Discovering Opportunities: Exploring China’s Recent Updates

May 20, 2024

1. Shanghai takes the lead as Chinese coffee consumption averages 16 cups per year

  • China’s coffee industry amassed a staggering 265.4 billion RMB (approx. 36.66 billion USD) in scale last year, with an average per capita annual consumption of 16.74 cups
  • Coffee Carnival is running in Shanghai between 30 April to 4 May, alongside over 50 esteemed local coffee shops.
  • Additionally, takeaway, payment, and social media platforms initiated the “Drinking in the City” campaign in Shanghai, poised to invest nearly 100 million RMB (approx. 13.8 million USD) into the consumer market.
  • With a net increase of 118 shops, marking a 14% year-on-year rise, the total count of Starbucks outlets soared to 7,093.

LINK:https://daoinsights.com/news/shanghai-takes-the-lead-as-chinese-coffee-consumption-averages-16-cups-per-year/

2.What’s driving China’s unstoppable second hand luxury market?

  • China’s secondhand luxury market is tipped to grow to $30 billion (217 billion RMB) in 2025 from $8 billion (58 billion RMB) in 2020, with Gen Z and millennials (under 40) together accounting for more than 80 percent of the total number of secondhand luxury consumers
  • From a luxury brand point of view, perceived value on the secondhand market can have direct repercussions on reputation and desirability in the eyes of consumers.
  • Brands should not see the secondhand market as an adverse phenomenon, but encourage customers to trade in or resell their pre-owned items through authorized channels, ensuring that the brand retains control over the quality and authenticity of the products in the secondary market.
  • Luxury brands must monitor and manage their perceived value in the secondhand market, as it can impact their reputation and desirability among consumers. Digital marketing efforts should focus on maintaining brand authenticity and highlighting the enduring quality and heritage of their products.

LINK:https://jingdaily.com/posts/what-s-driving-china-s-unstoppable-secondhand-luxury-market#8548723daa5e

3. Decoding China’s $170 billion ‘romance economy’

  • China commemorates love on three separate holidays: the Western Valentine’s Day on February 14, the uniquely Chinese 520 Day on May 20, a celebration derived from internet slang where the numbers “520” phonetically resemble the words for “I love you” in Mandarin, and the traditional Qixi Festival, which usually falls in August.
  • China’s Gen Z consumers are a key element of the “romance economy,” responsible for 54% of related orders according to the “Romantic Economic Big Data Report” released in 2022.
  • Survey data from iiMedia Research in 2023 revealed that regardless of their relationship status – single, in a relationship, or married – over 90% of participants were eager to celebrate romantic festivals by presenting gifts to family and friends.
  • Notably, jewellery ranks as the number top gift category for coupled-up individuals on China’s romantic days.
  • Traditional gifts like flowers, personal care items, and beauty products remain favorites and “gift boxes” persist as a preference for consumers on seasonal occasions.
  • “Love-brain” (恋爱脑) has recently emerged as a trending term online. It centers on the idea that individuals often lose their emotional or financial rationality when in love. This phenomenon prompted the creation of the phrase “scolding to cure love brain” (骂醒恋爱脑) as a response. And in turn, this has sparked a new type of service.

LINK: https://jingdaily.com/posts/decoding-s-china-s-usd170-billion-romance-economy

4. Xiaohongshu: Unlock new opportunities in Chinese beauty market

Customers are getting more connected to Chinese culture and caring about value, which makes domestic beauty brands more popular. Younger consumers are stepping up as key players in the domestic beauty market.

  • Emergence of quality Chinese cosmetics: Domestic beauty annual sales surged around 10%, outperforming foreign cosmetics with a commanding market share of 50%.
  • Co-create content with the brands: Hundreds of celebrities and top KOLs embarked on the offline and online collaboration with a lot of brands.
  • Create a personalized IP Matrix: Xiaohongshu collaborated with more influential media like CCTV network and created more personalized IP/topics for brands.

LINK: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/4oAwT-Q0mtbWHGQtRYSPLg

5.ByteDance surprises AI rivals with ultra-low cost Doubao model:

  • ByteDance has surprised the artificial intelligence industry with the ultra-low cost of its Doubao model
  • The company said it is capable of processing 2 million Chinese characters, equivalent to 1.25 million tokens, for RMB 1 ($0.14).
  • OpenAI’s most advanced multimodal model, GPT-4o, also unveiled this week, comes in at $5 per million input tokens handled.

LINK:https://technode.com/2024/05/16/bytedance-surprises-ai-rivals-with-ultra-low-cost-doubao-model/

6. Which fashion campaigns for China’s 520 Day hit the mark?

  • Luxury fashion campaigns for China’s 520 Day focus on limited edition collections, celebrity endorsements, and creative storytelling, often in the form of mini videos.
  • Brands like Gucci and Saint Laurent tapped into Gen Z’s preferences by incorporating traditional Chinese elements and leveraging digital platforms for greater engagement.
  • 520 Day’s fusion of traditional Chinese culture with commercialism highlights the evolving landscape of celebrations and consumer behavior, emphasizing the importance of cultural resonance and meaningful experiences in luxury marketing strategies for brands looking to better connect with consumers.
  • These strategies aimed to blend cultural significance with contemporary marketing, enhance brand appeal and foster emotional connections with consumers.

LINK: https://jingdaily.com/posts/which-fashion-campaigns-for-china-s-520-day-hit-the-mark

7. 2024 May Day Holiday: The rise of small cities tourism and AI companions

  • Amid an economy yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels, this year’s May Day break underscores a notable trend towards tourism in lesser-known destinations.
  • On social media platforms like Xiaohongshu (RED), many young people are keen to explore counties and even aim to ‘visit Top 100 Counties of China’ as a novel approach to May Day travel.
  • Hong Kong has shifted its focus to cultural and artistic events, as well as large-scale concerts.
  • It is also worth mentioning Japan. With the Yen reaching a 34-year low against the US dollar during the holiday period, this made it more attractive for overseas tourists.
  • ‘AI companion’ emerged as a new trend in travel. This involves using AI technology to offer personalised travel assistance services, crafting tailored itineraries and services.

LINK:https://daoinsights.com/opinions/2024-may-day-holiday-the-rise-of-small-cities-tourism-and-ai-companions/

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Exploring Potential: Assessing China’s Latest Innovations in Landscape

February 7, 2024


1. Top 3 hottest experiential trends among China’s Gen Z

Here are the top picks from Xiaohongshu’s first-ever selection of “lifestyle inspirations”.

  • Attend night classes to pick up new skills.

Recent searches for “night school” have increased by an astounding 980% when compared to the same period last year, according to data from Dianping and Meituan. With over 8 million views and counting for the Xiaohongshu hashtag (#夜校), more inquisitive minds are probably going to follow in his footsteps.

