In his only podcast appearance of the year, Alex Duncan, co-founder and product lead at KAWO joins us in the China Influencer Marketing Podcast studio for an insightful discussion on the marketing scene in China, and how businesses adapt in this massive and rapidly evolving market. Today's episode is truly a delight to listen to. Rather than just another interview, this episode is a thorough, two-way discussion of experiences gained from two different perspectives of the China market. There...

From Omaha to Shanghai, Elijah Whaley has experienced working in different industries, different cultures and different types of companies, with different types of people. Bundled with all of that experience comes a ton of knowledge and expertise about not just the business and economics sides of the world, but also plenty of insights on the social and behavioural sides of human nature. Tonight for our second instalment in the Evenings with Eli series, Eli brings us a little further along...

How does a new company on its first legs grow and prosper in China? The answer is not as straightforward as one may expect, especially because the market, culture and society in China are more complex than those in the West. Jenny Chen joins us today to share her experiences doing just that with WalkTheChat, a leading WeChat marketing agency and thought leadership resource in China that she co-founded in 2013. In this episode, Jenny discusses workflow strategies, project inspirations, brand...

China is increasingly the place where business happens. In particular, business are seeking to expand in China in a post-Covid world. Not only was China the only country to record a positive year-on-year GDP growth in 2020, but also, with the announcement of a 6% growth target at the 2021 National People's Congress, China will continue to lead the world in recovering from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. So what does this mean for businesses that want to take part in this economic...

Branding has been a significant part of marketing for ages. It is a field that continues to find new ways to attract public attention and influence consumer behaviour. This sector of the industry has seen some of its most rapid development in China, where influencers and key opinion customers have blossomed into fully-fledged branding agents that are fully integrated into many facets of marketing in the country. But what does the future have in store for branding? Joining us in the studio...

If you're a veteran follower of the CIM podcast, or if you've just discovered this bi-weekly treasure trove of industry insights (hint, subscribe!), chances are that you're all too familiar with the term KOL. But what about the mysterious Key Opinion Customers who, if used correctly, may have just a significant an impact on a brand as KOLs? Joining us in the studio today is Ray Veras, founder and CEO of PJdaren. PJdaren aims to help some of the world's largest brands engage key opinion...

Key Opinion Leaders. KOLs. Influencers. If you're listening to the CIM Podcast (or even better, if you're a subscriber to this podcast, hint-hint), chances are you are all too familiar with what these terms define. But who are KOLs, and how did they become the KOLs that they are today? Today, we bring you the first episode in our brand new series Evenings with Elijah featuring host Elijah Whaley as he goes solo to talk in depth about his experiences and insights in the world of influencers. ...

Saying that 2020 has turned much of the world on its head is a massive understatement, especially when we're talking about the world of e-commerce, digital marketing, live-streaming and influencers. Today we'll be taking a look at some of the transformations and new trends that have emerged in 2020 and how these new developments have impacted consumer behaviour and the marketing industry in China, through the insightful lens of Michael Norris, strategy manager at AgencyChina. We'll also get...

Today's episode features an in-depth conversation on China's revolutionary influencer industry with William August, founder and creative director of Outlandish Studios, a video production and marketing company that specialises in establishing a brand's presence on social media and video streaming platforms. As creative director of Outlandish Studios, the #1 foreigner MCN on Weibo in 2019, August is a social media-and-Youtube influencer based in China and one...

The inaugural episode of the China Influencer Marketing Podcast by PARKLU is brought to you by host Elijah Whaley. This special episode features Kim Leitzes, founder and CEO of PARKLU, who joins us to provide some invaluable insights of the challenges and lessons learned through her years-long journey of building her company in China from its beginnings as what she called a "scrappy startup", to the premiere influencer marketing platform in China, and currently, to its acquisition by...

Today's episode features Chloé Reuter, founding partner of Gusto Luxe, to share findings from its new report on the state of China’s luxury market along with some of her personal observations about Shanghai’s luxury community. Some of the ideas discussed include:“Revenge spending” — a concept born from pent-up demand for luxury products during the pandemic. How are luxury consumers spending their money?An increasingly popular idea in China that health is the new wealth.Why COVID-19 has made...

Pinduoduo is one of China’s largest ecommerce platforms and an industry leader that helped popularize the concept of social commerce in China. Yet while it initially became famous for its wildly popular group-buying feature, Pinduoduo has since evolved into much more than just a group-buying platform.   In this episode, Ada Yang, head of social community at Pinduoduo, gives us an overview of the platform, and then shares several of its features and initiatives you may not have heard of, such...

