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Focusing on ‘Generation Now’ through ‘creator-led, commerce-centred partnerships’ between brands and social media’s shining lights reaps rewards.
AOY Insights is a new content series celebrating some of the top wins from Campaign Asia-Pacific’s Agency of the Year awards. Join us as we take a closer look at the entries that struck gold this year.
Category: Influencer Marketing Agency of the Year – Greater China
Key clients: Creed, Realisation Par, Supergoop!, Agent Provocateur, Birkenstock, Omorovicza, Lush, Giuseppe Zanotti, Mother Denim
New clients this year: Tarte, Amika, Reima, Glow Recipe, Carrière Frères, Cire Trudon, Steelcase, Briogeo, Necessaire, Under Armour
Highlights: Red Ant Asia has pioneered creator-led, commerce-centred marketing for China’s ‘Generation Now’ — tech-savvy, well-travelled millennials and Gen Zs. They have delivered their ‘digital-first’ 360-degree approach in their role as the agency for international brands who want to enter the market.
Recent years have seen the wave of digitalisation build, which, coupled with the increased use of social media during Covid-19, has made Red Ant Asia uniquely positioned to capitalise on the increase in demand for influencer marketing. Their team of young, socially conscious Chinese nationals embodies ‘Generation Now’ in many ways, while many are micro-influencers or key opinion consumers (KOCs) themselves.
This insider knowledge is key to Red Ant’s approach to influencer partnerships, and its carefully cultivated pool of creators offers brands a wide variety of options, depending on campaign strategies and objectives.
Local knowledge also aided Red Ant Asia’s agile response to clients’ ongoing financial challenges, including uncertainty over China budgets and reluctance to invest in hard advertising, large-scale campaigns, and offline events. The agency helped clients obtain maximum value from their interactions, even on reduced budgets, and worked closely with partners to reallocate spend, reorganise plans, or offer flexible contracts.
Amid the growth of overall social media usage in China and the rise of domestic algorithm-based platforms and sponsored content, Red Ant Asia uses methods of measurement such as media impact value to help clients better assess their ‘share of voice’ (SOV) built through social media marketing, rather than solely relying on metrics like followers and engagements.
Looking to the future, Red Ant aims to build its capacity to support what it calls ‘Future Brands’ — mission-driven businesses — adding to its existing roster of ethical clients such as cosmetics company Lush and plant-based food brand Impossible.
The agency’s successes are reflected in its impressive growth — with a 54% increase in revenue year-on-year recorded in 2022— as well as high levels of employee satisfaction and retention.
Case studies: Red Ant partnered Australian fashion brand Réalisation Par with influencer lu.meng for a number of campaigns, including their one-year anniversary of entering the China market. The campaign, which featured influencer-led RED content, resulted in sales 366% above target.
“Red Ant is genuine and enthusiastic about our brand and helps us to promote our business keeping our core values in front of mind in a market where we rely on their expertise,” said Réalisation Par’s head of sales and e-commerce Jen Guberek.
Premium suncare brand Supergoop!, luxury fragrance brand Creed and premium denim brand Mother were other brands that have seen a positive impact on their KOL and KOC campaigns curated by Red Ant Asia.
Judges say: Red Ant Asia’s attention to detail for their clients was singled out by the judges who also found time to praise the agency’s commitment to community and charity projects.
Red Ant Asia also won two silver awards, one for ‘Independent Agency of the Year’ – Greater China, and one for ‘Social Media Agency of the Year – Greater China,’ and a bronze award for ‘Content Marketing Agency of the Year – Greater China’.
This article originally appeared in Campaign Asia-Pacific.
We are so proud to have successfully assembled a cohort of creatives to introduce a category first collaboration for CREED with China based IP ROBBiART, that has received outstanding industry recognition with our win at this year’s The Drum 2023 APAC Beauty & Fashion Award.
CNY is a highly publicised shopping event, with health and beauty brands competing to engage consumers via an array of digital and physical channels. For CNY 2023, CREED wanted to do something unexpected; something that would excite their existing customer base, and entice a brand-new young, fashion and trend-savvy audience.
We developed a “phygital” (physical and digital) campaign that would leverage China’s most popular social channels, and KOLs. The key element to the campaign was an exciting collaboration with a creative, visually striking mascot: ROBBi – a collectable, branded Art Toy.
A new approach for a new audience
Capturing the attention of CREED’s growing target audience of young, aspirational tech-savvy and spend-savvy people willing to save up for elite luxury purchases was central to the collaboration’s premise. Their ‘from bar to boardroom’ profile plays to CREED’s reputation as a status driver for customers, regardless of background or financial means.
The collectible toy market for Chinese millennials/Gen Zs is booming, increasing from $970million in 2015 to $3.2 billion in 2019. This will only continue to grow, projected to surpass $11.7billion in 2024, according to iiMedia Research.
ROBBiART is a China-founded Art Toy (IP), committed to challenging the mainstream aesthetic of art conventions with a sense of youth and rebellion. Founded by one of China’s leading, young, female, tech entrepreneurs – Ms. Rhea He, ROBBi’s original design inspiration comes from the jade rabbit – ideal for CNY 2023, the year of the rabbit. Together, CREED and ROBBi produced the first scented ROBBi collectible Art Toy, bringing CREED’s hero scent, Silver Mountain Water, to life in a metaverse-style experience. ROBBi enabled CREED to leverage ROBBi’s media network, including virtual and physical tastemakers, and the POIZON (Dewu) audience – China’s leading trend community
The CREED x ROBBi collab was available to purchase in two sizes – 400% (28cm) and 1000% (70cm). Each ROBBi is fitted with a unique NFC chip which is accessible via scanning the left foot. This chip reveals ROBBi’s unique number, making him a desired collector’s Art Toy.
