2020 has been a tough year all along. But during the turmoil of a global pandemic and global economic crisis, there were brands that still insisted on spreading messages of hope and empowerment. There were also brands that inspired us with their creativity and adaptability, offering new products that resonated with Chinese culture on another level. These are the brands that made our handpicked list of the 10 most epic marketing campaigns in China in 2020.
Our team evaluated the "epicness" of each marketing campaign in China based on 6 criteria:
- creative and adaptable– the ability to present new ideas in an increasingly competitive market. While all marketing campaigns are “creative” to some degree, campaigns scoring high on creativity resonated with Chinese audiences through clever localization methods and use of humor.
- brave and daring– these are the campaigns that didn't play it safe and still succeeded. They may have challenged the status quo or risked their reputation to share a reputation consistent with their values.
- positive impact— whether through philanthropy, sustainability or consumer empowerment. These campaigns are uplifting and inspiring and make the world a better place.
- Visible– The goal of any marketing campaign is to be seen by a lot of people, especially the right people. Some campaigns gain visibility by investing in putting their message on a major platform, while others generate buzz on social media and generate organic traffic.
- game changer– These innovative campaigns did something unique and, thanks to their success, are likely to be followed by other brands in the future.
- emotionally moving– Many brands used exciting means to resonate with audiences, such as While other brands moved us with humor and optimism.
Some trends we saw in 2020 were a continuation of manyThe co-branding campaignthat really took off in 2018 and also opened up groups of young consumersNostalgie-Marketing. Finally, after guochao, or the popularity and support of traditional Chinese culture, local brands are on the rise and foreign brands are finding ways to show their appreciation for Chinese culture.
These are the 10 most epic marketing campaigns of 2020
Nike Hongbao Lunar New Year Campaign

Fonte: Nike, Red Cover Campaign
ONike campaign showcased Chinese traditionhanding out red envelopes full of money during the New Year. This Chinese TVC campaign put a humorous spin on Chinese courtesy and humility. When other sportswear brands jumped into celebrity endorsements, Nike took a more responsible path.
TVC shows elders desperately trying to hand out red envelopes and children desperately refusing. In this down-to-earth ad, every year an aunt faces stiff competition to get her headstrong but humble niece to accept her red envelope. As she grows up, the time always comes to accept her aunt's red envelope, so she puts on her Nikes and decides to run away from her aunt, fighting more and more each year.
At TVC, Nike shoes have become synonymous with rejecting the red envelope. In the last scene, the adult niece opens the door to greet her aunt with a red envelope, but the aunt is wearing Nike sneakers.
The used Nike campaignpositive feelingsEncourage customers to take action and buy products. This campaign gained high visibility by adapting to Chinese culture.

Fonte de dados: Daxue Consulting, The 10 Most Epic China Marketing Campaigns of 2020, Nike's New Year Campaign
Apples Women Empowerment-Kampagne

What: Global Times, Apple China 2020 Campaign
In 2020, Apple brought a lotemotional and inspirational marketing campaignto demonstrate the high quality of the new phone's camera. Continuing the cinematic storytelling style of Apple's Spring Festival commercial, the 8-minute short film tells the story of a single mother played byZhou Xun. The main character has a conflict with her mother, who believes that it is not a woman's duty to enter the job market. The mother needs to support her daughter and takes her daughter for a walk with her while she becomes a taxi driver. At the end of the video, the grandmother finds her daughter's taxi and reconciles with her daughter bringing cookies.
This campaign is based on a true story - a taxi driver Li Shaoyun from Wuhan. Not only does this ad show mothers' love, but it also inspires nostalgia in viewers about their mothers' New Year's Eve meal. The short film explores family nostalgia while delivering an empowering message for women.

