Examining what it’s like to live, work, and play in China, our experts guide you through the nuances that define its culture.

Liu Yexi is your favourite AI influencer’s favourite AI influencer. With her trademark blend of traditional Chinese elements and modern design sensibilities, the country’s most popular avatar might pave the way for virtual influencers to take over Singles Day, Asia’s biggest online shopping event.

How Liu Yexi humanises AI influencers for social shoppers

Wu Yanni is China’s top-ranked 100-metre hurdler, but she’s equally known for her sparkly makeup and outspoken interviews. Despite being in the constant limelight, she has earned both praise and controversy among brands and netizens, especially Chinese women who turn to her for beauty inspiration.

How Wu Yanni influences the track of Chinese sports fans

Christmas in China is a secular holiday, focusing on entertainment and colourful décor over gift exchanges and religious carols. Moreover, it has become a time for socialising and romance among young Chinese people, presenting opportunities for luxury brands to connect with holiday revellers.

What does Christmas look like in China?

With youth unemployment at an all-time high and forecasts for Chinese GDP indicating a continued slowdown, young people are saving in an attempt to take control. In contrast to global trends, China’s youth are shirking impulsive purchases and setting extreme saving challenges on social media.

Chinese Gen Z are ‘revenge saving’ for economic security

Balenciaga’s partnership with Need for Speed mobile game taps into hybrid luxury mindsets. Understanding the opportunity to connect virtual and IRL expressions of identity and status, players can tap into unique looks in the game while also being able to pick up physical merchandise in-store.



Balenciaga and Need for Speed tap into hybrid luxury

As Singles’ Day gradually loses its allure for value-driven shoppers, how is this annual shopping event reinventing itself through new strategies? Many brands are enhancing their entertainment appeal to lure reluctant audiences back and combat shoppers’ fatigue.

How Singles’ Day is fighting shopper fatigue

Fast-fashion behemoth SHEIN is launching a €200 million 'circularity fund' to tackle fashion waste. As a company that has received significant heat for its unsustainable practices, critics suggest the move is more about reputation management than a true commitment to better practice.

SHEIN launches circularity fund as it eyes IPO listing

Nursing homes all over China have been transformed into low-cost hostels, attracting the nation’s young and burnt-out working class. More Gen Zers and Yers are shifting their life goalposts to align with their values, driving them to find respite in the pastoral away from the urban grind.

Chinese youth seek solace in repurposed nursing homes

Loewe has paid tribute to Chinese culture, heritage, and craftsmanship with the launch of its latest retail space in Chengdu. The move reflects a growing expectation for nuanced global strategies and a desire for hyper-local offerings that reflect specific cultural identities.

Loewe taps local artists for Chinese store opening

Luxury spending in China is on a post-pandemic rebound, but shoppers may not be where you think. Instead of travelling overseas, citizens are choosing to fly domestically. What does this mean for the future of luxury shopping in the country, and what can brands learn from this post-pandemic shift?

Chinese shoppers fly domestic for luxury spending

‘Nomad aesthetics’, which blend cultural tradition with contemporary styles, are resonating with Chinese youth. In a bid to escape from ongoing financial pressures, young people are finding solace in slow living and reconnecting with ethnic heritage as a source of re-invigoration.

Chinese Gen Zers embrace nomadic aesthetics

‘Wild-eating’ is gaining popularity among China’s Gen Z population, allowing for a return to simplicity, freedom, and balance. Renowned for intensive work expectations, China’s youth is reassessing their priorities and leaning on nature and the outdoors as a means to improve wellbeing.

Chinese Gen Zers turn to 'wild-eating' for escapism

The world of livestreaming and influencers is generating billions in China. In this realm, Douyin superstar Crazy Little Brother Yang has over 100 million fans waiting on his funny content and authentic business ventures, which help both people and smaller businesses find reprieve during crises.

How Crazy Little Brother Yang humours China amid crisis

Luxury consumption is slowing down in China as middle-class shoppers curb their spending and wealthier consumers turn away from flaunting their purchases. In this context, many brands are divided between maintaining exclusivity and broadening their appeal to attract new demographics.

