Baidu AI has shown that one simple search can transform lives and reunite families

‘The Pandemic’, ‘Face Mask’ and TV show ‘Nothing But Thirty’ were some of Chinese internet users’ top searches on Baidu last year. People turn to search engines every day to find small nuggets of information, but the results do not usually change their life forever. However, Baidu’s artificial intelligence unit has shown that one simple search can transform lives and reunite families.

Baidu AI Xunren (百度AI寻人) is a non-profit service which was launched at the end of 2016 and uses advanced AI technology to find missing people.

Baidu’s cutting-edge facial recognition unites 12,000 families

People with lost family members do not even need to register on Baidu AI Xunren, they simply need to upload photos of their missing relatives on the website to receive help.

The platform uses facial recognition technology to identify the uploaded images and compares them with the Ministry of Civil Affairs’ database of missing person information. To increase the accessibility for users across China, Baidu AI Xunren launched a smart mini-program on Baidu’s app in 2019. As of January 1, 2020, users had initiated more than 390,000 photo comparisons on the platform and had helped more than 12,000 lost people reunite with their families.

Baidu AI Xunren has helped to reform the search for missing people. In the past, it had been extremely difficult to locate children who go missing young because they experience huge changes to their facial features. Baidu AI has greatly improved the efficiency of tracing people and has reached a 99.7% accuracy level for facial recognition by training its smart AI technology with over 200 million sample images. Baidu AI Xunren has sought to create awareness about its services through campaigns that highlight the powerful impact of its work.

Baidu’s CNY campaign resonates with COVID experience

This year, COVID-19 significantly affected many people’s celebrations during Chinese New Year. Baidu AI Xunren seized on the emotional sentiment surrounding this year’s festival to launch a campaign that resonated with Chinese consumers. As many people were unable to return home to spend time with their families, the platform shone a light on families who have had to endure years of not celebrating Chinese New Year together.

Baidu’s ‘A Way to go Home’ (一条回家路) campaign was released prior to Chinese New Year and shared real stories of long-lost family members finding each other. The video focused on Zhu Shaohan who went missing in Guiyang in 1998. He searched for his family members in vain for years until volunteers from Baidu offered to help him in 2020. He uploaded his photo on Baidu AI Xunren which found that a four-year-old boy called He Zhiliang had a 60% match to Zhu Shaohan. The platform helped reunite Zhu with his family members after 23 years of separation.

“For most people, returning home takes minutes or hours, but for me, it took over 10 years.”

Zhu Shaohan

The campaign also explored the story of Gao Feng who went missing when he was five years old and was still looking for his parents after 30 years of searching.

Positive response on social media

By appealing to the most important festival of the Chinese calendar, one centred around spending time with family and friends, the campaign gained high engagement on social media. The related hashtag ‘#No matter how big the world is, I want to go home’ (#世界再大 我想回家) hit 120 million views on Weibo and the campaign video gained 45 million views.

Building a brand image through social responsibility

For people with missing family members, a lifetime of searching is a lifetime of not knowing. Baidu AI Xunren has reformed thousands of lives by enabling them to find their long-lost loved ones.

In addition to showing how technology can be used as a force for good, Baidu has tried to highlight its sense of social responsibility. Baidu’s AI technology has also been used in projects to help control the spread of COVID-19, protect endangered animals and the environment. Brands can earn appreciation and trust from Chinese consumers by using their resources to benefit society and highlighting this social responsibility in campaigns.

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This year, brands have been quick off the mark and many began promoting their campaigns for 520 at the beginning of May. Consumers have also clutched onto the festival early. Weibo users have already been discussing gaming giant Honor of Kings‘ 520 limited-edition skins for players prior to the announcement about their release.

In the run-up to 520, we take a look at how brands appealed to consumers last year in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19.

Luxury brands seize on 520 after 2020 COVID sales slump

Luxury brands were among the hardest hit by COVID-19 with analysts predicting that the luxury market could reduce by up to 35% in 2020. 520 took place just after China’s COVID-19 outbreak and so was a perfect opportunity for luxury brands to launch a campaign to boost sales and grow their brand among Chinese customers. 

Several Western luxury brands got on board releasing 520 campaigns – GUCCI launched podcasts featuring Chinese celebrities sharing their first experience of buying or receiving a GUCCI product. Hermes launched a WeChat Mini-Program campaign which allowed users to select gifts that the brand then recommended to their loved ones.  

However, the luxury brand which made the biggest impact on Chinese consumers last year was Prada’s “520 Mathematics of Love” campaign.