Fonte de dados: Daxue Consulting, The 10 Most Epic China Marketing Campaigns of 2020, Apple's New Year Campaign
AirBnb Chinese New Year Campaign

Source: The Drum, Airbnb Chinese New Year campaign
As many young people in China now live in big cities, not everyone has the opportunity to visit their parents on Chinese New Year.China's Airbnbcreated an emotional marketing campaign showing how she can help bring families together. The three-and-a-half-minute 3D animation tells the story of Jiajia, a young nurse who seeks her dream job in a big city, but cannot return to her hometown on New Year's Eve. Her parents are saddened by the news that she won't be able to come home for the holidays, but they surprise her by renting an Airbbnb in Shanghai so they can be together.
This marketing campaign promotes yourbrand equity, that is, the platform can bring families together for the Chinese New Year and work miracles.

Fonte de dados: Daxue Consulting, The 10 Most Epic China Marketing Campaigns of 2020, Airbnb Chinese New Year Campaign
The ultimate Coca-Cola location with Ginger

Quelle: WhatsOnWeibo, Ginger Coca-Cola in China
Noting that the Chinese have started to heat up Coke and add ginger as a cold remedy, the soda brand has joined the trend with a localized product based on three years of market research.
The first time Coca-Cola launched a gingerbread-flavored limited edition marketing campaign in China was in 2017. At that time, Coca-Cola realized the needs of Chinese consumers, introduced gingerbread-flavored cola products in some regions and received good feedback.
In 2019, based on consumer feedback, the product development team made another major product update. First, the R&D team decided to use real ginger juice."coca cola ingwer', and kept adjusting the types of ginger and the concentration of the ginger juice. The new product not only restored Coke's traditional ginger flavor, but also maintained a "hot and spicy" balance. A balance to which health benefits are attributed in Chinese medicine.
In 2020, Coca-Cola officially launched its location campaign. The company included it in its marketing campaign, introducing a hot drink made with ginger juice that was meant to be heated to drink.

Fonte de dados: Daxue Consulting, The 10 Most Epic China Marketing Campaigns of 2020, Coca-Cola's Ginger Campaign in China
Perfect Diary - International Nurses Day

Source: Perfect Diary, International Nurses Day campaign
Perfect Diary shows the waychinese cosmetics brand. The company's target groups areChinese Generation Zand Millennials, who have a special fondness for brands that offer personalized products and services and have a strong Chinese identity.
In 2020, Perfect Diary decided to create a digital campaign in China to commemorate International Nurses Day, featuring images of nurses right after their shift ended and their photo after renovation. Perfect Diary also held a makeup class for medical staff in Guangzhou.may 2020. Perfect Diary's senior makeup artists taught makeup skills to nurses at 18 hospitals.
This digital campaign in China expresses gratitude for medical workers during the pandemic and has attracted a lot of attention on Chinese social media and has made the tedious work that nurses do for our health and safety more widely known.

Datenquelle: Daxue Consulting,China's Top 10 Most Epic Marketing Campaigns in 2020, Perfect Diary International Nurses Day Campaign
W+K - You can't hide a smile

Source: DaoInsights, W+K 2020 Campaign
Advertising agency W+K located near a hospital in Shanghai was inspired to cheer people up ahead of the Chinese New Year. Since the Chinese had to celebrate the New Year with masks, it was difficult to see the emotions of loved ones. That's why W+K launched the "You Can't Mask A Smile" campaign. Photos of masked people have been edited with funny facial expressions.
This digital campaign in China helped showcase the brand's values and its commitment to creating positive emotions. Also, advertising agencies typically don't release a physical product, which shows the creativity of agencies in finding new ways to spread joy.

Fonte de dados: Daxue Consulting, The 10 Most Epic China Marketing Campaigns of 2020, W+K You Can't Hide a Smile
Tmall TVC's New Year's Campaign in China Shows LGBT Tolerance

Source: Jing Daily, Tmall Chinese New Year campaign
TVC's campaigns in China create long-term brand awareness and shared values through storytelling. Despite being a traditional and ancient form of marketing, they are effective all over the world.
In early 2020, Tmall launched a TVC campaign in China titled “New Year', including a homosexual couple. The video sparked a heated debate online, as the LGBT community is not universally accepted in China. The general plot of the ad features the main character bringing her friend over for New Year's Eve dinner. The protagonist's father enthusiastically serves the soup to his son and friend during the meal. The son's friend happily says "Thank you dad".
Marketing campaigns with LGBT characters were few and this Tmall TVC was one of the most visible. Due to strict censorship, it is risky for brands to include LGBT concepts, this campaign was a bold move by Tmall, and the result was emotionally moving and impactful.