Chinese clampdown on 'money worship' sees luxury drop off

Many young Chinese singles are focusing on themselves rather than getting married and starting a family. Although a rising singles economy leads to lower birth rates and an ageing population, changing social norms have allowed Chinese youth to explore who they are and their adult life priorities.

A new era of Chinese singles is shaping the economy

Riding on the wave of internet trends that spotlight China’s ethnic minorities, Tastien Chinese Burger has launched new menu items that centre provincial flavours. Brands looking to bolster their localisation strategy in this market can consider championing the country’s diverse, nuanced cultures.

Tastien whets Chinese appetites for regional flavours

For a quiet luxury brand, Bottega Veneta (BV) dares to take risks through different strategies to engage young Chinese luxury lovers. In its new creative era, BV’s endorsement strategies with local celebrities, unique theme pop-up stores, and social media stunts help it transcend ‘guochao’ gimmicks.

How Bottega Veneta renews luxury experiences in China

With monthly sale days embedded into China’s e-commerce scene, brands might run out of ways to keep buyers interested. However, for its very own 618 shopping festival day, JD.com pulls out all the stops, changing its sales strategies and empowering customers through the latest technology.

How JD.com finds ways to elevate celebratory shopping

An interest in outdoor recreation that emerged among Chinese people during the pandemic has transformed from a trend to a long-term lifestyle. Why are citizens, especially Gen Y and Z youth, heading outdoors, and how can brands tap into this booming market that is even changing how people dress?

Chinese youth are embracing the great outdoors

Chinese livestream platform Tencent has banned AI hosts, citing concerns around deepfakes as the technology becomes more easily available. As low-quality AI content floods the internet, retailers and entertainment platforms alike are taking steps to regulate the technology.

Tencent bans AI hosts from livestreaming 

China has enthusiastically embraced AI, leading to an explosion of new tech. Specifically, it has strengthened the Chinese economy and enhanced e-commerce platforms. AI-generated personal shoppers regularly engage with customers, showing how the latest tech can boost communication and trust.

How is AI changing personal shopping in China?

Many brands ride the ‘guochao’ wave, but few genuinely desire to give justice to China’s illustrious past. Homegrown jewellery house Qeelin shows how it’s done through collections inspired by folk heritage, curated retail experiences, and rare, culturally relevant, and universally appealing pieces.

How Qeelin crafts lasting folk luxury for China’s youths

Motorbike rentals are surging in popularity across the globe thanks to favourable cost-efficiency and convenience in the context of both regular commuting and leisurely road trip transport. Changing spending habits are resulting in changing relationships with transport and automotive ownership.

Cost-savvy commuters are turning to motorbike rentals

Droves of China’s graduates are getting ready for a season of highly competitive and often disheartening hunting for white-collar office jobs.  Ele.me’s campaign is designed to deeply resonate with them by broadening their professional horizons and soothing anxieties about their futures.

Ele.me soothes career anxieties among Chinese graduates

China’s ‘national wave’ has reached the shore, ready to sail to distant lands. Local athleisure brand Anta is part of the leading pack, outperforming global players like Adidas and Nike. As Gen Zers drive nationalism, local brands and culture are being revitalised for the rest of the world.

How Anta paces with Chinese Gen Zers’ sporty lifestyles

With football fandom a global phenomenon, Pepsi Zero Sugar helped UEFA Champions League final watchers stay up until 3 am for the kick-off of the big game. As fandom becomes more dispersed, there are opportunities for brands and teams to embrace the quirks of watching live sports from a distance.

Pepsi Zero Sugar supports overseas football fans

As part of its offering for China’s 618 shopping festival, the Chinese e-commerce giant is encouraging CEOs to appear on its livestreams. As people demand greater transparency and authenticity from brands, they’ll increasingly expect business leaders to establish a direct line with their customers.

Alibaba drives 618 shopping with CEO livestreams

People are surviving with what they can afford, and what they can afford is often disposable. Consciously or not, this leads to a demand for alternative wellness as a coping mechanism. In China, young people are using fragrance to combat how economic woes make them feel – and the nicher, the better.

How Chinese Gen Zers use fragrances as wellness escapism

Chinese clothing is no longer synonymous with low cost and low quality, thanks to “fast luxury” store Urban Revivo. With its carefully curated collections, unique concept stores, and organic online following, it might just be the newest top-of-mind brand for local fashion enthusiasts.

