ShanghaiZhan: All Things China Marketing, Advertising, Tech & Platforms

Welcome to the world of Clienteling: it's a world where the brand manages the client relationship. It's an online/offline integration ecosystem that is alive in China, but the West has no equivalent. In the clienteling world, retail sales become online sales associates, and brands promote their products directly to the customer database, all possible thanks to WeChat.  Aurelien Rigart, managing director and co-founder of Shanghai-based digital transformation consultancy IT Consultis (ITC), takes us on this journey. When will Clienteling come to the rest of the world?
Listen and discover!

1.  What are the biggest challenges for foreign brands embracing digital transformation in China?
2.  Is there an equivalent to the Chinese ecosystem in the West?  Will WhatsApp catch up?
3.  Is Clienteling only for luxury and high-end brands? Will it work for FMCG?
4. How do you calculate ROI in Clienteling? Answer: It depends
5.  Are there more luxury buyers, or have luxury brands kept their loyal followers?
6.  Who owns the data in a Clienteling relationship?
7.  Is there a separate Clienteling app for store personnel, or do they all connect through WeCom?
8. How do the stores get involved, and what's the social media connection?
9. Is Xiaohongshu more for awareness and WeChat more for the bottom funnel?
10.  I don't have much money; where do I start?
11. Why are brands still behind in digital transformation? It's China!
12. Should the CRM manager run the sales department?
13. A/B Test: Ye all the way! (sorry, Taylor)


Aurelien on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aurelienrigart/
About IT Consultis:  https://it-consultis.com/
Clienteling White Paper: https://it-consultis.com/blog/empowering-digital-transformation-for-elevated-clienteling-in-china/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

What opportunities exist for Chinese brands post-Olympics?  In this world of micro-targeting and community building, smaller brands can take advantage of sponsoring Chinese athletes who may not be as expensive as sports celebrities like Eileen Gu. Did the Paris Olympics help break China's overseas travel slump?  Ali and Bryce take a China marketing take on the recent Paris games.

1. Opening Ceremony: Was it successful for a social media audience?
2. Will the Paris Olympics encourage more Chinese to travel abroad?
3.  Ali talks about Yili Milk and his POV on their alternative sponsorship strategy
4.  Social media advertising Olympics vs. CCTV 5 advertisements
5. Sponsoring Olympics vs. Sponsoring Athletes - another win for Nike
6. Can micro-targeting and niche' marketing take advantage of lesser Olympic stars?
7.  How long can China Olympics winners maintain brand power potential?
8. Chinese brands using international sports stars: global expansion or Chinese association?


Ali's article in Campaign Asia: https://www.campaignasia.com/article/brand-health-check-will-yilis-meme-marketing-continue-to-succeed-post-olympics/497815

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

In 2023, over 1 million Chinese students went abroad to study, and this number is increasing as the job market sours back home. Today, we speak with Sydney-based Jimmy Lim, co-founder and Managing Director of AIG Education Group, about the Chinese overseas education phenomenon and why it shows no signs of slowing down. AI will come into play in the application process as Australian universities are now flooded with applications. 

1. Why is Australia still popular for Chinese students studying abroad?
2. Who is applying? What are the roles of the international schools in China? 
3. How do you get into a competitive program in Australia?
4. Are they coming from the Chinese Gaokao or the "international track school"?
5.  How important is a "ranked university" in China?
6. Why is Australia restricting the number of international students?
7.  is international education important in China, given increased competition?
8. How is AI going to improve the education recruitment process?
9. How will new AI tools change how Chinese students prepare for university?
10. Why do Chinese parents still use consultants to help their children get into university?
11. How can international schools in China do better to prepare students?
12.  What are the biggest educational AI innovations coming out of China?

Jimmy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmylimaig/

About AIG Education:  https://www.aigeducation.com/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

What's the new evolution of Chinese e-commerce, and why will it impact how Westerners shop?

Ali and Bryce discuss China's new livestream e-commerce transformation. It has evolved from the days of the big livestreamers to hundreds of thousands of mini-livestreamers competing for attention with only several hundred viewers. This evolution is happening on Douyin, TikTok China's cousin, which has used its sophisticated algorithm to serve just-in-time content that intuitively knows what you might just want to buy.