Datenquelle: Daxue Consulting,10 Most Epic Marketing Campaigns From China In 2020, Tmall's New Year TVC
Tmalls 11.11 cat game

Quelle: Scmp, Tmall Cat Game
Another trend in marketing campaigns in China isgamification. This makes it possible to make the user experience with the brand more engaging and attract a large number of new customers.
In its second epic marketing campaign of 2020, Tmall leveraged gamification as its 11.11 promotion. The main task was to log into the app every day and feed the cat, which earned them gold coins.
By playing this game, users received red envelopes and shared them with friends. These points can be appliedDupla Our 2020discounts. The company distributed more than 100 yuan in red envelopes3 million people.
Until this year, most gamification campaigns were competitive, but Cat Game was collaborative. This brings a new perspective on gamification that other brands may follow in the future.

Datenquelle: Daxue Consulting,Top 10 Most Epic China Marketing Campaigns in 2020, Tmall 11.11 Cat Game
Charity campaign for the British juice brand "Innocent".

Quelle: Thatsmags, Innocent Juice in China
Philanthropy and social marketing have become increasingly popular in recent years. A global survey conducted bynobleshowed that 85% of consumers prefer socially responsible brands, 70% are willing to pay more for these brands.
Innocent Juice is a British company dedicated to the development of healthy drinks. In the production of juice, it also actively participates in charitable causes. Every year, the company donates 10% of its global profits to help people in need. Innocent is committed to energy saving and recyclable production methods in a non-profit and sustainable wayReduction of CO2 emissionsduring transport.
Since the beginning of 2020, the Innocent Foundation has participated84 projectson five continents and donated more than 57 million yuan. The brand entered the Chinese market in 2020, bringing its philanthropic campaign to China. Innocence sends a donation of RMB 1 from the profit of each bottle to give free food to children in remote areas. As charities are not as common in China as they are in the West, this campaign left a deep and positive impression on consumers.

Fonte de dados: Daxue Consulting, The 10 Most Epic China Marketing Campaigns of 2020, Innocent Philanthropic Marketing Campaign that China
Budweiser e Ele.me #BUD-Meal Slot Machine Budweiser Play Beer Machine

Source: adsofttheworld, Budweiser x Eleme collaboration
More and more consumers in China prefer foreign brands of alcohol. This is due to the growing caution of younger generations when choosing a brand. Also in 2020O2O food deliveryin China is more relevant than ever in the context of the corona virus. This has become a great platform for marketing campaigns in China, especially for collaboration with other brands.
Budweiser and Ele.me's co-branding initiative is a digital campaign built on the understanding that people often struggle to decide what to eat when ordering. Budweiser and Ele.me simplify the process by pairing beer with food. The digital and physical version of the BUD Food slot machine allows consumers to receive different food combinations with Budweiser. Consumers can click the Playing Beer Machine toggle for appropriate packaging recommendations, such as KFC's Fried Chicken + Budweiser or Crabs + Budweiser package. Also, users can get various coupons.