Romantic tale featuring Cai Xukun

To mark 520, Prada launched a content-driven campaign with one of the most popular male celebrities in China, Cai Xukun. 

The short film, Mathematics of Love, shows how Cai expresses love through a series of numbers – each with a hidden meaning. 

All the numbers are linked to Cai’s love and romance and when added together equal 520 i.e I love you.

Prada offers a personal touch

The campaign did not just comprise of the video and posters that were based on Cai Xukun’s story and were promoted on social media.

Prada’s audience could also receive a customised personal poster in the same design as Cai’s if they uploaded a picture through a special link. In addition, Prada allowed consumers to select gifts for their loved ones on their website and WeChat Mini-Program.

Creating a localised campaign

More and more luxury brands are realising the importance of localisation in campaigns. By appealing to cultural differences and differing consumer behaviour and habits, brands can expand their audience, increase engagement and develop brand loyalty.

Localised celebrity endorsement

Despite being a Western brand, Prada chose a Chinese celebrity, Cai Xukun, who is well-known and well-loved among female Chinese consumers, to endorse their campaign. 

Working with celebrities who share the same nationality and language as Chinese consumers is more likely to develop brand traction and engagement as they are generally better known among Chinese audiences and have a presence on Chinese social media sites.

The inclusion of Cai meant that the campaign appealed to his fans in addition to Prada’s audience, resulting in more people viewing the campaign and increasing brand awareness.

Localised social networks

Prada promoted its 520 campaign on Weibo, WeChat, Douyin and their official Chinese website. Using a variety of platforms and formats (video, images and gifs) helped them reach a wider audience and appeal to Prada lovers on different channels. 

In addition, Prada launched various activities specific to each channel that their audience could participate in. For example, users were able to get a personalised poster on Weibo and access a pop-up shop exclusively through Prada’s WeChat Mini-program. 

#Prada520 gains 600 million views

Cai Xukun attracted many female consumers to the campaign and the creatively produced romantic story was praised by netizens. As a result, the campaign drove many customers to order 520 presents from Prada in advance.

The campaign exploded on social media with the hashtag ‘#Prada520‘ gaining 600 million views and 3.24 million comments on Weibo. On average, posts on Prada’s Weibo related to their 520 campaign hit over 50,000 likes and 10,000 comments. In addition, over 11,000 Weibo followers generated their own personal 520 posters. 

Embracing the spirit of 520

China’s wealth is dominating the global luxury market, and, by 2025, Chinese consumers are predicted to make up half of all luxury sales.

Prada’s 520 campaign showed how luxury brands can successfully market to different target audiences of Chinese consumers via a variety of formats and platforms. As well as working with a Chinese celebrity, Prada’s key stronghold was to launch a campaign that encapsulated the spirit of a special Chinese festival, 520.

Read more about luxury in China:

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Qingming traditions…

Its timing depends on the lunar calendar but it usually falls on April 4, 5 or 6. On this day, Chinese families usually visit the graves of their ancestors to offer sacrifices of joss paper (paper money), incense, baijiu and other gifts. Another important ritual is cleaning, and removing weeds from, the tombs of their elders, and sticking willow branches on them. Aside from paying respect to ancestors, many people use the three-day holiday to travel, hence why Qingming has also adopted the name Spring Outing Festival.

… during COVID-19

Paying reverence to past generations was not hindered by last year’s COVID-19 outbreak, which restricted peoples’ ability to travel. Along with many other sectors, China’s afterlife industry adapted to the country’s rapid digitalisation. In 2020, many chose to take part in online tomb-sweeping activities. Offerings and tomb-cleaning services could be ordered online with graveyard staff cleaning tombs during the festival.

It might seem like an odd festival for brands to commemorate but a number have effectively appealed to Qingming traditions and customs and have resonated with Chinese consumers. We have picked out several Qingming campaigns that struck a chord in 2020 during a difficult period for many in China.

Floating willow branches

During Qingming Festival, people plant willow branches in front of their door and wear short snippets as a broach to ward off wandering evil spirits. Willows also represent the emergence of spring as it is the time in which they bloom. Both Pepsi and baijiu brand Wuliangye integrated hanging willow branches into their Qingming campaigns. The latter included a poem that highlighted the arrival of spring and set out the perfect scene for drinking baijiu.

Flying swallow-shaped kites

Flying kites during Qingming is a tradition that dates back to ancient times. Kites were used to send greetings to ancestors as people thought that the gates of hell and heaven would open during the festival. Nowadays, people cut the kite’s string instead of reeling it back as they believe that kites in the sky can remove misfortune, bring good luck and eliminate ill-health.