  • Arrange to stay at a hotel by yourself and watch a tonne of TV.

This month’s most popular lifestyle inspiration hashtag (#厘在亦假) has received 35 million views.

  • Forget “old money” – embrace “no money style”

“no money style” invites people to exaggerate their lack of funds. This could mean wearing baggy, mismatched clothes (think taking out the bins or popping to the supermarket – the more ripped and stained the better) or simply wearing your favorite outfit on repeat. 

Link: https://daoinsights.com/opinions/top-3-hottest-experiential-trends-among-chinas-gen-z/

2. China and Singapore to allow mutual visa-free travel

From 9 February, CNY Eve, travellers with passports from either China or Singapore will be able to enter the reciprocal country visa-free and remain for 30 days. 

Within an hour of the announcement, searches for hotels and flights to Singapore increased 15 and 6 times, respectively, according to the travel booking website Fliggy. Singapore is now the fifth most popular place to go during the nine-day Chinese New Year holidays. 

Link: https://daoinsights.com/news/china-and-singapore-to-allow-mutual-visa-free-travel/

3. The best places to go for Chinese New Year in 2024

  • During CNY, there will be an estimated 9 billion domestic travels.
  • As per Ctrip, the most popular travel destinations are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia. 
  • While traditional Asian favourites include Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, and Japan, interest in emerging luxury hotspots like Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar is growing.
  • Millennials want experiences that are genuine and tailored to them; they want to engage with locals and become fully immersed in the culture.
  • The narratives and perceptions surrounding destinations are significantly shaped by KOL content shared on platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/posts/the-top-travel-destinations-for-chinese-new-year-2024

4. Gen Z unfiltered: Michael Kors peels back emotional layers of Chinese New Year

  • On January 31, Michael Kors premiered its 2024 Chinese New Year special short film, “Carry Your True Self,” 
  • The film takes a distinctive approach to conventional Lunar New Year ad shorts by employing a bold and incisive creative angle, capturing the inner emotional landscape of contemporary youth as they embark on their festival holidays.
  • As they prepare to reunite with family for the traditional festival, they unpack unnecessary burdens from their bags, shedding labels such as “aloofness,” “empty fame,” “busy individuals,” “emotional stability,” and “unnecessary obligations.” Choosing to liberate themselves from societal pressures, the protagonists opt for a more authentic and carefree return home.
  • In Michael Kors’ case, its Chinese New Year advertisement stands out for its genuine portrayal of the emotions young people experience during this traditional festival. Through the nuanced message of “Carry Your True Self,” the brand encourages a more relaxed approach to the holiday, which allows it to resonate with Chinese young generations.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/posts/inside-michael-kors-bold-chinese-new-year-narrative 

5. Why is the ‘mob wife’ fashion aesthetic gaining momentum?

  • From TikTok to the New York Times, the mob wife fashion aesthetic, that of opulence, extravagance and maximalist glamour, is gaining traction.
  • The aesthetic, made famous by the long-running crime series The Sopranos, often features bold statement pieces, including fur coats, high-end accessories, and ensembles that reflect wealth and status.
  • While the brashness of mob wife fashion stands in stark contrast to the prevailing trend of understated luxury on the runways, data analytics has substantiated its surge in popularity.
  • Ultimately, the trend resonates with those who appreciate the fusion of sophistication, drama, and a touch of rebellion in their fashion choices.

Link: https://fashionunited.com/news/fashion/why-is-the-mob-wife-fashion-aesthetic-gaining-momentum/2024012958106

6. TikTok faces large-scale content removal after major falling out with Universal Music Group

  • TikTok turned against its former cooperation partner Universal Music Group (UMG) overnight after the world’s largest music copyright owner threatened to remove all of the music it owns from the video-sharing platform, which lambasted UMG’s “self-serving actions” and characterized them as putting their interests above those of artists, songwriters, and fans. 
  • The dispute would reportedly also affect TikTok sibling Douyin, potentially causing both platforms to have to remove Universal songs from the huge number of videos using them as background music. The falling out with UMG may also lead to a similar response from other music companies.

Link: https://technode.com/2024/02/01/tiktok-faces-large-scale-content-removal-after-major-falling-out-with-universal-music-group/

7. In WeChat Channel, selling knives like this can break millions?

Knives are originally popular consumer goods with a strong and traditional atmosphere, but in the words of Wang Jinbo, the video anchor of “Zhang Xiaoquan Knife Flagship Store”, they collide with poetry, life insights, and English. It is this contrast that makes the live broadcast of this time-honored brand instantly become high-end.

With a full-time team of only 10 people, they quickly accumulated 600,000 followers and achieved sales of over one million yuan in the first week of broadcasting. On November 11, 2023, the number of viewers for the special session reached 1.4 million, and the single session sales exceeded one million yuan.

  • Brand content matches their Channel’s users
  • Live streaming has reached sufficient duration
  • It is selling knives, but also bringing knowledge expansion and emotional value through live streaming

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/lvTH2sRJjenUJtv7POP1zw

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Revealing Opportunities: Analysing the Recent Progress in China’s Sector

January 8, 2024

1.Knowledge is power: 2023’s lessons from Douyin

  • Douyin, TikTok’s sister app in China, released a list of ‘hot words’ from their Douyin Knowledge community.

  • Douyin Knowledge is a community dedicated to educational and popular science content. This year, they compiled a list of 15 keywords that were most frequently asked, explained, and discussed on Douyin.

  • Some of these words are very science or sector-specific, while others have a wider appeal to people’s interests. The topics suggest that people want to learn more about these ideas.

    • City marketing and city-based marketing, ChatGPT and AI, Self-driving cars, Mixed reality, Co-brandings, Self-love…

Link: https://daoinsights.com/opinions/knowledge-is-power-what-people-learnt-on-douyin-in-2023/

 

2.China’s new beauty trend: Body care ‘Skinification’

  • Chinese consumers are no longer focusing just on facial skincare, but grooming themselves from head to toe. Body skincare has become a symbol of self-love for sophisticated young Chinese consumers.

  • From May 2022 to April 2023, the sales of body care products on Tmall and Taobao exceeded 7.2 billion (52 billion RMB). On lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, searches for “body care” (身体护理) increased by 750 percent year on year in March this year.

  • Visible skin improvements are the priority. However, homegrown consumers also seek mental and physical wellness from their body care routines.

  • As a result, local C-beauty brands are upgrading their products’ functional and emotional value.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/posts/skinification-bodycare-china-beauty

 

3.China’s Gen Z ‘city walk’ phenomenon is good for brands

  • Fanhua, a TV series in China mainly discusses how the billionaire started his business career in Shanghai in the 80s.