Leveraging the impact of a first-of-its-kind collaboration between two iconic brands – CREED with its heritage and quality, ROBBi with its reputation for challenging conventions and spirit of youthful rebellion – would involve assembling the right blend of influencers, KOLs and creatives to share the story and build excitement both virtually and in the physical world.
Because ROBBi’s world is both virtual and physical, we worked with creative video agency Carbon to create a visually stunning 3D video to showcase the allure of CREED’s hero scent, Silver Mountain Water, coupled with ROBBI’s vibrancy and dynamism. A huge hit among luxury customers, commentators and influencers, celebrities as well as tech and marketing pundits, it was used across a wide range of media including social platforms, advertising, influencer content, in-store screens and a full takeover of CREED’s UK retail partner FLANNELS on London’s Oxford Street as well as New York’s Times Square.
Chinese virtual KOL Ayayi, also got behind the campaign and shared an unboxing video on her social media.
This social approach was a natural choice, given both brands’ substantial social media reach. The strategic mix of owned and paid channels allowed us to hit targets across both brands’ outlets, WeChat, RED and Douyin, as well as connecting with ROBBI’s POIZON trend community audience and media network of taste-makers.
The outcome
The CREED x ROBBi campaign’s bold approach more than delivered on every objective, from sell-out products to millions of impressions and engagements across social platforms. High-profile media coverage in titles including WWD, ELLEMEN, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and Vogue Business boosted reach and engagement, and enabled what was intended to be a China-only campaign to become a global release with international recognition.
The most significant achievement is reflected in a 70% uplift in CNY revenue for CREED in 2023 versus 2022. CREED’s growth has typically been driven organically with traditional marketing content including print magazines, and video, and this unprecedented engagement could only be achieved by the brand having the ambition and foresight to try something new and innovative. And, thanks to the impact it had on its intended audience, the CREED x ROBBi collaboration continues to attract immense interest on the reseller market, proving that a well-planned and executed promotional strategy has the power to generate value beyond the initial life of the campaign.
To find out more about the campaign, please watch our recap video:
To find out more from The Drum, please check out their round up:
In the article “China’s Tennis Obsession: A Fashionable Advantage,” Vogue Business explores the intersection of tennis and fashion in China. The sport’s popularity, fuelled by Chinese tennis stars and its association with prestige, has led to a growing demand for tennis-inspired fashion. The article discusses how brands are leveraging this trend through collaborations, limited releases, and sponsorships. It highlights the influence of social media and celebrity endorsements, showcasing the opportunities for brands to engage with fashion-conscious Chinese consumers. Overall, the article offers valuable insights into the symbiotic relationship between tennis and fashion in China. Thanks for including us!
This article originally appeared in Vogue Business
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China 2023 Trends
Another edition for our annual curated and collected China trends to help us navigate 2023.
To read our report, please click here:
Recently, The Business of Fashion asked our co-founder Elisa Harca for comment in their article that delves into the intriguing journey of Florasis, one of China’s leading cosmetics companies, as it seeks to expand its presence in the American market.
Florasis has gained significant success in China, drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese culture and incorporating it into its products, resonating with local consumers.
Now, the brand is poised to make its mark on the international stage, particularly in the United States.
The article highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by the brand in its efforts to crack the American market, including competition, consumer preferences, and marketing strategies.
This article originally appeared in Business-of-Fashion
Categories
China Beauty Trends
We were invited by Beauty Matter: https://beautymatter.com, founder Kelly Kovack to share our thoughts on China beauty trends. Take a look and let us know what you think.
Luxury consumers are evolving and their demands are changing. The report highlights four key trends that are reshaping the luxury industry:
Sustainability: Luxury consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental and social issues, and they expect luxury brands to take action to address these concerns.
Digital Transformation: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to digital channels, and luxury brands need to adapt to this new reality to stay competitive.
Personalisation: Luxury consumers want personalised experiences and products that reflect their individual tastes and preferences.
Globalisation: The luxury market is becoming more global, with growing demand from emerging markets such as China and India.
The report also provides recommendations for luxury brands to adapt to these trends, such as focusing on sustainability, embracing digital technologies, and offering personalised experiences.
Overall, the report suggests that luxury brands need to redefine their approach to stay relevant in a rapidly changing market.
Read full report here
This article originally appeared in JING DAILY.
A recent article on Jing Daily features insights from our co-founder, Elisa Harca, on the trend of experiential stores in China’s luxury retail sector. The article discusses how luxury brands are investing in these stores to provide immersive experiences and create emotional connections with customers, while also differentiating themselves from traditional mall-based retail.
Skateboarding culture in China is flourishing. Collaborations, sponsorships, and high-performance products have propelled the vibrant skateboarding scene, with ANTA and Nike playing a significant role.
This article originally appeared in Jing Daily
Thanks so much to Jing Zhang and Glyn Atwal for getting us Red Ant Asia involved!