In this episode, Demi Ping, sector head for retail and ecommerce at the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), shares how it helps British brands of all sizes and industries succeed in China and some of the key marketing tactics that CBBC has been leveraging this year to help brands stay afloat through COVID-19. While Demi and CBBC obviously focus on British brands, her insights are highly relevant for any foreign brands looking to tap into the market in China.   Guest: Demi Ping LinkedIn...

Welcome back to the second episode of The Pulse, where Lauren shares a collection of noteworthy China marketing campaigns and content trends. Topics covered in this episode include:A trending domestic travel destination in Ningxia nicknamed “China’s Route 66” and “China’s Morocco.”The massive growing demand for edible bird nests and the two brands that ranked first and second in Taobao’s pharmaceuticals category during this year’s 618 shopping festival.Lauren’s tips for how brands can...

Although Chinese consumers are known for their love of online shopping, offline events remain an important part of brands’ marketing mix, allowing consumers to immerse themselves in the brand and experience it with all of their senses. What’s more, attending the latest pop-ups and exhibitions is a major form of social proof for China’s young consumers. Despite the importance of offline events, they are not something that the podcast has discussed in depth. Today's guest is Ryan Whelan, the...

Private traffic (sīyù liúliàng 私域流量) was one of the biggest China marketing trends of 2019. It has become even more popular in 2020 as an increasing number of brands and livestreamers have begun implementing this tactic. While the term is thrown around a lot, many listeners may still not have heard of it. Tune in for answers to the following questions, and more: • What exactly is private traffic?  • Isn't it just private WeChat groups? • Why has this tactic become so popular? • Is it a...

In this episode, Michael Norris, research and strategy manager at Agency China, joins Lauren to discuss the growing intersection of luxury and gaming. Their topics include collaborations with virtual influencers, luxury brands creating their own games or gamifying the shopping experience, and brands creating product lines influenced by characters from popular online games.  This trend is not only in China — it is a global phenomenon — so Michael and Lauren also discuss the origins of the...

On June 8, Yatsen E-commerce, the parent company of Chinese cosmetics unicorn Perfect Diary, held a press event in Guangzhou to launch its newest brand, Abby’s Choice (完子心选wánzǐ xīnxuǎn) — and the China Marketing Podcast attended! In today’s episode, hear Lauren's assistant, Kejie, share what she learned at the event and her experience visiting the new Abby’s Choice offline store. Perfect Diary has become a leader in China’s cosmetics industry in only three years and its innovative marketing...

This week, Lauren is introducing a new monthly series called The Pulse, where she will share her recent observations on the China marketing industry. Content will include the analysis of new social media platform features and trending topics, as well as the identification of WeChat Official Accounts or influencers that Lauren thinks are worth following, interesting online campaigns, and up-and-coming brands. Topics covered in this episode:Xiǎohóngshū 小红书 product sample giveaway...

Over the past couple of years, Chinese brands have been experiencing massive growth. Newly founded direct-to-consumer brands are booming, while the more established Chinese brands have rebranded and revitalized themselves to attract a younger audience. So, where does this growth come from? Top-earning brands have proven themselves to be savvy marketers, quickly adopting the newest social platforms and promotional tactics, and developing products, branding, and messaging that show a deep...

The Harvard Business Review found that acquiring a new customer is five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one and that increasing customer retention by 5% can increase profits from 25% to 95%. Bain found that returning customers spend 67% more than new customers. And Temkin found that loyal customers are five times as likely to repurchase, five times as likely to forgive, four times as likely to refer, and seven times as likely to try a new offering. Retention marketing...

This week’s episode is a must-listen for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with limited marketing budgets that are looking to build their businesses in China. Rachel White, the chief marketing officer for LUÜNA Naturals, a social-impact period care company, shares how it has grown the brand in mainland China.  Some of the key tactics that Rachel shares include:Providing highly educational content online and running offline workshops to educate consumers. Many women in China are being given...

Meet the short-video app Bilibili — a platform that brands know they should get on, but they are reluctant (or maybe too intimidated) to pull the trigger. Why is that? Its user culture is stronger than that of other Chinese social media and video-sharing platforms. Bilibili is where all the subcultures go, the anime, comic, and game nerds, the artists, the content creators that don’t want to make clichéd 15-second dancing videos. Get your campaign right and your ROI will be high; get it wrong...

This week’s episode discusses once again China’s ecommerce livestreaming industry. As mentioned in episode 69, this industry has experienced massive growth due to COVID-19. In fact, leading ecommerce livestreaming platform Taobao Live reported that in early February, livestream sessions on the platform had increased by 110% year over year. Today, Lauren explains the ways in which the industry has grown and changed. She also shares specific examples and case studies that have been seen over...