Datenquelle: Daxue Consulting,China's Top 10 Most Epic Marketing Campaigns in 2020, Budweiser and Ele.me Co-Branded Campaign
How your brand can make the list of 2021 epic marketing campaigns
Will your brand make the list of the most epic marketing campaigns of 2021? Market research is the first step, contact our team atdx@daxueconsulting.comto start yourChina market research project.
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FAQs
What are the most famous campaigns? ›
- Nike: Just Do It. Ad Campaign: Print, Television, Internet. Source: brandchannel. ...
- Coke: Share a Coke. Ad Campaign: Print. ...
- Absolut Vodka: The Absolut Bottle. Ad Campaign: Print. ...
- Anheuser-Busch: Whassup (1999) Ad Campaign: Television.
- Branding is everything in China: Brand Building and EReputation First.
- Social Media as a Brand Awareness Tool.
- Engagement will make the difference.
- KOL as sales channels.
- e-Commerce is more powerful than retail.
- Explore niche & specialized platforms.
- Nike: "Just Do It" Campaign.
- Pepsi: The "Is Pepsi OK?" Campaign.
- California Milk Processor Board: "Got Milk?" Campaign.
- Dove: "Real Beauty" Campaign.
- Old Spice: "The Man Your Man Can Smell Like" Campaign.
- Coca-Cola: "Share a Coke" Campaign.
- Snickers: “You're not you when you're hungry.”
- GoPro: “Awards” Campaign.
Western marketers do not aim to be slow, of course. But there is a central difference in approach, with large Western firms emphasizing scale and efficiency (a profit mindset) while Chinese marketers focus on speed and growth (a revenue mindset).
What are examples of good marketing campaigns? ›Coca-Cola's Share a Coke Campaign
Share a Coke became a way to tell someone you were thinking of them. The genius of this highly successful campaign was its simplicity. By using “Share a Coke” as its call to action, Coke inspired customers to buy more than they usually would.
Search engine marketing campaign. Social media marketing campaign. User-generated content (UGC) marketing campaign.
What is the most popular form of advertising in China? ›Like in other parts of the world, social media advertising is an important aspect of advertising products in China. The most popular platforms in China for this purpose are WeChat and Weibo. As the largest channels in the country, many businesses use these two major sites to advertise their products.
What is the best market entry strategy for China? ›Consider a Regional Approach
A strategy that focuses on a niche or a specific region can often be the best initial approach for smaller companies. China's consumer market is divided by geography, income levels, and age. Given the size of the country, even niche markets can be highly profitable.
Wangfujing Street
It is also home to a number of large department stores, souvenir stores, food stalls, and Chinese painting stores.
...
So how can you ensure you are putting together a gold-standard integrated marketing strategy?
- Set Goals + Objectives. ...
- Define Your Audience. ...
- Choose Your Channels + Allocate Budget. ...
- Create Adaptive Assets.
What campaigns are successful? ›
- Volkswagen: Think Small. ...
- Nike: Just Do It. ...
- Absolut Vodka: The Absolut Bottle. ...
- 4. California Milk Processor Board: Got Milk? ...
- Dove: Real Beauty. ...
- Apple: Get A Mac. ...
- Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.
Most effective marketing strategy: SEO marketing
SEO or search engine marketing tops the list of effective marketing strategies for small business, because it forms the base that all your other online marketing strategies will build upon.
Although a challenging marketplace, China's vast size, growing wealth, changing demographics, and economic transformation continues to create opportunities for well-prepared U.S. firms. China's gross domestic product (GDP), and its market is larger than that of Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and India – combined.
How does China market affect the U.S economy? ›Trade surged: the value of U.S. goods imports from China rose from about $100 billion in 2001 to $500 billion in 2021. This leap in imports is due in part to China's critical position in global supply chains; Chinese factories assemble products for export to the United States using components from all over the world.
Why do American companies choose China over everyone else? ›Working with a manufacturing facility in China means you can reduce the production cost, without reducing volume output. This is by far the primary reason why U.S firms and entrepreneurs put up with the disadvantages of manufacturing on the other side of the world.
What are 5 examples of marketing? ›- Content marketing. ...
- Inbound marketing. ...
- Social media marketing. ...
- Search engine optimization. ...
- Email marketing. ...
- Paid media advertising.
- Marketing Campaign Goals. ...
- Understanding Your Ideal Customer Profile. ...
- Quality Content About the Need. ...
