Market Updates
The latest headlines that matter to your business.

You Shouldn’t Post The Same Video On Douyin And Bilibili: Here’s Why
If you’re really looking to use video content to engage with audiences, you’ll need a customized approach to each platform. Each platform has its own unique user base, different content quality expectations, and in the case of Bilibili, some cultural unwritten contempt towards other platforms. If you try and cut corners with your content strategies in China, you’ll end up with a bunch of savvy netizens hating on you – and that’s not a good look.

Xi calls for advancing China-Italy cooperation
Good news for friends and partners in Italy – top leaders are calling for closer bilateral ties, including more people-to-people exchanges and trade. SMEs in Italy who are looking to enter China can still apply for our Restart 2020 Program. Restart 2020 is a 180-day plan to stabilize and optimize your operations in China. Whatever stage your business is at, our team will work with you to set and execute against a 180-day plan. We start with a blank canvas. What 180 days looks like, and what can be achieved, is completely up to you. It could execution against a revised go-to-market strategy, a daring shake-up of distribution channels, a new product launch, a refreshed product portfolio or a thriving online community. We are a partner that can work as fast or as steady as you need. That’s an important quality in a challenging time.

How China Became a Nation of #brandygirls
It took less than a year for an obscure Italian fashion brand to win over China’s Generation Z. This video from Sixth Tone shows how China’s Gen Z came to know the infamous one-size-only-fits-small fashion label, and what it says about beauty standards in China today. Spoiler Alert: The key is Little Red Book + Influencers

China’s Consumer Spending Should Be Back to Normal Next Year, Report Says
A new report suggests consumer spending in China will be back on track next year. There are many positive signs that show that consumption is on the rise. Mintel, a consultancy, predicts China’s consumption is likely to climb at a compound annual growth rate of 7.3 percent from next year to 2024.

China Wants a Baby Boom. Its Parents Aren’t Interested
The end of China’s one-child policy didn’t result in a baby boom. One of the key reasons is economic – families aren’t financially prepared to have a second child. That has a couple of implications. First, it means larger families are the preserve of China’s elite. Second, it means that single-child families will continue to represent China’s “nuclear family”.

Chinese live-streamer made $6b in sales last year, the same amount as Carrefour’s annual China sales
Remember that we said sources of social proof, such as key opinion customers, influencers and celebrities are critical for new brands to gain traction? One staggering statistic to proof the power of KOLs in China is the 6 billion USD in sales that Viya made last year. The art of selling through livestreaming is not for everyone, but when done right the audience can be persuaded to buy the products on display not just because of the major discounts, but because they trust the recommendation of the KOL. “E-commerce livestreaming has redefined the relationship between people and products and consumption,” economist Wu Xiaobo wrote in his blog. “It puts people first, promoting the circulation efficiency of products and creating a consumption occasion. Consumers’ trust in products is subtly replaced by their trust in people.”

Add, Subtract, Sprint: China Makes Gym Equal to Math & Language
Remember our piece on childhood obesity in China a few weeks ago? Presently, one in five Chinese children aged 7 to 18 are overweight or obese, up from 2.6% in 1985. Well, authorities are already acting.Physical education will soon carry the same weight on the national high school entrance exam as Chinese language, mathematics, and English, with fitness class’s weighting to be increased gradually each year until it is on par with the other subjects, China’s education ministry announced Friday.

Foreign brands hopeful cruelty-free entry into China will lead to more opportunities
Many cruelty-free cosmetic companies are eagerly anticipating the implementation of the Cosmetics Supervision and Administration Regulation (CSAR) on 1 January 2021. In 2014, China took an initial step away from mandatory animal testing by establishing criteria for waiving this requirement for ‘ordinary’ cosmetics produced in the country. The new CSAR lays the groundwork to extend this waiver to imported ordinary cosmetics as well.

You Shouldn’t Post The Same Video On Douyin And Bilibili: Here’s Why
If you’re really looking to use video content to engage with audiences, you’ll need a customized approach to each platform. Each platform has its own unique user base, different content quality expectations, and in the case of Bilibili, some cultural unwritten contempt towards other platforms. If you try and cut corners with your content strategies in China, you’ll end up with a bunch of savvy netizens hating on you – and that’s not a good look.

Xi calls for advancing China-Italy cooperation
Good news for friends and partners in Italy – top leaders are calling for closer bilateral ties, including more people-to-people exchanges and trade. SMEs in Italy who are looking to enter China can still apply for our Restart 2020 Program. Restart 2020 is a 180-day plan to stabilize and optimize your operations in China. Whatever stage your business is at, our team will work with you to set and execute against a 180-day plan. We start with a blank canvas. What 180 days looks like, and what can be achieved, is completely up to you. It could execution against

How China Became a Nation of #brandygirls
It took less than a year for an obscure Italian fashion brand to win over China’s Generation Z. This video from Sixth Tone shows how China’s Gen Z came to know the infamous one-size-only-fits-small fashion label, and what it says about beauty standards in China today. Spoiler Alert: The key is Little Red Book + Influencers

China’s Consumer Spending Should Be Back to Normal Next Year, Report Says
A new report suggests consumer spending in China will be back on track next year. There are many positive signs that show that consumption is on the rise. Mintel, a consultancy, predicts China’s consumption is likely to climb at a compound annual growth rate of 7.3 percent from next year to 2024.

China Wants a Baby Boom. Its Parents Aren’t Interested
The end of China’s one-child policy didn’t result in a baby boom. One of the key reasons is economic – families aren’t financially prepared to have a second child. That has a couple of implications. First, it means larger families are the preserve of China’s elite. Second, it means that single-child families will continue to represent China’s “nuclear family”.

Chinese live-streamer made $6b in sales last year, the same amount as Carrefour’s annual China sales
Remember that we said sources of social proof, such as key opinion customers, influencers and celebrities are critical for new brands to gain traction? One staggering statistic to proof the power of KOLs in China is the 6 billion USD in sales that Viya made last year. The art of selling through livestreaming is not for everyone, but when done right the audience can be persuaded to buy the products on display not just because of the major discounts, but because they trust the recommendation of the KOL. “E-commerce livestreaming has redefined the relationship between people and products and

Add, Subtract, Sprint: China Makes Gym Equal to Math & Language
Remember our piece on childhood obesity in China a few weeks ago? Presently, one in five Chinese children aged 7 to 18 are overweight or obese, up from 2.6% in 1985. Well, authorities are already acting.Physical education will soon carry the same weight on the national high school entrance exam as Chinese language, mathematics, and English, with fitness class’s weighting to be increased gradually each year until it is on par with the other subjects, China’s education ministry announced Friday.

Foreign brands hopeful cruelty-free entry into China will lead to more opportunities
Many cruelty-free cosmetic companies are eagerly anticipating the implementation of the Cosmetics Supervision and Administration Regulation (CSAR) on 1 January 2021. In 2014, China took an initial step away from mandatory animal testing by establishing criteria for waiving this requirement for ‘ordinary’ cosmetics produced in the country. The new CSAR lays the groundwork to extend this waiver to imported ordinary cosmetics as well.
Would you like to stay up to date?
Sign up to our newsletter if you want a monthly digest of the latest Chinese Digital Marketing news!