Why Urban Revivo tailors Chinese luxury into fast fashion

Fashion trends are evolving among Chinese Gen Zers, who are reacting to changes in the economy and society. Showing their emotions through colour-centric trends like Dopamine and Tyndall illustrates how fashion is being used as a tool for self-expression and protest.

How Chinese Gen Zers use fashion to express their emotions

Amid economic shifts, China’s fast-food industry is booming. Driven by affordability, convenience, and culture, homegrown and international brands are tasting further success in the industry, highlighting how customer preferences and economic conditions are reshaping the Chinese fast-food landscape.

Inside the fast-food industry boom in China

Luckin’s rapid rise has overshadowed giants like Starbucks. The coffee chain’s reign was cemented in 2023 when it opened 8,000 new stores. Its popularity comes from its high-profile collaborations and social media chic, but will it hold its own against a neo-coffee culture in China?

How Luckin became a staple for China’s coffee lovers

As nationalistic pride soars in China, along with more disposable income, aspiration, and a need for novelty, people are hyper-tuned into traditional romantic festivals like 520 Day and the shopping that comes with it. International luxury brands want in, but can they compete with domestic ones?

What is 520 Day, and why do Chinese shoppers love to spend for it?

Tea’Stone has captured the hearts and tastebuds of China’s Gen Z, injecting fresh energy into a heritage category. With an authentic, craft-led approach that reinterprets tradition with innovative flair, the brand shows what third spaces and slow living can look like for China’s youth.

How Tea’Stone brews a third space for Chinese tea lovers

While fewer people around the world are going to cinemas to catch the latest film releases, moviegoing is booming in China. This shift comes with higher box office numbers, growing appreciation for local cinema, and a decline in Hollywood’s decades-long foothold in the international market.

How Chinese moviegoers created a booming box office

A viral social media trend – ‘Twenty Minutes in the Park’ – is sending droves of young people in China to local parks to slow down and regain mental balance. In response, brands are setting up events in parks to resonate with their audiences through a variety of green activities.




Stressed urbanites are flocking to parks in China

China’s local fast-fashion brands are flourishing and outperforming international competitors thanks to a rising preference for homegrown products. From respect and transparency to immersive experiences, what notes can other labels take to win over the powerhouse that is the Chinese shopper?

Why are Chinese shoppers progressing to homegrown fast fashion?

China's coffee industry is booming, driven by the growth of independent cafes that are attracting coffee enthusiasts with unique offerings and community events. The trend is spreading from megacities to smaller towns, where localized flavours and cultural experiences are winning over residents.

Coffee craze booms in China through hyper-local flavours

Though not a mainstream sport, pickleball is making a racket among Gen Y and Z Chinese youth due to its Xiaohongshu-friendly urban core outfits and low-commitment, low-impact nature. However, it could explode in popularity and even become an Olympic sport, creating plenty of growth opportunities.

Why pickleball is making a racket among Chinese sports fans

Long before the ‘hot girl’ movement propelled reading into the mainstream consciousness, China was already a country filled with bibliophiles. Today, its bookstores are fulfilling a new role, serving as community hubs and brand opportunities to strengthen customer loyalty.

How China’s bookstores are evolving experiential retail

Chinese Gen Zers’ financial concerns are changing where and how they shop on social channels. From deal hunting to virtual influence, what do brands need to know about the new realities of social commerce in the country – and where do the biggest opportunities for innovation lie?

Gen Zers’ thrifty mindsets are changing social shopping in China

Chinese sneaker brands are rising in demand, while those abroad are trying to adapt to shoppers' shifting (and increasingly nationalistic) preferences. Some have even gained worldwide recognition, while international giants like Adidas and Nike struggle to keep the interest of young local shoppers.

Why are China’s sneakerheads choosing to go local?

The Nescafé espresso concentrate taps into younger generations' taste for iced drinks and makes at-home enjoyment easier. As coffee consumption continues to evolve, offerings like this provide both customisation and convenience for those looking to expand their drink options.

