During Labor Day holiday, the number of Chinese people traveling inside the country reached a record high. Simultaneously, a new internet buzzword gained popularity: “Special Forces Tourism” (特种兵式旅游).
As a novel form of tourism, “Special Forces’ Tourism” is characterized by time constraints, multiple scenic spots, and affordability — mainly appealing to college students or recent graduates. This trend can be attributed to two factors. Firstly, there is a pent-up enthusiasm for tourism that has been suppressed by the pandemic for three years. Secondly, Gen Z college students and recent grads face financial constraints. To address these challenges, they utilize their resourcefulness, leverage the convenience of online information, and focus on maximizing time efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Their goal is to save money, save time, and have an enjoyable experience.
Keep in mind, Gen Z are particular about their preferences and trends move fast! Make sure to stay up-to-date and always work with a knowledgeable, local team to develop relevant campaigns and communications. In this article we’ll cover several marketing strategies unique to Gen Z and examples of brands which have executed campaigns under each theme.
GUOCHAO
Guochao (China Chic) = Chinese goods + trend of the times.
In a narrow sense, if something is “Guochao” it refers to trendy brands created by local Chinese designers, or trendy products designed by local Chinese designers that contain Chinese cultural elements. As the trend has evolved, the term now generally refers to the popularity of domestic product groups and products with Chinese characteristics (including foreign brands’ limited series related to China).
Chinese Gen Z consumers have distinct preferences and behaviors. While price and value for money are important, they continuously value brands who make a conscious effort to connect with them on the right channels and create content and products that are highly relevant and personalized.
DIGITAL NATIVES
From early childhood, Gen Z have been exposed to social media, online learning, and digital entertainment, which shaped their communication, learning, entertainment and shopping preferences. Chinese Gen Z consumers are heavily active on social media and e-commerce platforms. According to a 2022 survey, nearly 40 percent of consumers below 24 years old made several online purchases a week. [s]
They are the generation reshaping retail trends of the entire nation. China’s Gen Z, born between 1995 and 2009, number close to 260 million, making up 19% of China’s total population [s].
Similar to millennials who came before them, Chinese Gen Z consumers are vastly different from their parent’s generation. Everything from personal preferences, brand awareness, purchasing power and sophisticated digital literacy is reshaping how brands reach, connect with, and retain consumers in China. They are referred to as the “post-95 and 00 generation” who came of age during a time when China was well into its era of exponential growth and digital revolution. With a high purchasing power and curiosity for new products and experiences, Gen Z are an enticing consumer group for both foreign and domestic brands alike — however, the rulebook is complicated…
Trendsetters.
Fueling domestic brand growth for the first time in history.
Conscious consumers.
Experience-seekers.
……
How can brands effectively reach and retain Gen Z consumers in China? Before we answer this question, let’s take a comprehensive overview of this group of people.
Managing a social media content calendar is hard enough, and it just gets more stressful when trying to keep track of all the holidays and marketing events in China. This is why KAWO put together The Ultimate China Marketing Calendar2024 to inspire and guide your 2024 marketing plans.