Soft drink brand Jiaduobao and food producer Baijia Chenji featured swallow-shaped kites in their campaigns as the swallow has become a symbol of Qingming due to its inclusion in a famous ancient poem. Baijia Chenji shared the hope that consumers could satisfy their stomach’s cravings at home with local delicacies supplied by the brand, despite not being able to travel during Qingming.

Eating festive delicacies

Qingtuan (青团), sweet green rice balls, are traditionally eaten during Qingming Festival. They are made of a mixture of glutinous rice flour and wormwood juice and are stuffed with sticky rice and sweetened bean paste. Jinrongyu displayed a floating bamboo steamer filled with qingtuan, while the e-commerce platform JD showed a family preparing and enjoying the sweet festive snack.

Travelling to enjoy Spring

Qingming festival falls in April when the weather is warming up and it coincides with the blooming of cherry blossoms. Thus, the three-day holiday provides the perfect opportunity to visit scenic areas and enjoy nature, spend time with friends and family, and travel. The surge in travel has resulted in it being known as Spring Outing Festival or taqing 踏青, which quite literally means ‘use your feet to experience Spring’. Travelling during the festival is seeing a surge in popularity this year as China’s domestic tourism industry recovers. According to online travel agent Qunar, flight bookings for the Qingming holiday increased by 25% on March 28 compared to the day before.

Phone manufacturer Motorola and home appliance brand AUX embraced nature and the outdoors in their Qingming campaigns.

Mourning for the victims of COVID-19

In 2020, Qingming Festival was different from previous years because of the losses suffered due to COVID-19 in the several months prior. A day of national mourning was held on Qingming to commemorate and pay respects to those who died from the virus. National flags were flown at half-mast across China, and the country observed a three-minute silence.

Many brands used this opportunity to mourn the lives lost in the fight against COVID-19 and highlight their empathy for the losses that their customers had faced. Siki and dairy producer Bright Dairy expressed their sympathies with dark, solemn images. Bright Diary showed the shadows of key workers with the message:

Celebrating Qingming with reflection and hope

In the midst of a challenging period for many Chinese people, a number of brands chose to celebrate Qingming Festival to engage with consumers. While some chose to highlight the emergence of spring and joyful moments of the festival, others reflected on the losses and solemn moments which had engulfed the nation at the beginning of 2020.

Yet, the key to all of the above posters is an in-depth understanding of the traditions and ancient roots at the heart of Qingming and the unique circumstances of last year’s festival.

Want to know what kind of campaigns brands will launch for this year’s Qingming Festival? Keep your eyes on Dao Insights for updates next week!

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Florasis is a Chinese cosmetics brand that has developed an image around its East Asian identity and heritage. Launched in the city of Hangzhou in 2017, the brand has seen a rapid rise to become one of China’s top homegrown beauty brands.

In 2019, Florasis’ annual sales on e-commerce marketplace Tmall reached nearly 2 billion RMB ($306 million). It has also been a top choice during shopping festivals and raked in over 190 million RMB ($29 million) during 2020’s 618, even surpassing Chinese consumers’ much-loved beauty brand Perfect Diary and ranking first in Tmall’s cosmetics category. During last year’s Singles’ Day festival, Florasis’s GMV surged 259% year-on-year to surpass 500 million RMB ($76 million) on Tmall. Indeed, the brand’s success at home has resulted in it recently expanding into the Japanese market in March 2021.

Florasis explores ancient Chinese beauty

The brand stands out from the rest of the beauty industry in the way that it explores ancient Chinese recipes. Flower essences and Chinese herbal extracts are core ingredients in Florasis’ cosmetics. The brand combines traditional natural recipes with research and development to create healthy and non-toxic make-up products.

The brand has integrated its mission and heritage into both its Chinese and English names. It’s known as 花西子Hua Xizi in Chinese, composed of the character for flower ‘花’, in reference to its natural make-up. ‘西子’ refers to Hangzhou’s West Lake (西湖), as well as Xi Shi 西施, who was one of the renowned ‘Four Beauties of ancient China’ and is known as the goddess of the lotus flower.

Its English name Florasis is an amalgamation of the words ‘Flora’ and ‘Sis’ (an abbreviation of sister) to mean ‘goddess of flowers’. There are twelve flower goddesses in Chinese culture, each one representing a different flower. Both names were chosen as metaphors for women who use Florasis’ products.