Nestlé launches espresso concentrates for cold drinks

As life expectancy continues to grow, the number of older people is shooting up globally. But in China, the country's social security systems aren’t prepared to provide people with decent income and comfortable lifestyles as they age, leading droves of seniors to the brink of poverty.


Poverty among Chinese seniors necessitates pension reform

Chinese women are sharing advice on how to cut back, posting their daily spending online for their 'savings partners' to see. With citizens under pressure from the economic slowdown and rising childcare and parental care costs, these saving communities are providing critical support.

Online savings support groups help Chinese women budget

After a drastic makeover went viral, Westerners flocked to Xiaohongshu (also known as Red), a Chinese social networking app, in search of makeover tips. They’ve also delighted in Red users’ honest but not unkind feedback, a byproduct of Chinese culture that is seeing growing appreciation globally.

Why Xiaohongshu’s Chinese users are consulted for frank makeovers

International fashion brands’ sustainability strategies sometimes fail in China because they are unaware of the local culture. What is the modern narrative Chinese people seek regarding the environment, and how can brands understand their consumption attitudes and behaviour toward being eco-minded?

Why is localisation the key to sustainable fashion for Chinese shoppers?

Ever inventive and enterprising, Chinese Gen Zers have concocted low-maintenance, low-effort ways to look after their health. But when tried-and-tested solutions get lumped together in the same category as experimental nutritional plans, how can the youth actually stay holistically healthy?

Understanding the effects of ‘lazy health’ on Chinese Gen Zers

To mark its 100th anniversary, Unilever's LUX has joined forces with VML Singapore to create 100 new, empowering names for Chinese women. Drawing attention to the harmful impact of names with outdated and even sexist meanings, the brand joins an effort to rework attitudes to gender and femininity.

Campaign highlights the damaging impact of sexist names 

Chinese youth are fleeing megacities in favor of slower lives in small towns, as money worries and a tough job market hamper their ambition. As economic troubles continue to leave young people behind, many are reacting by changing their priorities and looking for slower lives in smaller cities.

Chinese youth flee megacities for a slower life

Chinese Gen Zers are stunning netizens by showcasing their drastic transformations from work stress, dubbed 'The Stench of Work'. As Chinese young people explore alternatives like "lying flat" or the '45-degree life', career dissatisfaction and mental health priorities are leading people to quit.

Chinese Gen Zers share their work-related glow-downs

A supermarket chain in China has introduced ‘Sad Leave’ for its employees, allowing ten days of annual leave dedicated to days when they’re simply feeling a bit down. As attitudes to work and wellbeing shift away from hustle culture, companies will be expected to lead with empathy and flexibility.

'Sad leave' prioritises employee wellbeing in China

A collaboration between fragrance brand Documents and funeral goods provider Greatroam has produced a creative incense burner that taps into the wave of 'guochao' in China. Young people in the country are seeking contemporary takes on heritage to celebrate culture and access a sense of stability.

Incense burner collab brings luxury to Qingming Festival

Boys’ Love media usually features fresh-faced male characters encountering slightly varied struggles. Heaven Official’s Blessing smartly subverts these tropes, placing a queer couple in a distinctly traditional Chinese context and putting their character development at the centre of the story.

Why Heaven Official’s Blessing rewrites Asian boys' romance

A growing number of young Chinese people are investing in gold charms and jewellery in an effort to safely store their money amid economic volatility. As people grapple with uncertainty and a lack of trust, many are searching for decentralised approaches outside the mainstream to feel secure.

Chinese Gen Z turn to gold investments for security

China’s young people are abandoning their retirement plans as low pay and a difficult labour market hurt their future prospects. Gen Zers and Yers are looking for financial support and education as their optimism dissipates and an uncertain and potentially difficult future looms.

Disillusioned Chinese Gen Zers abandon retirement plans

In a quiet act of rebellion against strict rules in the workplace, young Chinese workers are flaunting their most 'gross' outfits at work. Beyond being comfy in their workwear, they're looking for ways to show up to work on their own terms, pushing back against rigid societal norms.

Young Chinese workers push back with 'gross' outfits

Why are China’s youth giving up their hard-earned credentials to become ‘full-time children?’ How did rest become an act of rebellion? How has the pandemic affected shopping habits in China? This Cultural Snapshot uses local stats to explore the behavioural norms shared by people in China in 2024.