1. Overview of Bryce's recent trip back to Shanghai
2. Who did Bryce interview for his live stream study? What were some of the key findings?
3. What channels do they use to engage live stream commerce?
4. Why are people gravitating towards Xiaonhongshu and Douyin?
5. The growth of mini-livestream influencers (and the decline of the big players)
6.  How do mini-influencers disrupt the mass influencer model in China?
7. The importance and definition of authenticity in live streams have changed.
8. What do people buy on Douyin, and what's the role of brands in this space?
9.  How do brands make money on Douyin/TikTok these days?
10.  Will Livestream 2.0 Commerce impact the West?
11. What will happen when we have AI influencers?  Will this impact China's live stream experience?

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

Have you ever considered working for a local Chinese company? We thought we would ask 20-plus-year PR expert, ultra-marathon runner, and ethnic musicologist Harriet Gaywood, who previously worked at Chinese firm Blue Focus and recently was the VP of Public Relations at Huawei. How is it different from working at a foreign firm? What are the challenges? Is this a viable career option for new recruits?

1. What's your elevator pitch?
2. What's the state of the Chinese PR industry?  Is there room for advertising and PR agencies in today's social media world?
3. What was it like working for a local PR agency? Is there big differences?
4. How is public relations different from advertising? Is there space for both PR and advertising agencies to exist?
5.  How did Blue Focus pivot so quickly into social media?  How has its transformation been different from foreign firms?
6. What are the advantages that international agencies have over a local agency?
7.  Are language skills important?  What does it take to work at a local firm?
8.  How can foreign agencies work better with global and local Chinese companies? 
9.  Do you see the role of foreigners changing within local companies?
10. A/B Test: Strategy, Partnership & 2028 (the future!)

Harriet Gaywood On LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriet-gaywood/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

Episode 60!  Yeah!  To talk to beauty consumers on social media, beauty brands have to be adept at Chinese social media beauty slang. What's the difference between the #Boiled Water Look (白开水妆容) and #Rich Daughter Makeup (富家千金妆) )?  Elisa Harca, Co-Founder and Asia CEO of Red Ant, and Ching Xie, Client Partner at Red Ant Asia, join us in unpacking the important lingo.  Red Ant is an award-winning agency that specializes in fashion and beauty, working with some of the world's coolest brands, including LUSH, tarte, CREED, and Amika, to name a few.
1.  What's the deal with Red Ant?  How did you get into myrmecology?2.  Tell us more about Chinese internet beauty slang. Are these slang terms important for connecting with Chinese consumers?3.  Where did these terms originate from?  Can they be artificially created by celebrities and influencers?4.  Give us some examples of how brands may use beauty slang in their social media campaigns.5.  Can my looks have different slang references, or am I tied to one of them?6.  You deal with a lot of niche beauty brands? What's the secret to launching a beauty brand in China these days?7.  Which beauty categories provide the greatest opportunity for growth?8. Beauty in China is still dominated by the big global players but the local brands are catching up.  Which local brands do you see as truly stand out?  What are they doing that impresses you?9. A/B Test:  Red Book or TikTok, Brands or Products, Speed or Strength?

About Red Ant:  https://asia.redant.com/
Red Ant on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/red-ant-asia/
Elisa Harca on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisaharca/
Ching Xie on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chingxie/


For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

How do you bring a product idea to life in the area of the world that produces over 80% of the world's electronic consumer products?  Meet Troublemakers'  founder, Henk Werner. He's lived in Shenzhen for almost 12 years and guides many worldwide who might have a cool product idea but don't know how to make it a reality. Henk serves as their guide to the Greater Bay network of over 270,000 factories, connecting them with experts in product design, product development, and manufacturing.  He's not called "The Map" for nothing.

1. Why are you called "the Map"?
2.  Why Shenzhen?  What makes Shenzhen so magical?
3.  Why does the competitive nature serve to promote innovation?
4.  What is the path to moving from an idea to an actual product?
5.  Can you give us examples of some product successes?
6. How do you protect yourself from someone stealing your idea?  The NDA doesn't work.
7. How do Chinese brands move from being an OEM to recognized brands?
8.  What about big corporates, or are the advantages of Shenzhen for smaller brands?
9. How does Troublemakers work?
10.  A/B Test:  Product Teams vs. Marketing Teams - MUST LISTEN!

