Category
More than 100 million drivers in China are now equipped with electronic toll collection (ETC) devices to pay automatically when driving on the country’s highways, and this number is expected to grow a further 40% to 180 million by the end of 2019.
INSIGHT & IMPLICATION: Starting from this year, the Chinese government is pushing ETC installation to Chinese drivers in order to build a national intelligent transport system for connected cars. This system could act as a platform for smart technology, including collection of data on route choices, emergency brake usage as well traffic patterns and possible accident prediction. Data collected by ETC will be very valuable for auto and other brands and could help them better understand Chinese drivers’ driving behavior. But in order to be able to access these, brands need to ensure that the contribution they’re offering in return can help improve traffic safety and awareness of it while keeping their own communications and business objectives in mind. click for more…
Consumer
16.6% of Chinese adults have experienced mental illness at some point in their lives, especially among young residents in highly developed regions, 33% of them suffering from stress, anxiety or depression.
INSIGHT & IMPLICATION: Increased stress level among the young generation in China is not an uncommon topic. That is why a significant number of them has turned to gaming as a way to release pressure. As millennials become the main consumption power, even luxury brands are starting to integrate gaming platforms into their campaigns (e.g. Hermès’ mobile app H-pitchhh). Furthermore, growing up without siblings has also contributed to loneliness, fueling the booming of online communities, with many catering to users sharing the same interests and passions, such as vertical social network QQ’s Kuolie (“扩列”). Online video platform Bilibili’s unique ACG ambiance also lures young consumers passionate about anime, gaming and comics to check-in daily on the platform and actively contribute to its community. By leveraging this psychological issue, brands have great opportunities to establish a strong emotional bond by helping develop communities and further enhancing their experiences. click for more…
Culture
Online fitness has become one of the choices for many consumers to stay healthy. In 2018, 42.7% of Chinese sports and fitness enthusiasts used smart devices while working out. The number of monthly active users (MAUs) of China’s sports and fitness apps also increased by 16.1% year-on-year.
INSIGHT & IMPLICATION: Sports and fitness upgrades have rapidly been moving forward to the era of digital, including the usage of artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT fitness devices. WeChat has revolutionized communication, payments, and online shopping, but is also driving changes in the industries such as fitness, where this platform and its Mini Programs are used by gym brands to help members customize their classes and programs and help track their progress. Furthermore, these ‘high-tech’ features allow users to have competitions and see how their peers are doing, which often encourages users to continue exercising and not give up. These users are often offered incentives like special titles (“champion”, “leader” etc.) and prizes, including free membership. Contributing to the healthy lifestyle represents an opportunity not only for fitness and gym brands, but also food, personal care, apparel and footwear brands, who need to think what role they could play and how they can enhance digitized fitness experiences while reaching their own business and marketing goals at the same time. click for more…
Media
According to iResearch, the ranking of the top 5 short video platforms (Douyin, Kuaishou, Xigua, Huoshan and Baidu Haokan) has remained stable in June, 2019 with each platform, apart from Baidu Haokan, seeing a further growth of monthly active users (MAU) to 407.07 million (Douyin, +2.39% month-on-month), 304.72 million (Kuaishou, +1.01% MOM), 172.09 million (Xigua, +1.22% MOM), 168.32 million (Huoshan, +0.26% MOM) and 107.51 million (Baidu Haokan, -2.12% MOM).
INSIGHT & IMPLICATION: Short video platforms in China keep growing and grabbing more screen time with its engaging content across all city tiers. In addition to content, platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou are increasingly strengthening their eCommerce features, meaning that brands now have an opportunity to grow not only consumer engagement, but also sales conversion. That said, in order to fully utilize the power of short video platforms in China, brands need to ensure that they understand how users behave on each platform and that the creative solutions they implement are customized according to the nature and spirit of each platform. Implementing the existing video solutions utilized on long form online video platforms such as iQiyi and Tencent Video will not bring the desired results and might cause a significant media investment waste. click for more…
Have a great weekend!
