We’ve been proud to partner with Johnson & Johnson in China and we celebrate their continued success in market. Since 2015, J&J’s online turnover of consumer health products has grown by seven times, making China J&J’s most digitalized consumer market. China has been one of the nine key markets for J&J’s consumer health products business worldwide. China takes the lead worldwide in terms of the digital environment, people’s consumption habits on the digital platforms, the huge amount of data and the capability in data analysis. What learnings are you taking from China and applying to other markets?

E-commerce sales were almost a quarter of retail sales before the pandemic, but e-commerce penetration continues. China’s e-commerce and food delivery giants are reaping the benefits of an increasing number of consumers shopping online and businesses trying to digitize. Indeed, Meituan Dianping, Alibaba and JingDong all reported strong earnings for the second quarter of 2020 as lockdown rules in the world’s second-largest economy relaxed. Did you know AgencyChina is also an e-commerce agency? We set up and run e-commerce stores, on Tmall, JD, Little Red Book, Kaola, Suning, PDD or any other e-commerce platform in China.

China’s consumers are getting more health conscious, selecting snacks and beverages more carefully. Research firm Kantar reports China’s beverage sector has marched into the sugar-free era, with sales of low-sugar and sugar-free drinks up 13 percent last year, while in the overall beverage sector, sales grew less than 1 percent. More new beverage products emphasize health, and some have added minerals, protein, or fiber. How will your brand fit into this trend?

China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, has declared a war on the “shocking and distressing” squandering of food, and the nation is racing to respond, with some going to greater extremes than others. Chinese regulators are calling out livestreamers who binge-eat for promoting excessive consumption. A school said it would bar students from applying for scholarships if their daily leftovers exceeded a set amount. A restaurant placed electronic scales at its entrance for customers to weigh themselves to avoid ordering too much. If you’re a food company doing livestream or advertising in China, be mindful of this new policy imperative. Making sure to refine the images and advertising copy you use accordingly.

Chinese consumers are still looking for good deals. As a result, the number of Vipshop active customers during Q2 2020 increased by 17% year over year to 38.8 million. During the quarter, repeat customers as a percentage of total active customers increased to 90% from 87%. Do you have a suitable discount policy for your brand in China?

US Sunscreen brand sells out within weeks! Leveraging Tmall Global and Alibaba Group consumer insights and marketing tools, sunscreen brand Supergoop has been able to engage with Chinese consumers who are looking for better daily suncare solutions. In just a few weeks, Supergoop sold out of the stock it had prepared for Chinese consumers and had to quickly adjust its supply chain to keep pace with booming demand. Per a March report issued by Kantar Worldpanel and Tmall Global, sales of suncare products on the e-commerce platform in 2019 increased by 90% year over year. Tmall Global also pointed to a rise in the number of suncare brands on the platform, with more than 20 international brands added to the category since the beginning of this year. Have a look at the case study for more fascinating insights.

Nostalgia Marketing aims to capture or recapture the customer’s attention through appealing to cherished memories. Some brands have taken full advantage of nostalgia marketing in China and have resulted in high sales and brand awareness. One example is McDonald’s using two main characters from old traditional English textbooks in a mini comic where they taught students how to order food in English. Overall tips for nostalgia marketing in China: 1) Appeal to the senses; 2) Discover what was popular among the target during their children and teenage years; 3) Co-brand with brands from the past. For more examples read the full article!

You may have heard of CLO as “Chief Learning Officer” in some forward-thinking organisations. However, at JD, China’s second-largest e-commerce platform, CLO takes on a different meaning: Chief Livestream Officer. Wang Feng, a rockstar, has been appointed as JD’s Chief Livestream Officer. He’s responsible for turning up the entertainment factor on JD’s livestreams. During this year’s 618 Grand Promotion, JD invited over 300 celebrities into its livestreaming room and brought rock concerts and musical festivals online through JD Live, its livestreaming platform. JD is committed to merging entertainment, high-quality products and celebrities into its livestream features. Has your brand tried livestream in China yet?