It’s not just editorial bosses struggling to maintain audiences with legacy output only appealing to a rapidly ageing demographic, advertising departments simply cannot compete with top influencers
(Jing Daily) International brands took the lead in marketing across China’s beauty market in August, as L’Oréal claimed top spot, generating $US14.7 million in Media Value (MV), surpassing local beauty giant Proya by a factor of four.
This edition of WeArisma x Jing Daily Beauty Leaderboard* tracks the brands generating the most online buzz from August 1 to 26. L’Oréal’s figure is the highest recorded since WeArisma began tracking online media activity earlier this year.
The lion’s share of L’Oréal’s MV generated, a staggering $US14.5 million, stemmed from its partnership with Douyin influencer duo Guangdong Couple (pictured above), proof that KOLs wield significant influence in China. In June, Guangdong Couple’s promotions with Proya yielded similarly high results, generating $US12.6 million in MV.
Celebrities are another conduit for brands to connect with China’s consumers: for C-beauty brands looking to solidify their position in the mainland such as Proya and Aupres, leveraging celebrity partnerships effectively builds consumer trust. Meanwhile, international brands such as SK-II and Clinique are also tapping local stars to amplify their reach and boost product visibility.
In August, L’Oréal topped the international leaderboard, propelled by its collaboration with influential Douyin creators Guangdong Couple (@广东夫妇), who boast 65.9 million followers. The collaboration proved highly effective, generating $US14.5 million in MV from just eight Douyin posts.
With a live broadcast scheduled at L’Oréal Paris’ French headquarters on August 31, the couple actively promoted the brand in the lead-up to the event, highlighting specially discounted products that followers could purchase during the livestream.
A mix of anticipation and attractive deals sparked significant interest, elevating L’Oréal’s visibility and engagement in China’s highly competitive beauty market. As the livestream approached, L’Oréal’s influence surpassed that of rival beauty brands, with further growth expected as the event nears. In June, the same influencer duo racked up $US3.8 million MV for SK-II.
August, L’Oréal topped the international leaderboard, propelled by its collaboration with influential Douyin creators Guangdong Couple (@广东夫妇). Image: @广东夫妇
SK-II’s success this month was largely driven by celebrities and influencers promoting the brand’s limited edition Qixi Festival gift box. Actress Zhang Zifeng (@张子枫), with 15 million Weibo followers, showcased the unique experience of customizing the box with colors and messages, generating $US108,800 MV from her post.
Similarly, influencer Lin Xin (@林欣Anne), with 12.6 million Weibo followers, shared how her boyfriend saw the gift box as the ideal present, highlighting the five illustrations that symbolized different kinds of love; her post generated $US91,000 MV.
Tapping into cultural moments such as Qixi Festival and offering personalized products tied to the occasion, SK-II’s campaign struck a chord with Chinese consumers, substantially boosting its brand impact this month. The emphasis on personalization and DIY particularly resonated with local Gen Z consumers, who value the opportunity to create unique products.
Clinique’s media value hit $US866,600 this month, driven by strategic endorsements and partnerships. On August 21, the brand announced actress Guan Xiaotong (@关晓彤) as its new ambassador and her Weibo post to 35.1 million followers generated $US264,800 MV.
Clinique also leveraged Guan’s new role to promote its Clinique 302 Brightening Essence Water and the 302 Brightening Trilogy; Guan has a reputation for her fair complexion and the products are known for their brightening effects on sensitive skin.
Clinique further expanded its influence by collaborating with Chinese actor and model Chen Xingxu (@陈星旭), who boasts 8.8 million followers. By partnering with influential figures from the acting and modeling industries, where skin care and beauty are paramount, Clinique significantly amplified its presence.
Top Chinese Brands
In August, Proya strategically collaborated with several prominent figures in the entertainment industry. Actress Zhang Ruonan (@章若楠), with 23.6 million Douyin followers, generated $676,600 MV from a single video, as she showcased a travel-size Proya “Morning C Night A” set that she said was indispensable to maintaining her healthy, radiant skin. Enlisting renowned celebrities to endorse a C-beauty brand’s product can significantly enhance consumer trust and cement a brand’s reputation.
Proya also partnered with influencer Mr Yu (@瑜大公子), who boasts 1.5 million Douyin followers, on six posts promoting special discounts, resulting in $248,600 MV. Similarly, film producer and livestreamer Tiffany Chen (@向太美丽人生认证徽章), with 512,000 followers, posted six times about Proya’s discounts, generating $172,000 in media value. The emphasis on discounts aligns well with Chinese consumers, who are particularly responsive to promotional offers.
Douyin’s interactive, visual format proved to be the ideal platform to amplify these discounts, showcasing Proya’s effective strategy this month. By leveraging Douyin’s extensive reach and focusing on value-driven promotions, Proya significantly enhanced its brand visibility and impact in the Chinese market.
Winona maintained its second-place position for the fourth consecutive month, with a media value of $1.8 million. Local influencer Yuantuma (@原图妈), with over 10 million Weibo followers, played a significant role with four posts highlighting the anti-aging and brightening effects of Winona’s skincare products; her posts contributed $312,700 to the brand’s media value. Influencer Little Chubby Recommends (@小胖子种草) also posted five times about Winona on Weibo, adding $153,300 to the brand’s total.
Winona’s sustained success in the Chinese beauty market is fueled by consistent endorsements from trusted local influencers, fostering brand loyalty and solidifying Winona’s position as a leading skincare choice.
Aupres generated a remarkable $1.2 million in media value from a single post from Chinese actor Jia Nailiang (@贾乃亮), who commands 41.4 million followers on Douyin, with the celebrity showcasing the importance of the brand’s Age-Defy face cream in his daily routine, from red carpet events to on-screen roles.
Collaborations with prominent stars can significantly bolster the presence of local and international beauty brands in China. High-profile campaigns generate significant industry buzz while engaging celebrity fanbases, amplifying brand visibility, impact, and consumer trust. Local beauty names hoping to cement their reputation in China should look to the stars.
By Lisa Nan (this article was first published by Jing Daily)
* Jing Daily’s monthly Beauty Leaderboards tracker analyzes the media value and social media buzz of beauty brands across Chinese social media platforms. Data provided by analytics company WeArisma can help brands measure and optimize their earned media and influencer marketing ROI.