  • Montagut’s brand was mentioned as the top clothing brand and regarded as a symbol of Wealth and Power.

Link:

https://www.douyin.com/video/7317597936349662483

https://www.163.com/dy/article/INHIKBK50552SQM1.html

 

4.The 2024 China core trend forecast

  • From the proliferation of K-pop to the internet culture leading the Y2K revival, Chinese consumers have taken a cue from global trends, as well as adding their own takes via the contribution of New Chinese style, or cartoon-influenced Kidulthood looks.

  • ABGhashtag in China has surged since 2020, amassing over 9.8 million posts on Xiaohongshu, and as Chinese international travel resumes, and with the rise of globalized and multicultural cultures via social media and in real life, the ABG trend can only continue to evolve in 2024. It will continue to see relevance given its association with women’s independence, worldliness and freedom of self-expression in the nation.

  • Kidulthood cartoon style (#元气卡通风), kidulthood as a continued means of escapism and form of respite, amid these uncertain times in China and the world.

  • Old money: 2023 saw the global return of old money style across, predict a continuation of the trend in both fast fashion and luxury

  • Yk2 China has come up with its own spin on the aughts, greater mixing and matching between retro and futuristic elements, consumers who channel Y2K in China seek respite from modern day life, needing moments of escapism via edgy, fun fashions.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/posts/the-2024-china-core-fashion-forecast

5.Red 2023 conclusion calendar

  • The Red summarizes the keywords and notes page views of each month in 2023, and tells users the key words of each month’s browsing through the form of a calendar

  • I suggest that GB use this format to preview some of the key events of 2024 to give users a comprehensive overview of the New Year’s plan

Link:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/3CklN_ibfh5Ow4Ef13NSrQ

 

6.Douyin reported a 256% increase in gross merchandise volume (GMV) for local life services last year:

  • attributing the surge to its robust efforts in the local lifestyle sector, Douyin now hosts over 4.5 million offline merchants, encompassing restaurants and lifestyle activity providers, spanning across more than 370 Chinese cities.

  • This information was disclosed by Douyin on its official WeChat account on Wednesday.

  • Additionally, in 2023, transaction volume completed during livestreamings witnessed a remarkable 570% growth from the previous year

  • total sales generated from short videos saw an 83% increase compared to the prior year.

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Z1jCkk_JDyLc7V6pwIqHfw

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Uncovering Potential: Evaluating the Most Recent Developments in China’s Sector

December 6, 2023

1.Alibaba is being urged by Jack Ma to “change and reform” 

In an internal memo, Alibaba founder Jack Ma made an infrequent appearance and urged the e-commerce behemoth to “change and reform” following rival PDD’s stronger earnings report, which almost brought Alibaba’s market capitalization within striking distance. 

Ma called on Alibaba staff members to return to the company’s mission and vision to reform in order to secure “tomorrow and the day after glory,” while congratulating the eight-year-old PDD for its decision-making, execution, and efforts over the previous few years. 

Even though Taobao and Tmall Group are the most profitable divisions of Alibaba, new players in the e-commerce space, such as PDD and ByteDance’s Douyin, are posing a threat. 

Ma continued, saying he believed AI e-commerce was only getting started, which offered both an opportunity and a challenge. This statement aligns with Alibaba’s primary strategic focuses, previously disclosed by the new Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu, which prioritise being “user first” and “AI-driven.”

LINK: https://36kr.com/p/2538801460323843 

 

2.Prada showcases beauty and power with women’s national football players 

Three players from China’s women’s national football team—Yang Lina, Chen Qiaozhu, and Dou Jiaxing—participated in the launch of Prada’s newest campaign on November 21. This campaign followed the format of their campaign with 4 other Chinese women athletes early last year. Prada and Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, collaborated to release a fashion shoot video and two clips featuring football players conducting one another’s interviews.

Prada officially partnered with the women’s national football team in July, just before the FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

The players and the Chinese national team received a resounding reception online, garnering over 35,000 likes across the three videos and hundreds of comments, proving that their efforts were worthwhile.

LINK: https://daoinsights.com/news/prada-showcases-beauty-and-power-with-womens-national-football-players/

 

3.Virtual bling takes over Chinese social media

Young Chinese consumers have discovered a creative way to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle without having to pay the price tag, in an era of digital technology where image frequently takes precedence. With photo editing, users can virtually try on and showcase luxury items like jewellery, handbags, and cosmetics without having to pay for the real thing. This new trend is called dianzi dapai, or “digital high-end brands” in English.

Because it gives young people an alternative to traditional luxury consumption, this newly discovered virtual luxury experience is appealing.

Mixing irony and fun, the trend indicates a shift in how the younger generation perceives and interacts with luxury brands. 

Given that numerous luxury brands own patents on their designs, legal experts caution against possible infringement issues.

It sends a strong message to luxury brands hoping to get into or grow in the Chinese market: success in this market will largely depend on how well they can combine the appeal of their goods with the technological sophistication of this market.

LINK: https://daoinsights.com/news/virtual-bling-takes-over-chinese-social-media/

 

4.What luxury brands can learn from Zara’s new China livestream concept

Zara is setting the bar. At first glance, the brand’s most recent broadcast could be mistaken for a movie or music video backdrop thanks to its 9,000-square-meter set, 12 cameras, and 50 professionals.

 Zara’s was much more controlled and orchestrated. The presenter demonstrated the brand’s sophistication and style by taking her time while posing for the products.

With no live broadcasting noise or sales, the anchors were conversing casually about merchandise, coordinated looks, and fashion.

Luxury brands could integrate interactive elements into their broadcasts, like live Q&A sessions with designers or virtual tours of ateliers, for a more holistic brand experience. Making the livestream not just informative but also engaging and memorable.

The goal should be to create a memorable brand experience that resonates with the audience, fostering loyalty and elevating the brand’s status in the consumer’s mind.

LINK: https://jingdaily.com/china-hard-luxury-report-promo/ 

 

5.WeChat Index Adds Live-streaming as Data Source

WeChat Index added livestreaming as a new source to help users better understand the popularity of keywords within the WeChat ecosystem.

WeChat index live-streaming source data will be factored into the computation starting on October 1, 2023. 

The following changes are expected to be observed: 

-The index number of keywords will increase.

-Records of changes in keywords may disappear or be added.

-The data source chart adds “live” sources, and the proportion of each source channel will change.


LINK: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/lzNt8iVAgwRygrfmclrM5w

 

6.Luxury Lessons From China’s Singles’ Day 2023

Luxury Brands Adapt to Consumer Behaviour:

Acknowledging the growing trend of “exquisite poverty” (精茴穷) among younger consumers, luxury brands deliberately engaged in Singles’ Day promotions. Companies that understood changing consumer tastes, like Gucci, Balenciaga, and Max Mara, provided exclusive items and interest-free instalment plans.