A Cultural Snapshot of China: 2024

Luxury brand Loewe is telling its story to Chinese luxury consumers in a showcase that adds local flair to the brand’s rich history. As the Chinese luxury market grows, the ‘Crafted World’ show aims to help Loewe stand out via global brand ambassador Yang Mi and an immersive WeChat experience.

Loewe’s immersive show taps into heritage and history

Government censorship, sexual harassment, and anti-feminist sentiments have driven Chinese women away from their favourite social networking apps, which has translated to an ever-growing ‘she-economy’ in which they are making purchases – and even creating new brands – that empower them further.

How Chinese women are reclaiming social media from anti-feminists

Dune: Part Two is shaping up to be a major hit in China. The film has spawned internet memes and inspired fashion trends on social media. Following in the footsteps of Barbie’s success among Chinese audiences, it speaks to opportunities for more cross-border engagement with global cultural products.

Dune captivates China despite anti-Hollywood shift

KFC’s Crazy Thursdays promos have moved netizens and Chinese diners with clever memes and content that have spawned wildly viral moments. From the start of its ‘V50 Get Rich Quick Nuggets’ campaign, the fast-food giant has blended humour with hot deals to spice up weekly dining rituals.

How KFC wields meme culture to own Thursdays in China

Chinese personal care brand Hi!Papa has gained success by filling a vacuum in the market between all-in-one infant/baby products and teen/adult skincare and cosmetics. How did it tap into the broader kids’ skincare and cosmetics trend, and what can brands learn from this?

How Hi!Papa invites Chinese kids into playful skincare

In China, female empowerment is becoming correlated with increases in luxury spending, as achieving success in personal or professional lives is being rewarded through luxury products. For brands, leveraging exclusive offline experiences is becoming a popular strategy when appealing to HNWIs.

Clé de Peau Beauté targets HNWIs with offline activation

Solar terms that mark seasonal shifts are often used in Chinese customs, but brands have recently been using them to revive tradition. With young Chinese citizens seeking a connection to nature amid modern pressures, promoting breaks in nature for wellbeing can also help strengthen ties to culture.

Solar campaigns in China resonate with exhausted Gen Zers

Chinese EV makers are racing to introduce innovative lifestyle and entertainment attributes that cater to prominent cultural trends. As expectations of technology – and the quality of life it provides – increase, the automotive industry has to adapt to fulfil these changing consumer needs.

Chinese EV makers focus on innovative functionality

Foreigners are turning to Chinese netizens on Xiaohongshu for makeover advice with the 听劝 trend. Chinese users act as mentors for global users, offering hyper-local knowledge and deepening the intercultural exchange that has been booming in the beauty industry, with local heritage taking precedence.

Chinese netizens are giving cross-cultural beauty advice

Hoards of shoppers from Hong Kong and southern areas of China have flocked to the opening of a Costco. As a protracted economic slowdown continues to put downward pressure on purchasing pressure in China, brands are supporting consumers they’ve typically leant on for aspirational luxury purchases.

Costco popularity highlights tightening budgets in China

On Chinese New Year's Eve, Japanese monk Kanho Yakushiji played a sold-out EDM show. His fusion of Buddhist sutras, rock, and electronic music reflects a trend of Chinese youth blending modernism with ancient traditions in a quest for stability and escape from societal pressures.

EDM Monk appeals to Chinese netizens' desire for stability

As part of an attempt to change China’s title as the world’s biggest polluter and bridge the say-do gap in EV adoption, homegrown brands are working double time to make innovation as accessible as possible. BYD rises to the top of this list, overtaking Tesla’s dominance in the eco-driving market.

How BYD speeds up Chinese drivers’ access to green vehicles

Ele.me's campaign spoke to those returning to work after the Lunar New Year holidays, highlighting a season of rest. Young people in China are turning to tradition and spirituality to navigate high stress levels, and campaigns like this speak to their concerns and allow them to feel heard.

Delivery service’s marketing fights seasonal blues

Research has found a surge in spending and travelling by Chinese tourists primarily during Lunar New Year – in response to regular lockdowns during COVID-19. This boom speaks to how people are looking to shop, eat, drink, and have authentic cultural experiences not just domestically, but globally.

