competitors is vital. Consistent branding helps ensure that all marketing materials and product lines reflect the core values and quality the brand promises, reinforcing the brand’s position in the market.

How can maintaining brand consistency across all platforms increase engagement and conversion rates among Chinese consumers?

With the prevalence of digital platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo in China, ensuring your brand is consistently represented can lead to better engagement. Analyzing how unified messaging and visual identity across these platforms can lead to higher conversion rates can help in optimizing marketing strategies.

What are the best practices for integrating brand consistency into new market segments or product lines specifically for the Chinese market?

This question addresses how to maintain brand consistency when expanding into new market segments or introducing new products. It’s crucial to understand how to adapt and integrate the core brand elements into new offerings without diluting the brand identity, ensuring that the brand’s promise and quality are clear.

How does cultural adaptation affect brand consistency and revenue growth in China?

This involves investigating how brands can adapt to local tastes and preferences without compromising their global brand identity. It’s essential to explore strategies for balancing localization needs with maintaining a consistent brand image, such as through localized marketing campaigns that reflect cultural nuances but still adhere to the brand’s global standards.

Answering these questions can provide valuable insights into how strong, consistent branding can serve as a powerful lever for increasing revenue. This is especially true in China, where brand perception can significantly influence purchasing decisions and consumer loyalty.

To sum up the Importance of Being Consistent With the Brand in China

After implementing these steps in your branding efforts, you will soon see a wave of results. Stop changing your message repeatedly and lose the interest of your customers. Do you want or don’t want others to remember your brand?

Do you want to know more about the power of brand consistency and the impact it has on your brand reputation in China and more?

Contact GMA, a digital marketing agency, that specializes in the Chinese digital market.

We offer branding and communication services like:

• Choice of channels (Branding in China passes through several channels, and these are usually fewer than those used in the West)
• Our Savoir-Faire (We have experience in many sectors, whatever the market in which you operate, we are able to help you).
• A complete strategy (For rapid and effective development social networks are not enough, but we have the right advice to help you)
• Analysis of results (Every month we will provide you with an analysis of the results of your campaigns and discuss them together to develop an even more effective strategy).

In China, as in many cultures, the role of the mother is deeply respected, with traditional values emphasizing filial piety—a Confucian virtue of respect for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors. The modern celebration of Mother’s Day offers an opportunity to express gratitude and love toward mothers through gestures like giving gifts, sending messages, and spending quality time together.

Mother’s Day Celebrations, opportunities for Brands

Common ways to celebrate include:

• Gift-giving: Popular gifts include flowers, particularly carnations and roses, which symbolize love and gratitude.
• Diner: Many families take mothers out for a meal, whether it’s a simple gathering or a lavish dinner.
• Health and wellness : It’s also popular to gift health and wellness-related items or experiences, such as spa treatments or health supplements, reflecting the Chinese emphasis on long-term health and well-being.

Brand Involvement

In China, Mother’s Day has also become a significant retail and promotional event. Brands across various sectors—ranging from electronics to cosmetics—often launch sales promotions to coincide with the holiday. This commercial aspect is similar to trends seen in Western countries, where Mother’s Day prompts significant consumer spending.

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Brands ecommerce events in China

The concept of a “brands festival” around Mother’s Day isn’t traditionally established but can be likened to shopping festivals such as Singles’ Day (November 11th) or the Mid-Autumn Festival, during which companies offer special deals. For Mother’s Day, brands might offer themed promotions specifically tailored to popular gifts for mothers, such as jewelry, beauty products, or household appliances.

This blend of traditional respect for mothers with modern commercial opportunities reflects the dynamic and evolving nature of cultural celebrations in China today, balancing reverence for familial roles with the realities of contemporary consumer culture.

This Mother’s Day, what should be a relaxing day for mothers often gets drowned out by the bustle of everyday life. This year, we’ve decided to reclaim Mother’s Day for its true protagonists—the mothers—by exploring ways to break free from the long-standing exhaustion that burdens them and offering a chance to enjoy a journey of relaxation and freedom on this special day.