Trends and AI Integration:

During the event, Gen-Z consumers demonstrated a preference for jewelry, home furnishings, and wedding products. Their skill at taking advantage of platform discounts presented difficulties, though. Additionally, the integration of AI and the promotion of China-focused products emerged as prominent trends, indicating a shift towards technologically-driven shopping experiences.

AI produced virtual try-ons for MCM and Ralph Lauren, using the “Miaoya Camera” to create consumer avatars for clothing try-ons. Tmall (and Taobao) introduced 10 free AI features for merchants and launched a generative AI chatbot named Wenwen to address user queries.

The vulnerabilities of the platform have grown to be a serious problem. By employing reverse bundling strategies to take advantage of sales on high-end merchandise from labels like Dior, Versace, Burberry, and Ralph Lauren, young consumers are gaming the system. These tactics are widely discussed on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, and their prevalence has disrupted business operations.

It’s a key occasion for consumers in China’s fourth- and fifth-tier cities who lack access to physical luxury brand stores in their areas.

While Tmall and JD.com accounted for the majority of sales during the event, orders across other social commerce platforms were up significantly: 20% on Pinduoduo, 50% on Kuaishou—and Douyin saw a jump of 119%. Xiaohongshu was a big winner too. According to the company, live-streaming sales saw an astounding 420% increase in addition to a 380% year-over-year increase in GMV. 

LINK: https://www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.forbes.com/sites/gemmawilliams/2023/11/15/luxury-lessons-from-chinas-singles-day-2023/amp/

 

7.Douyin’s e-commerce clampdown: platform cancels controversial sales star Xinba

Popular livestream anchor Douyin banned Xin Youzhi, also known as “sales king” and Xinba, at noon on November 2 for repeatedly posting misleading content, demeaning others, and inciting strife on China’s version of TikTok.

Douyin unveiled new rules earlier this year that prohibit offensive language, unfair competition, and malicious speculating among anchors’ online conduct. 

The move against Xinba is an indication that the industry leader in social commerce is taking tough measures against vendors in an effort to raise the caliber of its live streaming offerings.

LINK: https://jingdaily.com/douyins-e-commerce-clampdown-platform-cancels-controversial-sales-star-xinba/ 

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Unlocking the Power of 520 Day: How Brands are Capitalizing on China’s Love Celebration

May 18, 2023

You might know Valentine’s Day, but what if we told you that there’s another love day in China, where people celebrate love by sharing gifts with their loved ones? Yes, it’s ”520 Day”. China has more romantic holidays than most nations, with Valentine’s Day falling on February 14, 520 Day falling on May 20, and the Qixi Festival falling on August 22 this year.

You should be aware of 520 Day if you sell gifts such as jewelry, watches, handbags, or even automobiles. Valentine’s Day might not be a big deal in China. Instead, that happens most often on May 20 also called 520. Because it’s a consumer-focused holiday with a significant online component and gift-giving as a core element, it’s crucial for retailers to be aware of it.

Let’s get to know more about 520 days and how marketers can take advantage of them.

What is 520 in China?

Chinese users began using the term “520” online to shorten the phrase “I love you,” much like English speakers do with “ILY” or “ILU,” which is how 520 Day got its start. This is because when spoken in Mandarin, the phrase “I love you” (wǒ ài nǐ) sounds very similar to 520 (wǔ èr líng).

In China, it is not a recognized public holiday. However, on this special Day, restaurants and movie theaters are much more crowded and expensive in the evening. Also contrary to Qixi festival which is deeply rooter in Chinese tradition, ‘520’ is a purely commercial holiday coined only in recent years. It doesn’t take any of its allure and fun!

💕 Why should brands include Qixi, the Chinese Valentine’s Day, in their marketing strategies?

Is February 14 not so important anymore?

Valentine’s Day this year appears to be less busy than in years past. Big luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, and Balenciaga didn’t launch any related initiatives in China. Social media platform Xiaohongshu recorded only around 50,000 posts mentioning “Valentine’s Day 2023” as of February 13, slightly fewer than the same period last year.

The general public does celebrate Valentine’s Day even though the holiday’s origins don’t have much cultural resonance with local shoppers. However according to a Chinese survey, people prefer traditional Chinese romantic celebrations like the Qixi Festival and 520 Day to Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is unlikely to gain popularity in China as consumers turn toward their own cultural heritage and brands prefer to leverage guochao in their marketing communication. 

This dynamic explains why high-end businesses have made marketing around more regional events a top priority. For the following significant romantic festival, 520 Day, luxury players will probably go all-out.

 

How are the other brands doing it?

 

Balenciaga 5:20 video game hall

Last year, Balenciaga launched a campaign that featured a number of charitable endeavors and limited editions, all of which were offered on their official website and in physical stores. One standout was the “5:20 Video Game Hall,” a virtual arcade with pixel art and a lifelike soundscape that is currently available on the company’s WeChat channel until May 20. Alongside this, WeChat memes and 520-only profile pictures were made available for free download.

This year, the brand prepared a range of 520-exclusive products such as T-shirts and other accessories. These can be decorated using included garment marker. There is also a beloved gaming component but this time users become farmers growing virtual crops using regenerative agricultural techniques.

🎮Female Gaming – One of China’s Most Promising Trends

Balenciaga 520 Campaign China

Saint Laurent’s Tmall Super Brand Day

Since the beginning of its campaign on April 30 in conjunction with Tmall Super Brand Day, French luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent has amassed hundreds of millions of cumulative exposures online. 

The pink version of its Kate bag line was first introduced during the campaign. The color symbolizes love.

Saint Laurent has created an interactive 3D experience that enables customers to try on the various styles in an immersive setting. In addition to enlisting the help of celebrities and KOLs on social media. 

 

Special 520 products from Bvlgari

On May 1, Bvlgari launched a campaign to promote its 520 products, and to do so, it used Weibo’s pop-up advertisements to introduce Wu Lei as its 520 campaign spokesperson.

The first 1000 customers who spend more than 20,000 RMB between April 20 and May 20 will receive special 520 stickers. The first 300 customers who order 520 items online will also receive a special festival-related stamp in the mail.

 

Tiffany’s limited edition ruby necklace – “Blue is the Color of Love”

Tiffany presented a limited edition Tiffany Hardwear necklace set with rubies to commemorate Valentine’s Day this year. Olympic gold medalist and model Eileen Gu was the face of the luxury jeweler’s  advertising campaign.

Gu’s support for this cause has increased its social media engagement: as of publication, the campaign hashtags #ElieenGuTiffanytheColorofLove and #ElieenGuColorson on Weibo had amassed a combined viewership of 230 million, a sizable number for a commercial ad.