About Henk Werner:  https://henkwerner.com/
About Troublemakers: https://troublemakershenzhen.com/
Henk Werner On LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/henkwerner/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

According to this week's guest, automobile industry expert Bill Russo, this year's Autoshow China, held in Beijing, was a wake-up call to the global automobile industry. China has clearly leapfrogged the global auto industry, making products that aren't just transportation vehicles but literally smartphones on wheels. According to Russo, the global auto industry is still living in the 20th century. With the EV tariffs looming in the U.S., are Westerners deprived of owning the next and best iPhone?

1.  What was big at this year's Beijing auto show compared to previous ones?  What made this year's show a real "wake-up call" to the auto industry?

2.  What is "smartness" in EVs, and how does it differ from putting a simple plug-in EV car?

3.  Why is Tesla falling behind the curve?

4. What is the smartness experience?  Can you describe what it's like inside a truly smart Chinese EV?

5. What's the difference between "national security" and a "security blanket?"  Will the tariffs deprive Western automakers of competition that will lead to better and more competitive innovation for their customers?

6. What is a more practical solution for the U.S. and Europe besides tariffs? Bill calls it " flipping the script."

7. How can Chinese EV auto companies stay competitive With so many new NEV brands?

Bill & Bryce's Book:  "Selling To China:" https://amzn.to/3UXBrVQ

About Automobility:  http://automobility.io/

Bill on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamrusso/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:   by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/
 

Welcome to the latest invasion; it's not TikTok but Shein & Temu!

It's hard to imagine that 4 of the top 8 U.S. iPhone App Store apps are from China. While TikTok and Capcut make the list, the two big surprises are e-commerce juggernauts Temu and Shein.  These companies operate unique, manufacturer-to-customer business models and do not manufacture products; they simply work with armies of factories throughout China to use powerful algorithms to serve up a plethora of options. Shein reached an estimated $24 billion in revenue in 2022, while Temu reached 161 million users worldwide. What's the future of these two platforms? How will Amazon respond? Ali and Bryce discuss this phenomenon. 


1. Why have these two platforms become so popular? How do they work? How are they different?
2. What makes these platforms uniquely Chinese? What things are similar to their Chinese platforms?
3.  How is Temu disrupting the market, given that it doesn't sell recognized brands and people have to wait to get its stuff?
4.  Advantage Shein: consumer-responsive fashion
5. Given its incredibly responsive manufacturing model, will Shein develop more up-market products or stay on the low end?
6. Morgan Stanley says that Temu's growth is non-sustainable. Will Amazon pick up the slack?
7.  How will Temu impact China's manufacturing tiers? Will it enable them to sell name brands and compete against Amazon?
8.  Does Temu need to deliver a group-buy model to survive against Amazon?
9. Will Costco-style value brands emerge from the Temu model?
10.  The importance of time spent on the platform and how it will impact Temu/Shein's business performance.

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

How can brands take advantage of China's new transformation?  We decided to invite our livestream episode guests, Chris Baker, founder of Totem, and Minne Wang, Senior Reporter with Campaign Asia, for an in-depth discussion on 5 of the 10 considerations in Totem Media's 2024 report.  The report (with links below) is a must-read for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of marketing in China for the next few years.

1. Consideration 1:  Value Purchases rule - will this impact brands with weak value propositions? We think so.
2. Consideration 2: Wealth Divides Growing - are we seeing changes in the ever-important middle class?
3. Consideration 3: Trust is Under Pressure: Consumers increasingly scrutinize their purchase decisions, including those in CPG categories. How should brands respond?
4. Consideration 4: Social Commerce is Still Key - are we seeing a move away from Taobao and a greater focus on RED and Douyin?
5.  Consideration 5: Brands Need Impact (and not just impressions): How do brands simultaneously focus on brand building while driving sales? How do we prioritize with fewer brand campaigns?
6. A/B Test


Download the Full Report Here:  https://www.talktototem.com/china-insights/2024-china-marketing-and-media-review
Watch the China at the Crossroads Livestream Event: https://www.linkedin.com/company/78441421/admin/feed/posts/

About Totem: https://www.talktototem.com/
About Campaign Asia:  https://www.campaignasia.com/

Chris Baker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbaker19/
Minnie Wang on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/minniew/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/