In a few short years, creativity has quickly become a key factor in determining a brand’s success in China. The challenge for brands to capture consumers’ attention in China’s hyper-competitive market is simply getting bigger and bigger.
Launching in the world’s largest e-commerce market has never been a case of ‘build and they will come’ — establishing a presence in China has always required investment in marketing.
Now though, it’s becoming a question of who has the best marketing?
The brands with the most creative marketing are the brands winning in China today. Here’s why…
Increasing competition
News on vaccines give reason for optimism, but COVID is still impacting economies across the globe. Brands are still facing slow-downs in domestic trade and so are looking to new markets to shift product and drive revenue.
Understandably, brands from around the world see the opportunity to drive revenue abroad and immediately want to get a piece of that pie. And as the world’s largest online market, China has caught everyone’s attention.
The other, equally important, side of the equation is consumption in-market. China, hit with the virus early on, has fully recovered from the COVID slowdown at the beginning of 2020. Bars, restaurants, and malls have all been back open for some time now. International travel, however, hasn’t resumed — and that is driving demand for international products. Chinese consumers remain unable to shop abroad, so they’re purchasing imported goods instead.
Brands around the world have noticed this too. Tmall, China’s biggest e-commerce player, saw the number of new brands launching on its platform increase by 125% between April and August last year.
Consumer spending power in China remains strong, and the growing demand for international products is drawing brands to the market.
Recent creative marketing campaigns by WPIC Creative Labs
Fighting for ad space
As more new market entrants join China’s leading e-commerce platforms, paid real estate on the likes of Tmall and JD is being spread increasingly thin. Same for search. Same for social attention. Competition is rising in just about every category.
Brands have to come up with creative ways of capturing consumers’ attention. The need to build a brand that stands out in the market, and leverage cutting-edge tactics backed by a deep understanding of China’s savvy consumers, is greater than ever.
Changing consumer profiles
China’s 1.4 billion people are not just growing in wealth — they are becoming more and more conscious about the products they purchase. It’s what’s been driving China’s luxury market — which grew by 48% last year and is expected to be the world’s largest by 2025.
Across multiple price points, Chinese consumers are increasingly purchasing products for status. You need to give them a reason to buy yours.
The power of brand in China cannot be overstated. It will not only determine whether consumers purchase your product, but also whether vitally important KOLs (influencers) will work with you.
Creativity in China
Creative marketing in China starts with understanding your potential customers in the market. Beyond that, it’s about thinking outside the box.
At WPIC, some of the creative campaigns we’ve launched in China recently have included:
- A livestream session with the executive chef of the 5-star InterContinental Hotel in Nanjing for a home appliance brand
- Grassroots campaigns across schools and basketball teams for a sports brand
- A raunchy video ad for a leading men’s sexual health brand
The revenue opportunities in China are unlike anywhere else in the world. You just need to get the marketing right. WPIC can help you with that. You can check out more of our creative work here.
If you’re planning a China market entry or you’re unhappy with the results you’re seeing in the market, let’s talk.
Joseph Cooke,
Co-Founder and President of WPIC Marketing + Technologies