With comments like “mysterious,” “high-end,” and “gorgeous,” 99 million people have viewed Tiffany’s iconic blue box.

Tiffany 520 Campaign China Eileen Gu

“V” for love from Valentino

The Valentino Garavani 520 Mini Loc handbag campaign featured the letter “v” from the word “love” concealed inside the iconic logo of the accessory. 

The theme of the campaign was that love is a special declaration between two people. Along with this storytelling, the celebrity partnerships for the campaign received overwhelmingly positive reviews from online users.

One of the top 3 trending topics on Weibo on May 10 was the hashtag #LayZhangJessicaJung, which received 100 million views in a single day.

 

Maison Margiela’s “I love” twist locker

Margiela introduced Aa New Lock handbag exclusively in China. The piece made its debut in Maison Margiela’s Avant-Premiere Spring-Summer 2022 collection, embellished with pistachio green leather and an “I love” twist locker.

Multiple sets of character strings with associations to love can be found in the accessory’s twist locker’s special edition. When the bag is locked, the phrase “I love” is visible; when it is unlocked, a number of options are available, including “You,” “The Earth,” “My Cat,” and “Maison Margiela.”

 

Prada: Mathematics of Love

One of the first high-end companies to launch its 520 campaign in China was Prada. The “Mathematics of Love” campaign  examines love in the context of the post-pandemic era. It defines love as both universal and particular, timeless yet also linked to the present.

A special selection of 520 products are available through a WeChat pop-up shop.

 

​​Louis Vuitton: Treasure Hunt

Louis Vuitton released a 90-second short film on May 12 to commemorate 520 Day. The film shows a treasure hunt on the company’s monogram handbags led by the actress Song Jia and livestreamer Li Jiaqi.

Li’s on-screen persona is unusual for Louis Vuitton, which has traditionally favored celebrities with sizable fan bases; however, his endorsement seems to have greatly impressed netizens, as his Weibo campaign post garnered over 4.2 million views.

 

Diesel Taps Collectible 

Diesel and Dolores, a company known for its collectible toys, worked together to produce 520 Valentine’s Day figurines this year. 

The art toys come in three colorways: neon pink, neon green, and neon yellow. They feature Diesel’s Spring 2023 collection and its best-selling 1DR handbags. 

DIESEL 520 Campaign China

📅 Discover our China’s 2023 Marketing Calendar

Conclusion

Referencing well-known Chinese holidays or launching specific promotions can be a very effective way to engage customers. However, it’s equally crucial to ensure your messaging and imagery are culturally sensitive. Do not rely on stereotypes, or you run the risk of gravely offending your audience.

If you want to know more about the Chinese market and how we can help your business, contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

 

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What’s happening in the Chinese market

May 10, 2023

China’s answer to ChatGPT? Baidu shares tumble as Ernie Bot disappoints

The introduction of Ernie coincides with Google and Microsoft upping their AI game. As the CEO of Baidu makes brief video presentations in which he makes it abundantly clear that the AI still needs many improvements, Baidu shares fall.

Analysts claim it was a staged event with pre-recorded videos of the test and showcases, proving they were hesitant to perform it live. As a result, rumors claim it is not yet operational (Baidu stock fell by 6% following the presentation).

The public still cannot access AI. Ernie is able to create images and videos, speak and understand various Chinese dialects, write poetry, and perform math.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinese-search-giant-baidu-introduces-ernie-bot-2023-03-16/

 

Top Chinese PR agency to replace copywriters and designers with ChatGPT-like tech

Since securing Microsoft as a client, BlueFocus, which was ranked first among its Chinese peers and 11th overall among public relations firms worldwide in 2022, has made significant investments in AI. The company has also worked with Chinese ChatGPT substitutes, such as Baidu’s Ernie Bot, for use in online persona development and other forms of digital marketing.

It will do away with outside copywriters, designers, and temporary workers in favor of generative AI like ChatGPT. Up to one-fourth of current work could be replaced by ChatGPT-like technology, particularly in the fields of office administration and legal services.

https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/top-chinese-pr-agency-to-replace-copywriters-designers-with-chatgpt-like-tech/99470589

 

Notice on the Compliance of WeChat Official Account Marketing Content

The Measures for the Administration of Internet Advertising were recently released by the Market Supervision of China and will go into effect on May 1.

The official account operators, who advertise goods or services in various ways and include shopping links and other ways to make purchases, are, in my opinion, the most crucial factor for us. The term “advertisement” needs to be clearly identified.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/R6FoptfmnOiLZPFMTh2uLw

 

A 80 year old grandmother be MIUMIU brand ambassador

When choosing an ambassador, many brands today, particularly luxury brands or high-end new consumer brands, are edging closer to middle-aged and older artists and models.
This 80-year-old grandmother appeared in a Miu Miu fashion advertisement.

In contrast to earlier fashion posters From the posters, we can sense the appeal of the past and another interpretation of fashion.

In order to reach a wider audience and draw in more young customers, brands like Lululemon are starting to favor middle-aged and elderly spokespersons. Fashion does not only belong to young people; it is about exploring individual fashion attitudes at any age.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Lr4XlQiekcj7ALMhXDVAJA

 

Xiaohongshu decodes the urban core fashion trend through the sports market in Shanghai

Xiaohongshu visited a sports market in Shanghai over the May Day weekend that was showcasing the new fashion craze Urbancore. Participating brands and fashion KOLs organized a variety of outdoor sporting events, capitalizing on China’s enduring fitness craze to increase engagement.

In order to promote participation, a number of live streams with giveaways and prizes of urbancore-inspired clothing were combined with the offline market.

Xiaohongshu decodes Urbancore fashion trend through sports market in Shanghai

 

Xiaohongshu to launch group buying function

This is the most recent action taken by Xiaohongshu to expand her reach in the “local life” market.

Xiaohongshu has been working to strengthen the link between online peer-to-peer recommendation and offline services in users’ local areas ever since the launch of the “Nearby” feed in 2019. Consumers can be encouraged to spend money locally by offering discounts for group purchases, which must be made.

Online group buying penetration in China was only 12.7% in 2021, and this number is only anticipated to rise, creating an untapped market.

Xiaohongshu to launch group buying function

 

China’s May Day Holiday Reveals New Favorite Tourist Destinations

The price of admission to scenic areas increased 1,000% from the same time last year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. From April 17 to May 7, Macau was the most popular travel destination for Chinese tourists in Asia, a 32 percent decline from visits to Hong Kong.

Other than these well-known tourist destinations, obscure places saw growth over the holiday. Particularly for its inexpensive barbecue food and good value for money experiences, Zibo has become extremely popular on social media. May Day hotel bookings soared 800 percent from 2019.