Breaking away from the traditional ways of celebrating Mother’s Day, we’ve observed that mothers are still entangled in trivial matters during the festival. Despite receiving blessings and flowers, they are unable to truly relax. Scheduled on the second Sunday of May, Mother’s Day should be a weekend of rest, but is it really a break for mothers? How can we break this cycle of hardship and give mothers the real rest they deserve?

“All holidays are like labor days for mothers.” This statement profoundly captures the ongoing sentiment of mothers. This year, we advocate for mothers to take a ‘breakaway’—to temporarily shed their roles, return to themselves, and enjoy a liberating experience. From official calls to action to social responses, the #MothersEscapePlan campaign has sparked a trend online, offering mothers a chance to ‘skip out’ and revel in freedom.

On May 9, three guests took the lead in ‘breaking away,’ initiating this unique Mother’s Day celebration. Through campaigns like #NotJustAnActressTodayBeJiangQinQin#, mothers were encouraged to drop their burdens and take a day off for themselves. On May 10, we provided a series of ‘escape tips,’ such as mini-trips, social outings, and embracing nature, allowing mothers to fully relax and enjoy their own time on this day.

“A mother’s life is a wilderness, not a narrow circle of busyness; a mother is an architect of life, not a standard building.” These campaign slogans poignantly sketch the image of mothers and resonate with their desire for freedom. During the campaign, mothers were also invited by XiaoHongShu’s maternal and child influencer @ShuBaoBao to visit XiaoHongShu’s Beijing headquarters to discuss special co-branded Mother’s Day events. This series of activities not only provided relaxation for mothers but also sparked societal attention to their needs.

By May 11, as the campaign’s popularity soared, netizens created numerous memes expressing their wishes for mothers to ‘escape.’ These memes reflect mothers’ longing for a brief freedom and a desire for relaxed times. Each meme is a romantic confession to the mothers, making them feel the care and understanding of society.

This Mother’s Day in China, Babycare, in collaboration with their brand ambassador Zhang Yuqi, launched the innovative campaign titled ‘Don’t Call Me Mother Today’. The campaign featured a poignant short film released on May 10, which resonated deeply with the slogan, “A good mother remains a good mother, even without the title.” Subsequently, the hashtag #ZhangYuqiDontCallMeMotherToday# (张雨绮 今天别叫我妈妈)

The film presented several narratives of motherhood to challenge traditional perceptions with messages like, “Motherhood does not necessarily involve enduring birth pain, but rather changing societal attitudes,” “A mother isn’t solely responsible for raising a child; it’s a collective family effort,” and “There is no fixed way to be a mother, only the way she chooses to be.” Babycare used the opportunity to promote its “Painless Childbirth” initiative, now active in 11 hospitals across 7 provinces, and to announce the renaming of “mother and baby rooms” to “nursery rooms” to avoid gender-specific labels in childcare.

The campaign, a departure from typical Mother’s Day celebrations, highlighted the complex realities of motherhood rather than merely celebrating it. On the same day, Babycare shared ‘99 moments when I didn’t want to be called mum,’ a compilation of sentiments from mothers, further emphasizing the theme. Zhang Yuqi, who has shaped a public image of independence through her personal and professional life, lent significant influence and authenticity to the campaign.

The campaign received mixed reactions on Weibo. Many users admired Zhang Yuqi’s portrayal of motherhood, appreciating her representation of an authentic, multifaceted woman over the traditional idealized mother. However, some questioned whether the theme of downplaying traditional motherhood roles was appropriate for a Mother’s Day campaign by a brand focused on mothers and babies.

In a broader trend, other brands also adopted unconventional approaches to Mother’s Day. For instance, skincare brand HBN debuted a documentary titled ‘Becoming a Mother’ to inspire single mothers, and Jingrun Pearl coined the term ‘Jenbeng Mom’ to celebrate motherhood, promoting it on RED . Similarly, children’s medicine brand Xiaokuaike released ‘Rumoured Superpowers,’ advocating shared parenting responsibilities and supporting the diverse community around mothers.

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