Appealing to the ‘guochao’ trend

In recent years, China has witnessed a surge in young people’s interest in domestic brands that embrace ‘Chineseness’, known as the ‘guochao’ trend. Florasis has been so successful among consumers because it has put Chinese culture at the heart of its brand culture, products and design. Its products pay homage to culture, traditions and elements from ancient China, and, it has therefore appealed to the ‘guochao’ trend and established a large following.

 “Florasis inherits the silk culture and adopts advanced powder technology to create the pressed setting powder.”

“The shades of the lipsticks are inspired by the color of ceramic glaze and the lipstick combines Chinese porcelain culture. ”

Posts on Florasis’ Instagram account

Co-branding success

Florasis has also partnered with other brands which hold Chinese heritage in high regard, including Sanzemeng 三泽梦, a brand that sells the Chinese traditional clothing Hanfu which is popular among young Chinese, and the fashion brand LUYANG BY YANGLU. Florasis developed co-branded clothing collections with the two brands which they showcased in New York in 2020. The partnership with Sanzemeng marked the first time that a Hanfu brand had participated in a New York fashion show.

Leveraging KOL’s fanbases

In September 2019, the brand announced that top livestreamer Li Jiaqi would become the chief referral officer for the brand and promote their products on his streams. Also known as the ‘King of Lipstick’, Li Jiaqi is popular for his make-up livestreams and recommendations and has a strong influence among young female consumers. Li Jiaqi’s extensive following (he has 29 million followers on Weibo alone) has helped bring the brand considerable traffic.

Famous singer Zhou Shen was also appointed brand ambassador as his soft and feminine voice was thought to match the brand’s identity. His songs remind people of ancient China and hark back to the time of Lotus Goddess Xi Shi, of whom Florasis’ name is based. Zhou even produced a song called “Hua Xi Zi 花西子” for QQ Music.

Florasis benefits from growing support for domestic brands

Florasis’ product design, brand image and values have resonated with many young Chinese who are proud of their culture and want to further explore China’s traditions and history. A growing number of Chinese consumers want to assert national pride through their consumer choices. This has benefitted brands, like Florasis, that put Chinese identity at the heart of their brand.

Florasis has also carefully selected its brand ambassadors to fit with its identity in addition to having audiences that can expand its selling potential.

Read more about Chinese brands:

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Chicecream has reinvented ice cream in China with its memorable tile-shape form and unique flavours. Launched in March 2018, the brand has become well-established across China with 592 stores as of July 2020. Its rapid journey to success saw the brand sell 8 million ice creams in 2019, and become the top brand for ice cream sales on Tmall’s 2020 Singles’ Day.

Known as ‘the Hermès of ice cream’, Chicecream is top of the range in the market with one ice cream costing around 20 RMB ($3.07). However, despite its steep price tag, it has gained popularity due to its unique brand identity, creativity and clever combination of online and offline marketing.

China-focused brand identity

Chicecream’s Chinese name is Zhong Xue Gao 钟薛高, a combination of three typical Chinese surnames. The grouping of well-known names was used to highlight the brand’s attachment to its Chinese roots. In its aim of becoming the top Chinese ice cream brand, it has appealed to the ‘guochao’ (国潮) trend, in which consumers opt for domestic brands as part of a nationalistic surge. Indeed, its English name Chicecream is an abbreviation of ‘Chinese ice cream’, once again playing up its Chinese credentials.

The shape of Chicecream’s ice creams also shows that the brand was formed with ‘guochao’ in mind as they are the shape of a traditional Chinese roof tile. The unusual curve design has helped them to distinguish themselves from other ice cream brands which commonly use a cone or rectangular ice lolly shape. Chicecream’s unique brand name and product design have helped create brand equity and build a following among Chinese customers.

Changing consumers’ attitudes towards ice cream

In the past, ice cream has been considered a product for summer, in part due to the influence of Traditional Chinese Medicine which links temperature with certain health properties. However, Chicecream has helped to break this association by marketing its ice cream for consumption all-year-round. As well as being brought as individual ice creams, they can also be purchased in multipacks for storage at home anytime.

It has also marketed its products throughout the year and has leveraged key festivals to ensure that Chicecream is not just considered a summer treat. For example, in a campaign for Christmas, the brand positioned eating ice cream with loved ones as a romantic gesture.

