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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Reaching Chinese Tourists: Online Travel Agencies and Social Media Platforms [2023]

April 11, 2023

It’s time to roll out the red carpet as Chinese tourists gear up to satisfy their wanderlust once again, with borders reopening and travel restrictions lifted. According to Dragon Trail’s Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report more than 60% of survey respondents said they wanted to travel outside of mainland China in 2023. Data shows that there has been a significant increase in flight bookings (254%) and trips planned by Chinese travelers. 

Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand are currently the most popular travel destinations, while the US, UK, and Australia are the most popular long-distance travel destinations, based on Trip.com Group bookings.

Due to travel restrictions and other pandemic-related challenges, Chinese business travelers have not been able to engage in physical meetings with their international counterparts for over three years, making the desire to reconnect with the world’s major economies even more pressing.

If you’re looking to target Chinese travelers, it’s important to be aware of the apps they use for travel purposes. 

However, it’s  also important to note that Chinese tourists don’t use the same social media apps as their Western counterparts. In fact, China has its own collection of travel-related apps that are popular among visitors looking to travel both domestically and internationally.

In order to hack the Chinese traveler base, it is important to understand the apps they use and how these apps work. 

Data Travalers China 2023

Dragon Trail: Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report

Social media platforms for Travel

Social media has become an indispensable tool for travelers in today’s digital world. OTAs, online travel agencies, are the most important platforms to plan and book trips but the inspirations and ideas are usually born elsewhere. Xiaohongshu, RED, becomes a leader when it comes to pre-planning phase with almost 40% of travelers using it to plan an outbound trip. Douyin, WeChat and Weibo also play significant role in finding inspirations to travel. 

✈️ WeChat for Travel Sector: Discover more!

 

RED Xiaohongshu Traveling

📕The Evolution of Xiaohongshu, RED, into a Travel Platform

Online travel agencies in China

Chinese travelers are highly mobile-savvy and open to using technology to enhance their travel experiences. They also value word-of-mouth recommendations when it comes to planning the trip.

Three of the most well-known online travel agencies (OTAs) in China are Qunar, Ctrip, and Fliggy. We can learn a little bit about the conduct and preferences of Chinese tourists by examining these businesses’ operations and the services they provide.

Ctrip / 携程旅行

Ctrip is the biggest OTA in China. One of Ctrip’s strengths is its mobile app, which allows users to book and manage their travel arrangements on the go. 

The app also offers a range of other features, such as real-time flight status updates and travel guides.

Chinese travelers are highly tech-savvy and prefer to book and manage their travel plans using mobile apps. They also value convenience and real-time updates.

✈️ What is Ctrip, China’s Top OTA, and How Tourism Brands Use it?

Qunar / 去哪儿

Qunar is one of the leading online travel booking platforms in China. It provides a variety of travel-related services, such as booking hotels and flights, vacation packages, and rental cars. 

One thing that sets Qunar apart from its competitors is its emphasis on user-generated content. Users of the platform can post reviews and share their travel experiences, which aids other travelers in making wise choices.

Chinese travelers are more likely to rely on the experiences and opinions of others when making travel decisions. They place a high value on word-of-mouth recommendations and user-generated content.

 

Fliggy / 飞猪

Fliggy is an OTA owned by Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant. It offers a range of travel-related services, including flight and hotel bookings, vacation packages, and travel guides. 

One of Fliggy’s unique features is its focus on personalized recommendations. The platform provides users with tailored travel recommendations using data analytics and artificial intelligence.

Chinese travelers are open to using technology to enhance their travel experiences. They value individualized recommendations and personalized travel advice.

Online travel agencies (OTAs) in China can offer useful information about the habits and preferences of Chinese tourists. Here are some ways in which they can help:

 

Understanding Chinese tourists and travel trends

 

Chinese online travel agencies (OTAs) can provide information on the most popular travel locations and the best times to travel. This can help us determine the times and locations where Chinese tourists are most likely to travel.

 

Recognizing preferences

Chinese OTAs can also offer details on the kinds of lodging, activities, and tours that Chinese tourists favor. For instance, they might favor five-star resorts, shopping excursions, or cultural encounters.

 

Language and cultural barriers

Chinese online travel agencies (OTAs) cater to Chinese tourists, so they can shed light on how language and cultural barriers may affect travelers’ choices. They can also offer translations and other services that facilitate and improve the travel experience for Chinese tourists.

 

Popular travel apps for Chinese tourists

Two well-known apps among Chinese travelers are Mafengwo and Dazhong Dianping. Let’s delve into the specifics to become familiar with these apps.