- Promotion of Content. ...
- Call To Action.
The 8 Ps of marketing is product, price, place, promotion, people, positioning, processes, and performance. The goal is to get them working together for your marketing mix.
What is a great marketing campaign? ›Good Marketing Campaign Components Defined Audience A Solid Offer A Hook Brand Awareness Advantage A good marketing campaign will appeal to a large customer base and make those customers interested and excited about that campaign.
What are the 4 types of marketing? ›What are the 4Ps of marketing? (Marketing mix explained) The four Ps are product, price, place, and promotion. They are an example of a “marketing mix,” or the combined tools and methodologies used by marketers to achieve their marketing objectives.
What is the most important part of a marketing campaign? ›
The Most Important Piece of a Marketing Plan Is Your Targeted Customer. Knowing and anticipating the wants and needs of your customers shapes all the other elements of your plan.
What is China's most popular business? ›- Copper Ore Mining in China. Revenue for 2023: $13,626,3B. ...
- Building Construction in China. Revenue for 2023: $2,797,4B. ...
- Online Shopping in China. Revenue for 2023: $2,137,9B. ...
- Real Estate Development and Management in China.
1. Sina Weibo. Weibo is among the most popular Chinese social media apps, with more than 573 million monthly active users. Owned by Sina Corporation and sometimes referred to as the Twitter of China, Weibo is a Twitter-like microblogging platform.
What is the most popular media in China? ›According to a survey on digital usage in China, around 81.6 percent of respondents had used WeChat for social networking as of the third quarter of 2022. The Twitter-like site Sina Weibo, the short video app Douyin , and its domestic rival Kuaishou were among the most popular social network services in China.
What are the best business ideas in China? ›- Manufacturing of Household Commodities.
- Online Stores.
- English-Language Schools.
- Domestic Shipping Companies.
- Mobile Phones and Accessories Businesses.
- Electronics and Gadgets.
- Jewelry or Diamonds.
- Fashion Accessories.
They tend to show off more than past generations They have more entrepreneurial and capitalistic mindsets compared to their parents. This feature can be mainly explained by the several economic reforms made by the Chinese government.
How to penetrate the Chinese market? ›- Set up a Chinese Website. ...
- Mine the Gold in the Chinese Social Media Platforms. ...
- Use of Influencers. ...
- Optimize Your Site with Relevant Chinese Keywords. ...
- Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising. ...
- Leverage the Power of Ecommerce Platforms.
Guide to Yiwu Market: The Largest Wholesale Market in the World. Many importers, even those new to the business, have heard of the twice-yearly Canton Fair in Guangzhou. But less well-known is Yiwu Market, a city home to the largest wholesale market in the world.
What is the name of the biggest market in China? ›...
Yiwu International Trade City | |
---|---|
Alternative names | China Commodity City |
General information | |
Type | Wholesale market |
Location | Yiwu, Zhejiang, China |
- Cafes, Bars & Other Drinking Establishments in China. ...
- Couriers in China. ...
- Online Shopping in China. ...
- Mattress Manufacturing in China. ...
- Mail-Order & Online Shopping in China. ...
- Alternative-Fuel Car & Automobile Manufacturing in China. ...
- In-Home Care & Other Household Services in China.
What are the six 6 major areas that requires attention in marketing? ›
The building blocks of an effective marketing strategy include the 6 P's of marketing: product, price, place, promotion, people, and presentation.
What are the four 4 key marketing principles strategies? ›The 4 basic marketing principles are product, price, place and promotion.
What is the most successful ad of all time? ›Apple's "1984" Super Bowl commercial is regularly cited as one of the most successful and memorable advertisements of all time.
Why is China so successful in business? ›Causes of China's Economic Growth
Economists generally attribute much of China's rapid economic growth to two main factors: large-scale capital investment (financed by large domestic savings and foreign investment) and rapid productivity growth.
In addition to its low labor costs, China has become known as "the world's factory" because of its strong business ecosystem, lack of regulatory compliance, low taxes and duties, and competitive currency practices.
What makes China a market economy? ›The socialist market economy (SME) is the economic system and model of economic development employed in the People's Republic of China. The system is a market economy with the predominance of public ownership and state-owned enterprises.