Online and offline integration

Chicecream has integrated its online and offline marketing to broaden its audience. It has combined its offline and pop-up stores with an expansive presence on social media and e-commerce channels with accounts on WeChat, WeChat Mini-Program, WeChat Channels, Xiaohongshu, Weibo, Douyin, Bilibili, Tmall and JD. Chicecream regularly works with KOLs and KOCs on social media and has launched over forty co-branding campaigns. Following its launch, it conducted many free ice cream giveaways to KOLs who shared their comments on Xiaohongshu.

In May 2018, just two months after opening, Chicecream set up a pop-up store at the trendy K11 art mall in Shanghai. Consumers who visited the store and shared a picture to their WeChat to ‘daka’ (‘checking into’ or tagging a location) could enjoy an ice cream for free.

The brand surrounded the store with 5,200 sunflowers to embody its philosophy that its ice creams are natural and don’t use any sugar or additives. This clever marketing ploy also attracted many young Chinese to take photos with the sunflowers, increasing their visibility online. The campaign, which was shared widely, attracted many new consumers and spread the word about Chicecream soon after its launch.

Creative flavours sell out in a second

Similar to popular bubble tea brand HeyTea, Chicecream’s consistent and creative design work has earned them a following among young Chinese consumers.

For Singles’ Day in 2018, Chicecream launched a set of three ice cream flavours using natural flavourings:

• ‘Pink chocolate crispy crust’ made from the naturally pink ruby cocoa from Ecuador. The brand claimed that the natural pink cocoa bean had been discovered in the past 80 years, and its rarity meant that it was as expensive as diamonds.
• ‘YUZU lemon pomelo puree’ taken from Japan’s Yuzu lemon pomelo and extracted naturally.
• ‘Mellow Greek yoghurt’ made from high-quality cow milk from the Sunshine Ranch and fermented with two kinds of bacteria.

Despite coming in at a pricy 66 RMB ($10.13), the limited-edition products flew off the shelves and 20,000 pieces were sold in 15 hours. The high-cost products appeal to Chinese consumers who want to show off their ‘high-quality lifestyle’ on social media.

Chicecream’s distinct product and brand

Chicecream’s creative campaigns, online and offline integration, and unique brand identity has earned them a top spot in China’s ice cream market. Its effective marketing strategy has brought about wide-scale brand awareness and changed consumer’s attitudes towards only eating ice cream seasonally.

In a recent interview with CGTV, the founder of Chicecream Lin Sheng spoke about what made the brand’s products go viral among China’s Gen-Z consumers, and about their plans to launch overseas.

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Cainiao set up donation points for people to give their unwanted books to children living in the Daliang mountains in southern Sichuan

While China has managed to lift over 100 million people out of poverty in the last eight years according to authorities, there are still significant inequalities between urban and rural areas. This is particularly true of remote, mountainous regions where young people often lack access to educational resources and job opportunities.

Alibaba’s logistics network Cainiao focussed on this issue in its latest campaign in partnership with One-Way Space Library. They set up donation points for people to give their unwanted books to children living in the Daliang mountains in southern Sichuan. The national campaign allowed people to drop off books at the setpoints, or send books via mail to Cainiao. The involvement of One-Way Space Library helped boost awareness of the campaign because the book store, which has three locations in Beijing, is popular among urban residents for its unique philosophy.

Inspiring children to ‘pass over mountains’

The campaign’s name is ‘pass over books and ridges’ 翻书越岭, deriving from the Chinese idiom 翻山越岭, which means to ‘pass over mountain ridges’ and is used to describe the hardships of a journey.

The name was chosen to symbolise that children living in these rural areas should not feel ‘locked in’ by the mountains surrounding them and that they can break down barriers by reading and studying hard. Books can enable children to understand the world around them, impart values and morals, inspire, and empower.

The campaign’s vision is:

The campaign included a video and posters which incorporated inspiring messages linked to famous book titles, including:

Since the campaign has only been running for a short time, awareness is relatively low currently. The video has gained 144,000 views on Weibo since being posted on March 12, and the posters were only shared online on March 16.

Consumers value social consciousness

Cainiao’s campaign shows how companies can use their resources to benefit society. By leveraging their vast logistics network, they have shown compassion for children’s education and helped aid China’s rural development. Companies that show their social consciousness and give back to society are valued by consumers, and they will develop a positive brand association.

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During International Women’s Day, brands launch limited-edition products and discounts to try to capture the attention of their female consumers

International Women’s Day on March 8 gains more coverage year-on-year as society reflects on the inequalities that women face, highlights women’s achievements and strives for further progress. It has also become an opportunity for brands to both show support for and target their female consumers.