 

Mafengwo / 马蜂窝

Younger Chinese internet users refer to MaFengWo as the “travel bible” because it offers long-form tourism-focused content to assist users with their travel arrangements. With over 100 million users, it has developed into China’s top social media travel platform since its founding in 2006!

Mafengwo began as a community for independent travelers. Users of the platform communicate with one another by sharing their journeys, travel advice, itineraries, suggestions, and feedback.

Later in 2016, Mafengwo established itself as an online travel agency. Some of its features include:

  • Travel focused user written content like tips, photos and personal comments.
  • It has an e-commerce store, a one-stop-shop of travel essentials with fascinating range of travel products and services
  • Hosting offline social gatherings for platform users in addition to its social forum.

 

Mafengwo created a new type of tourism-focused e-commerce with its customized tourism content database. It pairs travel products with pertinent data hosted on the platform rather than providing separate services to let customers take the initiative to buy. 

Within Mafengwo, travelers can arrange all of their transportation needs for the journey. That includes airfare, train and bus tickets, bus passes, and even cruises! 

Mafengwo organizes its hotel suggestions into categories like “dreamy” or “architectural”. It’s an interesting contrast to other OTA platforms that only list out hotel deals. Depending on the purpose of their trips and personal interests, customers can make reservations for their favorite establishments.

It also covers travel packages, activities, and excursions, along with helping travelers with travel documents.

Mafengwo

Dazhong Dianping / 大众点评

Dazhong Dianping is a well-known online review and rating platform that covers a variety of businesses, including eateries, hotels, shops, and other neighborhood services. It has been called the Chinese version of Yelp.

With more than 200 million unique mobile users, it bills itself as the first independent third-party consumer review website in the entire world.

Dianping provides information services such as user information, consumer reviews and commercial offers and discounts. It also provides O2O (Online To Offline) services as it combines features of Groupon, Deliveroo, Tripadvisor, and Yelp!

Overseas location can set up their pages their, publish their menus, etc. Chinese travelers can be encouraged to leave their comments and reviews. 

 

Reasons To Use Dianping As A Marketing Tool

  1. Dianping provides comprehensive travel and lifestyle services.
  2. Businesses can learn how the community feels about their products and/or brands firsthand.
  3. Dianping, WeChat, and Douyin all serve as buzz generators for most aspects of Chinese culture.
  4. KOLs and KOCs level of interaction with companies and goods has a greater impact on other users.
  5. Dianping is a platform where consumers can interact with brands.
  6. Dianping’s statistics are self-evident: 15 billion visits each year. The average daily usage of the app is 13 minutes.

 

Businesses can learn about the preferences, viewpoints, and actions of Chinese consumers by keeping an eye on the reviews and ratings on Dazhong Dianping. For example, businesses can use Dazhong Dianping to understand which types of food and cuisines are popular in different regions of China, what factors are important to Chinese consumers when choosing a restaurant or hotel, and what types of promotions and discounts are most effective in attracting Chinese customers.

Overall, Mafengwo and Dazhong Dianping can provide valuable insights into the preferences, behaviors, and trends of Chinese audiences. This in turn can be used by businesses to develop effective marketing strategies and improve their offerings.

 

Dianping

Integration with Alipay and WeChat

Alipay and WeChat are two of the most popular mobile payment apps in China. Only Alipay has 320 million Daily Active Users. Both apps offer a range of features, including mobile payments, money transfers, and other financial services.

In recent years, Alipay and WeChat have also been integrated with a number of travel apps in China. Thanks to that it is much easier for users to make payments and book travel-related services. For example, users can now use Alipay or WeChat to book flights, hotels, and rental cars, as well as purchase tickets for attractions and events.

One example of a travel app that has integrated with Alipay and WeChat is Ctrip. Ctrip allows users to link their Alipay or WeChat accounts to their Ctrip account, so that they can make payments directly from their mobile devices.

Other travel apps that have integrated with Alipay and WeChat include Qunar, Meituan, and Didi Chuxing, among others. These integrations have helped to streamline the travel booking process for users. At the same time, they also make it more convenient for them to make payments on-the-go.

Overall, the integration of Alipay and WeChat with travel apps in China is a testament to the growing popularity of mobile payments and digital financial services in the country. As more and more users turn to these apps for their financial needs, we can expect to see even more integrations with other types of apps in the future.

 

Conclusion

By leveraging these apps, you can reach a wider audience and increase your brand awareness among Chinese travellers.

Key Takeaway:  However, it’s important to remember that cultural differences and language barriers may still exist, so it’s crucial to have a deep understanding of the Chinese market and tailor your marketing strategy accordingly.

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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