Why Top Brands Can Sell Anything in China

In China, brand beats product. Every time.

I’ve seen it over and over in 15 years working here. A company launches a solid product, good quality, fair price, and it goes nowhere. Then a brand with a story, real social presence, and the right KOLs walks in, and the market opens up like magic. This article explains why top brands can sell anything in China, and what you can do to build that kind of brand power yourself.

Why Brand Matters More in China Than Elsewhere

1. High Competition: Chinese consumers are flooded with options. A strong brand simplifies decision-making fast.
2. Status and Face (面子): A good brand is a safe and stylish choice. Buying the right brand is a social statement.
3. Trust Issues: Consumers rely on reputation because of real concerns about quality, safety, and fakes in the market.
4. Speed of Trends: Top brands set trends, others follow. Miss the window and you’re invisible.
5. Platform Commerce: Tmall, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu (RED) rank products based on engagement and recognition, not just price.

In China, branding = social currency. This is not a metaphor.

According to a 2024 McKinsey report, over 60% of Chinese consumers research a brand on social media before purchasing, even for everyday products. The brand check happens before the product check. That’s the reality you’re working with.

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The Li-Ning Story: From Sportswear to Coffee

Li-Ning, the Chinese sportswear brand that started the Guochao (国潮) fashion trend at Paris Fashion Week in 2018, decided to enter the coffee market by filing to register the brand “NING COFFEE.” Confirmed by a Li-Ning staff member on May 6, 2022, per Chinese financial media Dahe Cube, the move was about improving in-store experience. Coffee was a tool to bring people in and keep them longer.

The Chinese coffee market hit RMB 381.7 billion ($56.86 billion) in 2021. It was expected to reach one trillion RMB by 2025. Li-Ning had over 5,800 outlets across China. That’s a serious distribution network. The brand didn’t need to build a coffee business from scratch, it needed to plug coffee into a network already in place.

Compare that to Starbucks at 6,189 China outlets and Luckin Coffee at 5,323 at the time, and you start to see why this move made sense on paper. Li-Ning’s net profit jumped 136% in 2021 to RMB 4 billion ($630 million), driven largely by Guochao momentum. Strong brand = ability to move into new categories.

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How to Build a Strong Brand in China: Step by Step

This is not theory. This is what works on the ground in 2025, based on work we’ve done at GMA Services with tourism brands, consumer goods companies, and international retailers entering the Chinese market.

Step 1: Be Visible Where Chinese Consumers Search

• Xiaohongshu (RED): lifestyle content, honest reviews, trust-building
• Douyin: short videos, visual identity, reach
• Zhihu: expert credibility, detailed explanations for considered purchases
• WeChat: community management, CRM, direct communication

Launch with KOL content, paid ads, and organic UGC at the same time. Not one then the other. All three together.

Step 2: Build a Brand Image That Connects

• Target aspirations, not features: prestige, health, confidence, “modern Chinese” identity
• Use clean, premium visuals that respect Chinese taste (red, gold tones, cultural references)
• Be consistent across all channels: what you look like on RED should match what you look like on Tmall

Step 3: Work with KOLs at Every Level

• Top-tier KOLs: big reach, brand awareness
• Micro-KOLs / KOCs: high trust, real conversion
• Let them tell your story in their voice. Not a script. Not a product shot. A real recommendation.

Step 4: Find the Right Co-brand

Partner with Chinese niche brands, cafes, fashion labels, or influencers to create limited editions, RED-worthy products, and access to existing fanbases. Beauty x tea = gift set. Fitness gear x local gym = community event. Small moves, big signal.

Step 5: Run Events, Then Push Them Online

• Product launches, micro-influencer meetups, pop-up events
• The attendance matters less than how it looks on social
• Have KOLs post clips to RED and Douyin immediately to create FOMO

Step 6: Build a Local Community

Use WeChat groups, RED comments, and mini-programs to invite loyal users, reward referrals, and share behind-the-scenes content. Think “brand as tribe,” not product seller. This is the long game and it works.

Step 7: Use Product Placement That Feels Natural

• RED vlogs: “what’s in my bag,” “morning skincare routine”
• Douyin lifestyle content: “day in the life” clips
• Livestreams: behind-influencer setups, casual mentions

The goal is aspirational and natural. If it feels like an ad, it’s already failed.

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Quick Reference: What Separates Strong Brands from Weak Ones in China

Factor	Strong Brand	Weak Brand
Social presence	Active on RED, Douyin, WeChat	Only Tmall storefront
KOL strategy	Mix of top-tier and micro-KOLs	One-off posts, no follow-through
Community	WeChat groups, loyal followers	No repeat engagement
Brand story	Aspirational, culturally relevant	Product-focused, feature list
Co-branding	Smart local partnerships	None or irrelevant

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In China, You Don’t Just Sell. You Signal.

Selling in China is not about convincing people what your product does. It’s about showing who your product is for, what kind of lifestyle it fits, and what kind of person your customer becomes by using it.

That’s why top brands can sell anything. They’re not selling products, they’re selling identity.

Li-Ning can sell coffee because it doesn’t sell sportswear. It sells a version of modern China that people want to be part of. That’s the lesson. If you’ve built real brand equity, the category doesn’t matter much anymore.

Looking to build that kind of brand in China? GMA Services helps international and Chinese brands get visible, build trust, and grow on the right platforms. We’ve worked with over 500 brands across tourism, retail, food, and consumer goods.

Oliver Verot is the founder of Gentlemen Marketing Agency (GMA), a Chinese digital marketing agency based in Shanghai. He has worked with over 500 brands on their China market entry and growth strategy.