In China, it has become known as ‘Queen’s Day‘ and ‘Goddess Day’  as brands have sought to encourage women to spend money and pamper themselves on the special day. In many ways, it has turned into another shopping festival as brands launch limited-edition products and discounts to try to capture the attention of their female consumers.

However, the brands that will really develop a meaningful connection with their female consumer base are those that offer a deeper message and seek to empathise with the gender inequality and social expectations that women face. We’ve outlined three campaigns for International Women’s Day 2021 from Chinese brands that have done exactly this.

Tmall Super Brand Day’s alphabet for women

Tmall Super Brand inspired women with a unique poem featuring an alphabet of twenty-six brands. The campaign, which was created by the agency Haomai Advertising, shared women’s feelings towards certain brands under the slogan “Wŏ mén are women” (We are women).

Wŏ mén are women

Slogan of Tmall Super Brand Day’s International Women’s Day campaign

Tmall Super Brand Day was launched on August 12, 2015 as a way to celebrate and promote brands that have a store on the e-commerce platform. Every month, Tmall chooses ten to twenty brands who are given their own day for the platform to promote them and offer special discounts to consumers. Super Brand Day has become known as ‘brands’ own Singles’ Day’ and has been adopted by other leading e-commerce platforms, such as JD and Eleme. As of last year, over 500 global brands had participated in Tmall’s Super Brand Day and its hashtag had hit 26.46 billion views on Weibo, making the name an influential Intellectual Property.

Half of the brands that have participated in Tmall’s Super Brand Days took part in the campaign. The video and poem aimed to encourage women to find their own ‘super brand’ which embodied their individual spirit and personality. The twenty-six lines featured a range of Chinese and international brands, and Mandarin was used in the lines which referred to domestic companies.

I’m the legendary Arden
Bobbi Brown shows her beauty around
Cartier is the center
Disney is magic
Estee Lauder believes every woman can be beautiful
方太，不止一个姿态 (Fang Tai has various postures)
Power up, Guerlain
The perfect Helena Rubinstein is ready for love
Yes, I DO
Jo Malone London girls have their own signature scents
Kindle a dream
Create a Lego wonderland
Being strong and soft, makes McDonald's excellent
我的骄傲，由内而外 (My pride, inside and out - Neiwai)
Olay, no fear of ages
Pandora has all possibilities
Wisdom is the skill for CliniQue
Rose is not Only for pretty
I’m passionate STARBUCKS
The most wanted is Tom Ford
Fighting UNDER ARMOUR
I’m Vans for creativity
I'm Wyeth, nourishing the future
I'm high-tech 小米 (Xiaomi)
YSL rock and roll
小女钟薛高这厢有礼了 (Miss Zhong Xuegao shows courtesy to you.)

The video gained 21.4 million views and many netizens praised the copy and the creative idea.

“I hope all females can embrace themselves not just on this special day but every day.”

A netizen’s comment

Tmall’s bullet screen challenges gender bias

Tmall Super Brand Day was not the only part of the e-commerce platform to launch a campaign for International Women’s Day. Tmall itself built a bullet-screen comments wall in the shape of its logo at Shanghai’s upmarket Xintiandi district.

When passers-by approach the bullet-screen comments wall, sentences highlighting the stereotypes and biases facing women pop up, including:

If passers-by don’t agree with the statement, they can stand on a small podium in front of the wall and the phrases will change to inspiring comments, such as:

Many women stopped to stand on the podium and take selfies with the bullet-screen comment wall. The offline and online integration of the campaign meant that it was widely shared on social media, especially Weibo, and the related hashtag ‘#how cool is it that girls can counterattack’ gained 130 million views. Tmall worked with Calvin Klein and LAMER to promote the campaign on Weibo and encouraged female users to share their stories about anti-gender bias.

Perfect Diary highlights outstanding Chinese women

China’s most popular domestic beauty brand Perfect Diary worked with state-run news outlet China Daily and media company Xinshixiang to interview four female celebrities and influencers. The campaign video “Outstanding Chinese Girls” was based around the idea that:

The interviewers had all experienced gender stereotypes in their lives but didn’t let these inhibit them from following their dreams. In the video, they shared their experiences and encouraged viewers to act independently of societal pressures and expectations.

The video featured Yamy Guo, a member of the girl group Rocket Girls 101, who experienced criticism for not fitting stereotypical female beauty standards due to her single eyelids and small eyes. A lot of people around her suggested that she should get cosmetic surgery for double eyelids. Her agency manager even commented “Yamy is ugly and unfashionable” during a meeting. Yamy posted the recording on Weibo and sparked a debate about gender discrimination and the issue of career PUA. Her experience also highlighted China’s unrealistic beauty standards and netizens commented that her appearance is what makes her unique.