Labor Day saw an all-time high in international excursion bookings on Fliggy, more than tripling the previous record set during this year’s Spring Festival. However, the number of available international flights continues to restrict travel abroad.

https://jingdaily.com/tencent-douyin-content-agreement-copyright/

 

For Marketers, Does It Even Matter If It’s Not Real?

Luxury brands are embracing the concept of “virtual luxury” more and more in order to appeal to younger, digitally savvy consumers who value sustainability and one-of-a-kind experiences. To engage customers and create fresh opportunities for brand interaction, this entails using virtual experiences and products.

But the question still stands: Is authenticity still important in marketing? While virtual luxury might be alluring in the short term, brands shouldn’t discount the value of authenticity and quality when fostering long-term consumer trust and loyalty.

Given these trends, luxury brands should think about how to strike a balance between the advantages of virtual luxury and the requirement to uphold a strong brand identity and reputation. This might entail coming up with inventive ways to combine tangible goods and services with digital ones, all the while upholding the brand’s commitment to excellence and authenticity throughout.

https://www.luxurysociety.com/en/articles/2023/04/marketers-does-it-even-matter-if-its-not-real

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Marketing to Women Empowerment: A Chinese Perspective on International Women’s Day

March 7, 2023

Every year on March 8, people celebrate International Women’s Day to honor women’s achievements and raise awareness of gender inequality. The first International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911, in a number of European nations. Now, Women’s Day is celebrated all over the world now, and China is no exception. 

Let’s see how people in China celebrate Women’s Day and how it impacts the Chinese market.

 

Women’s Day in China

International Women’s Day (IWD) has gained popularity in China due to the extreme transformation of the position of women in Chinese society compared to their traditional societal roles of limited independence and work options. 

In 1949, IWD was declared an official holiday in China, and new laws were passed to give women greater control over their lives, combating old ideas of male superiority. As a result, women gained greater independence, education, and political representation, leading to their recognition as vital contributors to Chinese society. IWD is now celebrated widely across China to recognize and further promote women’s progress in society.

 

📆 Explore the full 2022 Marketing Calendar

How is IWD celebrated in China?

 

Chinese companies offer benefits to female employees on International Women’s Day (IWD), including time off, flowers and small gifts. Women, companies, and social organizations use the day to raise awareness about issues affecting women, such as sexual harassment, mental health, and discrimination. 

China also celebrates Women’s Day by giving women numerous product discounts on and around this day.

The self-care theme is heavily marketed on Women’s Day. It is one of the major factors contributing to the enormous sales that are generated on this day every year. With slogans such as ‘Treat yourself’ or ‘Happy Goddess Day’, brands want to inspire purchases. However, there are more and more voices contending that IWD shouldn’t turn into just another shopping holiday. Instead, it should concentrate on addressing issues of health, safety, and domestic violence, which are still major issues in China.

 

How International Women’s Day affects the Chinese market

 

In China, women are in charge of more than 70% of household purchases, including those for luxury goods, everyday items, and online shopping, according to a report by Alibaba.

China now boasts the third-largest female consumer market in the world, behind the US and Japan. Women’s rising purchasing power is one of the major factors contributing to China’s economy. Sheconomy will play an even more important role in the coming years.  Therefore companies increasingly emphasize the value of appealing to female customers.

For e-commerce platforms, International Women’s Day is a significant marketing occasion because it coincides with the introduction of fresh spring products with the “3.8 Festival.” E-commerce platforms can use the 3.8 Festival as an opportunity to market to women by providing exclusive discounts and promotions on goods that are catered to their interests and needs.

Aa growing number of Chinese women choose a single lifestyle over marriage, particularly millennials and Gen Z. These trends are affecting the Chinese market and economy as well. For example, online female shoppers reached 581 million by 2022. Nearly half of their purchases were in the beauty, skincare, and makeup sectors, according to Questmobile’s 2022 report on the “she economy”.

 

Top eye-catching campaigns for Women’s Day in China

 

Some brands have really developed a meaningful connection with their female consumer base. Those are the ones that offer a deeper message and seek to empathize with the gender inequality and social expectations that women face. Some of the campaigns from such brands are:

 

Tmall Super Brand Day:

Tmall Super Brand inspired women with a novel poem that included 26 brands in alphabetical order. The “Wǒmen are women” campaign’s main focus was on women’s feelings toward specific brands.

The campaign involved about half of the brands that took part in Tmall’s Super Brand Days. The purpose of the poem and video was to inspire women to develop their own “super brand” that reflected their unique spirit and personality. 

 

Perfect Diary 

For the Perfect Diary campaign, the brand interviewed female celebrities who had all experienced gender stereotypes in their lives. However, they didn’t let these inhibit them from following their dreams. Yamy Guo, a member of the girl group Rocket Girls 101, joined the campaign. In the past, she received flak for not meeting expectations of stereotypical female beauty.

Her experience brought to light China’s absurd beauty standards. Instead online users praised her and noted that she is unique because of her appearance.

The video gained over 6.4 million views on Weibo. It also included Yang Li, a comedian known for her anti-patriarchal comedy. Hui Ruoqi, a former captain of China’s women’s volleyball team, was one of the campaign heroines as well.

 

Perfect Diary IWD

 

Florasis

One of the hottest C-beauty brands, Florasis, took on a very unique approach. The brand launched a video campaign that examines how women deal with various mental health issues in modern society.

At the same time, the series featuring five women looked at different skin issues. By the end, it unveiled a new product called Florasis Balance Liquid Foundation.

The campaign, which celebrated the upcoming International Women’s Day also assisted to boost sales of its new product. Thanks to the brand’s well-liked livestream sessions, did both by amplifying this message through personal stories.

 

Net-A-Porter 

Luxury e-commerce Net-A-Porter launched a campaign film The Remarkable Day. The video highlighted various memorable moments throughout a female’s life, such as a wedding or pregnancy.

In China’s luxury market, Net-A-Porter was an early adopter of female marketing. The e-tailer has collaborated with several female celebrities over the last two years to engage its independent and expanding female customer base.

For its International Women’s Day campaign this year, Net-A-Porter highlighted well-known Chinese fashion houses that are likely to draw younger consumers away from social media sites and into its flagship Tmall store and WeChat marketplace.

 

L’Oréal

For its “I Say I’m Worth It” campaign, L’Oréal worked with a variety of Chinese celebrities. The list included Ouyang Nana, Gong Li, Ju Xiao Wen, Xin Zhilei, and Daniel Wu.

The actors discussed their personal experiences and ideas about female empowerment. The collection of short films inspired women to take on life’s challenges and figure out their own personal values.

The campaign demonstrated the company’s in-depth knowledge of Chinese femininity by using role models from a variety of life stages and professions that connected with the brand’s larger female customer base.