What does China need from the US? ›Aircraft, soybeans, motor vehicles and microchips are top U.S. exports to China. Since 2001, the share of these exports going to China has increased sharply. Soybeans and motor vehicles are targets of recent Chinese tariffs. Production of these two exports is geographically concentrated.
How much does the US owe China? ›2021, China owns $1.095 trillion of the total $28 trillion U.S. national debt.
Who has a better economy US or China? ›The U.S. has been the largest economy in the world by GDP since the metric came into favor in the mid-1900s. But China has grown at a far greater pace in recent decades, with its GDP growing from just 12% of the U.S.' in 2000 to 77% last year.
Does the US depend on China? ›Not only does China supply a tremendous amount of our consumer and commercial goods, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and vital raw materials, but it also controls a huge share of the world's shipping fleet and commercial shipbuilding capabilities.
Are any US companies leaving China? ›
Both Yahoo and LinkedIn announced their withdrawals in 2021, while being pretty clear about why they made the decision. Yahoo cited its commitment to a “free and open” internet, while LinkedIn says its decision was due to a “considerably more difficult operating environment and higher regulatory requirements.” ...
Why does the US and China not like each other? ›The two countries remain in dispute over territorial issues in the South China Sea; China claims sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, while the United States sees it as international waters and asserts the right for its warships and aircraft to conduct operations in the area.
What was the great campaign? ›The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign (GREAT) is the government's flagship international communications programme. The objective is to drive economic growth across the entire nation by encouraging an international audience to visit, study, trade, invest, live and work in the UK.
What is the most successful ad in history? ›Apple's "1984" Super Bowl commercial is regularly cited as one of the most successful and memorable advertisements of all time.
What kind of marketing is most successful? ›Social media marketing is one of the most popular types of marketing strategies. And, it's also one of the most effective to build awareness and increase sales. And it's not hard to understand why when more than 2.8 billion people use social media platforms. That's approximately 37% of the world's population!
What is the number 1 social media in the world? ›What is the most popular social media platform worldwide? Market leader Facebook was the first social network to surpass one billion registered accounts and currently sits at more than 2.9 billion monthly active users.
What is the most popular social media marketing? ›As of January 2022, Facebook was the most commonly used social media platform among marketers worldwide. According to a global survey, 90 percent of responding social media marketers used the network to promote their business, while another 79 percent did so via Instagram.
Which Facebook campaign is best? ›Video Ad. The video ad format is perhaps the most effective for Facebook PPC, no matter your industry. Facebook offers its Creator Studio tool to help you create a video or a slideshow of photos that will make up a video. You can also create your own video and upload it to Facebook.
What are campaign ideas? ›- 1) Create a Branded Hashtag to Build Social Proof. ...
- 2) Post Offers. ...
- 3) Put Your Customers on Social Media. ...
- 4) Encourage User-Generated Content. ...
- 5) Include Calls-to-Action. ...
- 6) Conduct Polls. ...
- 7) Have an Influencer Giveaway. ...
- 8) Go Behind the Scene.
The UK Government is launching a refreshed GREAT campaign as the UK prepares to take centre stage for the G7 and COP 26 summits this year. Government launches refreshed GREAT campaign, as Global Britain takes centre stage at the G7 and COP26 summits.
What is the campaign called that is run to promote Britain overseas? ›
The GREAT Britain campaign is the Government's most ambitious international marketing campaign ever, launched in 2012 to stimulate jobs and growth.
What is the most famous ad in the world? ›- Coca-Cola – “Meet Joe Greene” (1979) ...
- Budweiser – “Whassup?!” (1999) ...
- McDonald's – “The Showdown” (1993) ...
- M&M's – “They Do Exist” (1996) ...
- Old Spice – “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” (2010) ...
- Always – “Like a Girl” (2015) ...
- Life Cereal – “Mikey Likes It” (1978) ...
- Nike – Hare Jordan (1993)
Google's "Loretta" and Amazon's "Before Alexa" Super Bowl 2020 ads tied as most expensive Super Bowl commercials ever as of January 2021, with a cost of 16.8 U.S. million dollars.
What is the longest running ad campaign? ›It was such a success, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign is still in use today and is the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history!