The video, which gained over 6.4 million views on Weibo, also featured Hui Ruoqi, the former captain of China’s women’s volleyball team, and Yang Li, a comedian known for her material which challenges the patriarchy. As part of the campaign, Perfect Diary announced its partnership with the national Chinese gymnastics team and launched a new lipstick which was promoted as a product for confident Chinese women.

Sincerity is important

Brands need to produce a sincere campaign for their female consumers during International Women’s Day to show them that they aren’t just treating the occasion as another shopping festival. Those who convey messages of female empowerment or challenge gender stereotypes and beauty standards will be rewarded with high engagement figures online. As well as the brands listed above, Neiwai, Dior and Proya also proved popular among Chinese consumers online.

The above campaigns also show how online and offline integration, and the inclusion of popular KOL and celebrities can promote engagement with consumers.

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Dior showcases successful women

Dior’s International Women’s Day campaign in China illustrates some of these themes. It was originally launched as a global campaign under the name of “Dior stands with women” in October 2020 which celebrated the brand’s history of inspiring women. The campaign only debuted in the Chinese market this year especially for the day under the name of “The natural real me” 天生真我. The campaign promotes Dior’s new perfume ‘Jadore’ as well as celebrating International Women’s Day with a short video.

The luxury brand invited some iconic women from around the world to share their stories and celebrate their contribution to society, including:

• Dior’s ambassador and actress Charlize Theron
• Artist Pamela Tulizo
• Actress Golshifteh Farahani
• Model Cara Delevingne
• Actress Li Bingbing

In doing so, Dior’s video celebrates female achievement globally and highlights women’s role in society. In addition to inspiring women, the campaign also sought to shine a light on the charity work carried out by Charlize Theron. Its ambassador’s organisation, Charlize Theron’s African Outreach Project, aims to empower young people in Africa and help protect them from HIV/ AIDs.

After just two days of releasing their campaign in China, the hashtag ‘#the natural real me’ had gained 325,000 views on Weibo and the video had been watched 619,000 times.

“Keep real, keep being yourself.”

“I hope my girl can be herself forever.”

“There is nothing wrong with being myself.”

“I support Charlize Theron, she is very intelligent.”

Responses from netizens

Celebrating and inspiring women  

Brands should focus on celebrating femininity and women’s successes for International Women’s Day, as illustrated by Dior’s campaign. Campaigns that inspire and support will go down well among female consumers, especially due to the increased prominence of female empowerment in Chinese society.

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“As our name suggests, our focus is on liberating and empowering women with comfortable, functional clothing which accentuates natural beauty – we want to help you embrace yourself, inside and out.”

NEIWAI’s official website

Neiwai was launched in 2012 and has now expanded to more than 1.5 million consumers around the world and over 400 employees in China and the US. As well as 80 offline stores in China, it also has an online presence through its Tmall store and WeChat Mini-Program.

Challenging stereotypes about women’s bodies

For International Women’s Day 2020, Neiwai produced a short film “No body is nobody” featuring six women of different body shapes, ages and personalities. Each expressed their feelings about their body and challenged traditional stereotypes towards women’s appearances. In Chinese media and social media, women are often depicted as having slim legs, a tiny waist and white, radiant skin. As a result, social expectations have caused body issues for many young women who worry that they are not pretty or slim enough.

Neiwai’s campaign challenges these stereotypes and shows viewers that there is not one definition of beauty. The video explores the relationships between individuals and their bodies. The women interviewed embrace their ‘imperfections’ and don’t feel shame about the scars or fat which cause them not to fit the image of a ‘perfect woman’. In doing so, the campaign highlights the diversity of beauty and encourages women to feel confident about their own bodies.

Support from netizens

The video led to an outcry of support on social media and gained 262,000 views on Weibo and 100,000 reads on WeChat.

“Girls’ beauty cannot be defined by other people.”

“You should accept yourself and your body.”

“There is no such thing as a ‘perfect body’.

“Everyone is special in her own way.”

Comments from netizens

Campaign returns in 2021

Neiwai has continued this campaign in 2021 with the hashtag ‘#No Body is Nobody’, in order to empower more women. This year’s campaign also features females with different attributes who share their feelings towards their bodies. It contains the overarching message that beauty can only be defined by yourself, not by other people. Following a year in which female empowerment has become a popular topic of TV shows and online, the hashtag has already gained 6.93 million views on Weibo ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.