 

Neiwai

March last year, the Chinese lifestyle brand Neiwai debuted the final phase of its No Body Is Nobody campaign. 

The initiative began in February 2020 with a series of documentaries looking at the diversity of female bodies. Podcast series last year that covered a variety of feminism-related topics followed.

In order to commemorate the brand’s tenth anniversary, the campaign’s final installment featured five of the company’s female customers. The ladies shared their own individual journeys over the previous ten years. 

Neiwai Campaign

 

How can brands improve their Women’s Day campaigns?

Firstly, brands should focus more on showcasing the strength and accomplishments of women in 2023. The discussion around IWD is bigger rather than just offering discounts and promotions to better target female consumers. 

Brands can attract and engage female consumers who are passionate about these issues by developing campaigns and topics that advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.  

This may entail collaborating with organizations that champion women’s issues or producing content that highlights the achievements of women in various professions.

Secondly, for female customers, brands should aim to create individualized and tailored experiences. This can involve providing specialized product recommendations, individualized customer service, and special access to activities and discounts.

IWD is a great day for brands to forge a deeper emotional bond with their female consumers. If done correctly, it can increase loyalty and long-term customer relationships. Brands can achieve that by demonstrating that they comprehend and value the particular needs and preferences of female consumers.

 

 

 

Conclusion

IWD is celebrated widely in China to recognize women’s progress in society. Meanwhile, it serves as a significant marketing occasion for businesses to appeal to the country’s growing female consumer base. In recent years, it became an occasion for brands to discuss important societal topics related to women’s daily life. In conclusion, it’s a great time to connect with female consumers in a meaningful way.

🏮Explore our page dedicated to the most important festivals in China

If you want to know more about the Chinese market, contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

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What is Chinese market upto

September 27, 2022

China NFT and metaverse marketing requires Tiffany, other global luxury brands, to tread lightly and be creative

Brands must respect China’s ban on trading in cryptocurrencies and NFTs while attempting to connect with the country’s young, tech-savvy consumers. Despite China’s strict policy, there are still ways for Chinese consumers to trade cryptocurrencies and NFTs. They can try to get around restrictions on cryptocurrency exchange platforms by trading with friends outside of China.

Link: https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3192752/china-nft-and-metaverse-marketing-requires-tiffany-other-global-luxury

 

Want Your Brand Collaboration To Stand Out In China? Get Nostalgic: 

Utilizing well-known cartoons or regional food brands that evoke nostalgia is one trend that stands out when analyzing collaborations in China. 77% of Chinese consumers will like items that bring back nostalgic thoughts in 2021, such as childhood snacks.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/brand-collaboration-nostalgia-marketing-spirited-away/

 

 Will Global Luxury Brands Forget About Bilibili?

Bilibili has only recently become popular in China, despite years of steady growth as it seized the once-niche “ACG” (anime, comics, and games) subculture. Tens of millions of new users have joined the platform since then, which is known for its “bullet chats,” real-time comments that fly across users’ screens as they watch videos, and a large amount of expert, user-generated content. It has also caught the attention of companies like Dior, Shiseido, and Mercedes-Benz.

However, the platform’s financial results are not particularly impressive. The main issue for Bilibili is turning its rapid user growth—305.7 million MAUs—into actual profitability.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/bilibili-q2-2022-profitability-user-growth 

 

How Luxury Fashion Brands Approach Douyin Marketing in China

More than 60% of the businesses on Deloitte’s 2021 Global Top 100 Luxury Companies list, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Dior, are already active on Douyin, according to the 2021 Douyin Luxury Industry Annual Inventory Report published by Trend Insight, a platform that provides Douyin marketing data for KOLs and brands.

Typically, luxury brands would work with regional KOLs to introduce their new products and conduct their own live streaming on Douyin’s official account. Luxury brands also use the following alternatives:

  • VIP rooms,
  • Douyin Challenge,

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ZYRV5NFipUbxOvHqcfDcwg 

 

Top influencer Li Jiaqi’s online return gives Alibaba a renewed edge in huge live-streaming sales channel

The Lipstick King, Li, unexpectedly made a comeback to Alibaba’s live-streaming platform on Tuesday night, attracting over 60 million viewers to his show that featured home goods, underwear, and cosmetics. Without providing any additional information, either Li or Alibaba blamed a technical error for the June suspension of his show.

Li and Viya, a rival live-streaming queen, have become some of China’s most significant retail sales figures. On the first day of the Singles’ Day shopping festival last year, the two companies collectively sold goods worth 20 billion yuan (US$2.84 billion). This year’s Singles’ Day schedule has been made public by Alibaba, and the presales will begin late in the following month. This year’s Singles’ Day competition will feature a live streaming war.

Li’s new background was adorned with the phrase “shop consciously,” which he would only utter aloud before going missing. In an effort to hold online shopping companies responsible for their actions, the slogan “shop consciously” has repeatedly appeared in state media and local government notices since Chinese President Xi Jinping’s term began in 2013. He is obviously being cautious this time.

Link : https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3193315/top-influencer-li-jiaqis-online-return-gives-alibaba-renewed-edge

 

ByteDance launches fast fashion womenswear platform “If Yooou”

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has introduced the “If Yooou” fast fashion womenswear line. The online brand currently focuses on the mainstream Western and Northern European markets, including those in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and other nations. 

ByteDance has previously dabbled in women’s fashion with a lookalike of SHEIN. Early in 2021, the Chinese tech giant launched Dmonstudio, an independent fast-fashion e-commerce portal, and compared its results to those of rival SHEIN.  Dmonstudio, however, announced on February 11, 2022 that it had ceased operations after just three months in business.

ByteDance must therefore concentrate on developing distinctive features to draw in and keep customers in order to avoid a similar fate as If Yooou. 

Link: https://daoinsights.com/news/bytedance-launches-womens-fashion-retail-platform-if-yooou/

 

Observation on the trend of China’s mobile Internet users in 2022

Mobile Internet users in China have been steadily increasing. 1.36 billion users are currently active; their average monthly usage time is 218.1 hours, and they use 23.7 apps on average each month. Video services, life services, and mobile shopping are the top three apps that users of mobile Internet use.

There are now more senior citizens who have access to the Internet. The elderly enjoy news, quick videos, square dances, and other applications. The dominant consumer segment has gradually shifted to “Generation Z.”

Mobile Internet users’ preferred methods of consumption are gradually shifting, traditional e-commerce platform growth is typically flat, and “social” and “interest e-commerce” are becoming more popular. Mobile office applications have advanced quickly in terms of working procedures.

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Digital Strategy Case Study : GIC Singapore Sovereign Fund

June 14, 2022

WHAT IS GIC?