Revenge travel booms in China during Lunar New Year

The Chinese EV maker has announced its entry into the European market with its ultra-premium line, Yangwang. While European buyers continue to show hesitation around Chinese brands, there’s an opportunity to explore more novel forms of luxury storytelling to enhance customer trust.

BYD looks to conquer European luxury EV market

With youth unemployment in China reaching record highs, graduates are increasingly opting for vocational training to give themselves a fighting chance in a crowded job market. The shift suggests a glaring mismatch between the Chinese education system and the current labour market.

Interest in practical skills soar among China graduates

CunBA, a form of ‘grassroots basketball,’ has taken over Chinese social media with its widescale livestreaming of games featuring smaller towns, eliciting competitive hype around the sport. It brings China’s disparate minorities closer while raising a new, promising crop of homegrown ball players.

How CunBA carries grassroots sports to online virality

Older Chinese individuals are breaking away from traditional norms and exploring the tender world of modern dating. Their quest for companionship is marked by an openness to building relationships, increasingly facilitated by digital platforms like dating apps and livestreaming channels.

How China’s older adults navigate the world of modern love

On Kuaishou, you’re likely to find slices of life in the countryside on videos or live broadcasts. The app has enabled countryfolk to break into the digital landscape, leading to the rise of rural content creation and e-commerce that empowers market growth in the middle of village life.

Why Kuaishou grows the influence of rural living in China

China’s top developers face scorn from the nation as they file for corporate default, leaving homeowners-to-be far from the promised land. As the Chinese youth are caught between a housing crisis and long-standing expectations of home ownership, they have resorted to living in ‘refined poverty.’

Young Chinese people resort to ‘refined poverty’ amid housing crisis

Spicy lattes – with sliced chillis and hot pepper powder – are the latest iteration of crazy coffee flavours that have emerged in recent years in China. While the drink makes for great content, it also nods to a growing interest in innovative recipes that draw on the country's traditional culture.

Spicy lattes are the latest iteration of crazy coffee

Clothing brand PH5 is turning heads with its experimental knitwear designs and commitment to ethical fashion. In a world increasingly seeking luxury and sustainability in equal measure, that might be just the ticket to set it apart and elevate China’s worldwide fashion profile.

How PH5 stitches lasting luxury into ‘Made in China’ labels

The Chinese lifestyle app launched a new 'nearby' section to make finding local gems easier for users and connecting with people around them as they travel. This feature highlights the way people are increasingly looking for niche local finds and ways to blend their on and offline interactions.

Xiaohongshu launches 'nearby' tab in-app for local recs

Amid China’s booming beauty market, there’s still a notable gap in mature beauty options. Brands face the task of appealing to the country’s thriving multi-billion dollar silver economy – the ageing who are digitally savvy, financially able, and discerning in their expenses.

‘Mom beauty’: the self-care boom among Chinese Gen Xers

The Soul app has proved successful in combating loneliness among China’s Gen Z population by promoting healthy social relationships. Now, brands are using it to better understand the generation’s nationalistic tendencies and need for connection, leading to various marketing success stories.

How Soul helps lonely Chinese Gen Zers make more friends

E-commerce giant Meituan has launched an in-app feature that helps customers avoid last-minute shopping during Chinese New Year. As super apps become ubiquitous, there’s an opportunity to help ease customers’ mental load and enable them to stay present in the everyday occasions that truly matter.

Meituan makes Chinese New Year a stress-free celebration

For the seventh edition of its Lunar New Year short film, Apple has produced  Little Garlic for its 'Shot on iPhone' platform. This content flexes the capability of Apple's hardware while focusing on stirring storytelling, speaking to consumers who are growing weary of intrusive advertising.

Apple's Lunar New Year short combats advertising fatigue

Faced with algorithmically enforced censorship on social media, users are relying on algospeak, a form of coded speech, to communicate. How can platforms protect free cultural and political expression while ensuring that algospeak isn’t used to disguise harmful online speech?

How is 'algospeak' changing online activism language?