Neiwai appeals to changing societal values

Due to societal expectations and pressures stemming from social media, a large number of Chinese women feel anxious about their appearance and body shape. Neiwai’s campaign responds to their anxieties by encouraging women to embrace themselves, both their body and mind, as highlighted in the brand’s name ‘inside and out’.

As a tide of female emancipation and independence has swept social media and marketing campaigns, Neiwai’s campaign appeals to a topic that is of growing importance to young Chinese women. Therefore, the brand has resonated with many Chinese women who want to shake off social expectations, and assert their growing confidence.

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Darry Ring is a Chinese jewellery brand founded under the principle that consumers can only buy one engagement ring

Darry Ring is a Chinese jewellery brand founded under the principle that consumers can only buy one engagement ring. Launched in 2010 by DRCorporation Limited, it has since expanded with over 300 stores in mainland China, Hong Kong and Paris. Its unique brand culture has gained it a considerable following on social media, with:

• 2 million followers on Douyin
• 4 million followers on Weibo
• 146,700 followers on Xiaohongshu  
• An average of 70,000+ views on WeChat articles

Its products are readily available online and it has e-commerce stores on JD, Taobao/Tmall, WeChat Mini-Programs, Douyin and Xiaohongshu.

“The one and only” – its unique values

Unlike the majority of brands that urge consumers to buy more and more, Darry Ring’s unique marketing strategy limits an individual’s purchases. This policy is based on the brand’s motto “the one and only” and the belief that marriage should be forever. The purchase of Darry Ring’s ‘eternal’ rings is a symbol of a person’s commitment to their partner.

So how does this work in practice?

To ensure the promise is true, the consumer must provide his/her Chinese ID, password, and telephone number verification which is then kept on file. When an engagement ring is purchased, Darry Ring produces a true love certification which, according to the website, “can never be changed”. Consumers must pass through the verification process on making a purchase to check whether they have bought any other rings previously.

Indeed, consumers can only make additional purchases at Darry Ring if they have completed the first step – buying an engagement ring. Once they have done so, they can buy other sorts of rings or upgrade the engagement ring to a bigger one in the future as long as they are for the same partner.

“At Darry Ring, we believe that love is forever, and that marriage is the ultimate gesture of commitment, as one person promises to another for all eternity… A man can only customize one ring in a lifetime for his true love. It is a commitment of “The one and only.”

Darry Ring’s website

Sharing love stories online

To promote their products online, Darry Ring collected touching love stories from celebrities and consumers which are published on its official website. These included individual’s recollections of their engagement, long-distance relationships, anniversaries, young love, and military marriage. The variety of experiences have the ability to resonate with a wide range of consumers and the most popular stories have gained 7000 likes on the website.

Darry Ring uses a similar storytelling strategy on Douyin and asked influencer couples to share their love stories while also promoting the brand’s products. In several videos, they also helped influencers to develop their perfect engagement plans and included Darry Ring products.

Strong brand identity

Their Douyin videos also explore themes that are central to the brand’s identity and values, such as:

• The belief that marriage is completely different from dating and relationships
• People who are under eighteen can’t buy Darry Ring’s rings
• Love is more important than an individual’s financial situation
• Darry Ring doesn’t encourage ‘marriage pushing’
• Purchase history will never be deleted

Darry Ring’s strong standing on certain issues and unique brand culture has helped it to differentiate itself from other jewellery brands and attract consumers. Despite China experiencing a growing number of divorces and falling marriage rates, many consumers view the policy as a romantic gesture, rather than as promoting a single attitude towards marriage. For China’s Gen-Z and millennials, love is their top priority in finding a marriage partner, in contrast to older generations who put a higher focus on family background, job status and wealth.

While Darry Ring has not yet adapted to China’s growing feminist pressures as rings can only be bought by a man in heterosexual relationships, it is more progressive when it comes to same-sex couples. In this case, women are allowed to buy rings for other women and the same is true of men, and Darry Ring believes that “true love knows no gender”.

Darry Ring appeals to consumers’ desire for true love

Darry Ring has successfully appealed to many young consumers’ desire for true love, encapsulated in its motto “the one and the only”. It has come up with a unique selling point by only allowing a man to customize one engagement ring in his lifetime. Darry Ring disproves the phrase that “money can’t buy love” as its rings come attached with a declaration of ‘eternal love’ and a certificate to prove it.

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