Singapore’s foreign reserves are managed by GIC, a sovereign wealth fund with assets of $744 billion dollars. GIC invests internationally in developed market shares, emerging market equities, nominal bonds and cash, inflation-linked bonds, private equity, and real estate. It was founded by the Singapore government in 1981 and has a network of 10 offices in significant financial capitals around the world.

SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE CHINESE MARKET

The WeChat Agency has been hired by GIC to advise and manage its digital operations in China. The biggest problem we faced for the brand was how to create brand recognition without using paid advertising, given China’s tight laws on the finance industry. This was accomplished through a combination of strategic initiatives, such as playbooks and workshops, focusing on WeChat and covering topics such as the platform’s overall evolution, audience characteristics, user journey, content strategy, and comprehensive execution plans.

GIC - Content Creation

GIC – Content Creation

RESULTS

The GIC team got full training on WeChat marketing with a detailed plan covering content pillars, campaign themes, and distribution of the content. A detailed playbook serves as an ongoing consulting tool for GIC but can be also readily used for any in-house developed activities.

At the same time, the WeChat Agency has been regularly creating and localizing content for the local market.

After the first year, GIC reappointed The WeChat Agency for management for the second consecutive year.

GIC - Holiday Greetings

GIC – Holiday Greetings

If you wish to know more about WeChat and its various features, please contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their network among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact at contact@thewechatagency.com.

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WeChat Menu Basics: Introduction for Brands

March 16, 2022

What is WeChat Menu?

Aside from articles, one of the most important functions that companies can use on WeChat is the Menu – it’s always-on content that brands can use in a variety of ways.

The WeChat menu is where users will search for key information, such as your company’s contact details, brand story, key products, product line introduction, and more. They can simply access these menu tabs when they click on your WeChat official account.

To begin with, the WeChat menu is similar to the menu on a website, and you can replicate or mirror the menu from your official website by taking into account which information are the most important for your China’s audience. As you will see in this article, a well-crafted menu by directing the users to relevant tabs can increase sales and increase lead generation. Menu tabs can be updated on regular basis and some can lead to ongoing events or campaigns. 

WeChat Menu Backend

Menu – More Important than One Thinks

According to Digital Luxury Group, of all the engagement activities carried out by followers, Menu Clicks ranked the highest of all types of engagements with official accounts at an astounding 73%. This might be a shock for many brands that mainly focus on producing amazing weekly content but often neglect regular updates of their WeChat menu. Users tend to engage with brands on WeChat when they are looking for specific types of information or services, which are generally accessed through the menu tabs therefore menu serves a different purpose than weekly articles. 

WeChat Menu Stats

Why Use The WeChat Menu?

Best first impression: When a user clicks to follow your account, they receive an automatic welcome message. You can edit and craft this message by using WeChat links directing to menu tabs, e-shops, contact forms, etc. Make sure it’s concise and not too long.

Smoother user journey: The menu helps users quickly find all FAQ (frequently asked questions) information. From the menu, they should be able to access e-commerce (if applied), customer service, and brand introduction. This is something that WeChat users are used to and automatically check when following a new account. 

Stay up-to-date: Look at the menu as your information hub for the Chinese market as it’s quite possible that your Chinese customers will check your WeChat menu more often than your website. Carefully focus on the most important tabs like brand introduction, current product catalog, contract details page e.g. one of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen it’s uploading contact details as image, therefore, emails or phone numbers can’t be copy-pasted causing inconvenience for potential customers. 

Gain new followers: Although the menu is only visible to users who visited your WeChat account and won’t necessarily help with the initial account awareness when you manage to hook your visitors with the menu, you can lead them through a rich brand experience journey. That’s why investing more time and effort into creating menu content is crucial. 

WeChat Menu Backend WeChat Menu Backend

WeChat Menu Montagut WeChat Menu Montagut WeChat Menu Montagut

Who Can Enable the Menu?

The menu function is accessible by two types of accounts:

– Verified subscription accounts,

– Service accounts.

The good news is that all overseas companies applying for a service account can enable a menu on their official WeChat account. The menu can be set up and edited using the desktop official account WeChat backend. 

Menu Tabs

From the technical point of view, the menu can consist of a maximum of three columns and each can have a maximum of five sub-menus. Your menu can have a total of 15 tabs. In special cases, if you need more submenu tabs, there is also an option to create a menu tab showing a collection of related articles for more advanced WeChat users. You can contact us to find out more. 

However, we don’t recommend setting up a maximum amount of many tabs as it might be slightly overwhelming for the users and make it hard to find the information that they are looking for. Remember that the core of the WeChat menu is its functionality. Hence, 8 or 9 tabs is ideal.

There are a few options to build your menu:

Sub-menu content

  • Send a Message  
    • Article,
    • Text message,
    • Image,
    • Audio,
    • Video.
  • Jump to Web page:
    • WeChat article – best user experience as the page loads quickly, and beautiful posts can be created.
    • External website – not recommended since if the website is hosted outside of China, it will be extremely slow. If it is in English, it will be discouraging to readers.
  • Jump to Mini Program

Jump to ‘WeChat Article’ is the most user-friendly solution. 

WeChat Menu GB  WeChat Menu PG

How to create a menu?

Step 1: On the top left of your public account page, you’ll notice a “menu” icon appear after you’ve created your service account or had your subscription account certified.

Step 2: Create three first-level menu items and second-level sub-menu items for each of them. 

Each menu column name can consist of up to 4 Chinese characters or 8 letters

Each menu tab name can consist of up to 8 Chinese characters or 16 letters

Step 3: Now it’s time to start creating content for your menu. Click on each item to create content when users click on each tab. As mentioned above you can ideally link it to either one of the messages you just produced, an existing article, WeChat mini program or an external webpage (make sure the webpage displays well on mobile and fast enough for WeChat user standards).

Sometimes it can take up to 24 hours for a new menu to appear on your account. Be patient!

Conclusion

Here are the important things to know about the Menu:

  • WeChat menus are becoming one of the most clicked types of content in the WeChat official account ecosystem. 
  • They are your brand information hubs for the Chinese market. 
  • Brands can set at most 3 menu columns with each menu column set a max of 5 sub-menus. In total, a brand has 15 sub-menu tabs to leverage.
  • WeChat’s official account backend allows tracking follower behavior to understand the click rate of each menu. We will cover WeChat menu optimization and other advanced options in our next post. 

Read more about in the second part of this article: WeChat Menu Basics: How to Optimize WeChat Menu?

Are you looking for setting up your very own WeChat Menu? Please get in touch with our team. We apply our knowledge and experience to assist businesses in forming meaningful connections and expanding their consumer base in China. For additional information, please contact us by phone – Shanghai or Hong Kong

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