Exploring Prospects: An Overview of Recent Developments in China

1.Chinese youth have a new zoo fascination. How are brands engaging?

The zoo craze in China aligns with youngsters’ pursuit of a slower nature-connected lifestyles as zoos are becoming increasingly humanized and animal centered, making them more appealing to visitors.
This new craze offers a wide range of new opportunities for brands to connect to the Chinese youth emotions and new aspirations.
Zoos are being transformed into complex leisure parks, offering a diverse range of experiences to satisfy different demands, both online and offline.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/posts/chinese-youth-have-a-new-zoo-fascination-how-are-brands-engaging

2. The ascent of social commerce this 618: Douyin, Xiaohongshu

Douyin’s ecommerce arm grew rapidly, achieving significant sales and engagement during the 618 Shopping Festival, challenging established platforms like Tmall.
Many beauty brands achieved higher sales on Douyin than on Tmall, with several brands surpassing $13.7 million (100 million RMB) in sales.
Xiaohongshu saw a 5.4-fold increase in order volumes from live streaming sessions during 618, driven by a strategic reorganization.
Both Douyin and Xiaohongshu exemplify the shift towards interest-driven e-commerce, as such to boost sales brands need to leverage social media to enhance consumer engagement and sales.

3. Bye Barbie, hello Dune: China’s key fashion trends for 2024

In 2024, Chinese fashion trends are heavily influenced by nature, with plant-themed wear and Tyndall styles gaining popularity.
Despite a shift towards natural aesthetics, global pop culture still significantly impacts Chinese fashion microtrends, inspiring bold, empowering outfits.
Although microtrends are transient, brands can speak to Chinese consumers’ desire to immerse themselves in nature by hosting outdoor activities and developing products with features that enhance outdoor experiences, such as UV protection.
To capture the girlcore trend, brands can partner with Chinese designers who specialize in hyper-feminine aesthetics, such as Shushu/Tong, to create exclusive collections.
With retro styles like grandpacore in fashion, brands can consider teaming up with China’s elderly fashion KOLs, but they should be mindful of the government’s crackdown on online displays of wealth.

4. 3 Trends of Little Red Book Marketing in 2024

Livestreaming is booming: Little Red Book stores are seeing a big rise in sales thanks to livestreaming. More brands are using livestreaming to connect with customers, and it’s driving significant sales growth.
Foreign brands need to localize more: There’s a growing trend of national pride among Chinese consumers, so foreign brands need to localize their content more than ever. This means adapting their messaging and visuals to resonate with the Chinese audience.
Rich user engagement: Little Red Book boasts a much higher level of user engagement compared to other platforms like Instagram. This means brands can get valuable feedback directly from consumers, helping them understand niche markets and manage any potential crises.

5. Pet Economy in China: Brands celebrate ‘Children’s Day for pets’ to leverage their influence

Pet consumption has been tapped and segmented, comparable to half of the parent-child consumer demand
On the day after Children’s Day, Taobao launched the “Guardian Old Babies Programme” in conjunction with Midas Pet Nutrition and Royal Canin.
In big cities, pets are becoming the centre of young people’s lives, and pet-friendly businesses are more likely to be supported by young customers.
Recently, Taobao also started to look for a “spokescat” across the entire network. After several rounds of fierce competition, the final winner of the “spokescat” will join Alibaba to become the first cat employee and get a 1.02 million RMB (approx. 0.14 million USD) cash prize.

6. Blending Sports With Travel, Chinese Fans Set Sights on Paris 2024

Chinese sports enthusiasts are combining their passion for athletics with travel plans to Europe for the Paris 2024 Olympic.
Social media and travel platforms play a significant role in this trend, with packages like Fliggy’s “Riverside Package” including a premium view of the opening ceremony and opportunities to interact with Olympians. Flight bookings to Paris surged by 240% and hotel reservations by 180%, driven by the growing trend of sports tourism.
Two users’ journey to Paris travel plan highlighted in this articles: “ …the influential role of social media in boosting sports fandom, with more individuals appreciating and following specific sports. ”

“I searched for numerous posts and guides on Xiaohongshu (the lifestyle app), which helped me navigate these challenges…”

Here are some insights for planning digital content this summer, focusing on connections to Paris 2024. Paris travel recommendations, with its food and culture will be popular, and a lot of memes will circulate on digital platforms during the event. Platforms like Xiaohongshu will prioritise related topics and boost their visibility, so we can prepare relevant posts accordingly and advise our clients to pay special attention to them.