As the Year of the Dragon approaches, sales of dragon-themed products have seen explosive growth on e-commerce platforms in China. The traditional cultural symbol of good luck and prosperity is resonating particularly with young consumers, who are driving the country's guochao movement.

Chinese buyers drive sales of dragon-related products 

Chinese game developer Papergames has launched Love and Deepspace, an immersive 3D-style dating sim that’s garnering massive hype in China. Its success speaks to how virtual romance games are providing Chinese women with an alternative outlet to assert agency over their intimate lives.

Sci-fi dating sim captivates Chinese women gamers

Pet ownership in China is changing, with young people opting for low-maintenance fish over demanding cats and dogs. With stress levels at an all-time high, and a desire to buck tradition, Chinese youth are looking for ways to disconnect, feel relaxed, and avoid high-pressure situations.

Chinese youths opt for fish as easy pet alternatives

Lululemon's ‘Be Spring’ campaign starring Michelle Yeoh has drawn mixed responses in light of founder Chip Wilson’s anti-diversity remarks. As brands navigate an increasingly complex DE&I landscape, demonstrating inclusion as an ongoing practice and a strong grasp of market-specific nuances are key.

Lululemon’s Lunar New Year ad gives mixed DE&I messaging

In an unprecedented move, one of China’s most popular livestream sellers is pivoting away from Douyin. As cross-border content and product discovery become more porous than ever, there’s an opportunity to cater to anti-gatekeeping desires and facilitate intercultural experiences online.

Chinese livestreamers look beyond Douyin to expand reach

The Hong Kong director’s debut TV series, Blossoms Shanghai, has sparked a domestic travel boom in the city of the same name. It’s speaking to people’s desire for hyperlocal nostalgia and escapism, and there’s an opportunity for brands to dial up the simulation when courting fandom-minded tourists.

Wong Kar-wai’s ‘Blossoms Shanghai’ spurs fan-led travel

Prada has released a Chinese New Year campaign that harks back to the olden days of Shanghai. With visual references to Wong Kar-wai, the ad is capitalising on people’s renewed interest in Shanghainese history while also speaking to luxury brands' growing efforts to court cinephiles.

Prada revives Old Shanghai in Chinese New Year campaign

KFC has tapped into rising interest in Buddhism among China's youth with a coffee launch and partnership with a sacred site. Amid high levels of unemployment and a turbulent post-pandemic economy, young people are driving interest in religious locations in search of supportive spirituality.




KFC coffee launch taps growing spirituality in China

Following efforts to champion Chinese ceramics, Loewe's Lunar New Year 2024 campaign pays homage to the ancient art of jade carving. Tapping into 'guochao' sentiments, it demonstrates how to nail cultural appreciation at a time when people have grown tired of trite attempts at localising luxury.

Loewe spotlights Chinese jade carvers for Lunar New Year

Consumer electronics brand Xiaomi is launching its first electric car with the unveiling of the SU7. The brand is taking a ‘human-centric’ approach that aims to mesh the in-car UX with the experience of its smartphone users, creating a point of difference as battery technology and range improve.

Xiaomi takes a human centric approach to EVs

In China, some online platforms have a system where users can become ‘cyber jurors’ to deliberate and cast votes in resolving disputes between buyers and sellers. While not quite an unbiased tool for justice, it plays a role in generating greater engagement and community through participation.

Chinese platforms turn to crowdsourcing online disputes

Capybaras are becoming Gen Z in China's favourite animals to look at online. Seen as icons of tranquillity and emotional stability, they embody the relaxed lifestyle and unwavering self-assurance that the youth aspire to emulate at a time of growing loneliness, anxiety and work discontent. 

Young Chinese netizens are obsessed with capybara energy

A decade since its first store in China, the retail store MINISO has seen itself become a global lifestyle brand offering affordable, top-quality products. With thousands of locations globally, it entices ‘kidults’ through blind boxes and themed stores that elevate the dollar-store experience.

Why MINISO spreads the ‘kidult’ lifestyle in global retail

Fendi has unveiled a collaboration with Hiroshi Fujiwara’s streetwear label Fragment and Pokémon to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Dragon. These limited-edition, NFT-accompanied collabs offer consumers ever-expanding ways to signal status and exclusivity while remaining culturally relevant.




China