eTALK China Insights: Mascots in China

Mascots in China

They can be responsible for the success of any brand in China: Mascots What at first glance usually look like they are meant for children often go viral and attract a lot of attention on the Internet. On the next slides, you’ll learn why mascots are so important in China – and which ones have been particularly successful.
Mascot in China ecommerce digital marketing
Source: Bloomberg

Brand Image

Of course, mascots are not only of great importance in China. Brands such as KFC, McDonalds or Michelin have long created a great recognition value through their representatives. They help companies build a brand image and customers can identify with personalized characters.

Chinese Characteristics

Nevertheless, there are peculiarities when it comes to mascots in China. The best-known brands like Tmall, JD or Meituan resort to animals (cat, dog and kangaroo). They all have one thing in common: They are cute, photo-worthy and inspire young and old alike.

Winter Olympics

A perfect example of how mascots can go viral overnight in China is Bing Dwen Dwen. The mascot of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing has become a bestseller. The little stuffed panda has caused long lines in front of stores all over the country. In the meantime, Bing Dwen Dwen probably even stole the show from the athletes.
Mascot China Bing Dwen dwen ecommerce digital marketing
Source: rnd

Snow King

Another example is this cute mascot. This is “Snow King”. He is the mascot of the ice cream and tea store “Mixue”. Although the mascot has been around for quite some time, it caused a stir in Chinese social media channels a few weeks ago. Dancing “Snow Kings” could be seen all over China and online as part of a marketing campaign.
snow king china digital marketing etoc ecommerce
Source: voguebusiness

Going Viral

Although this is not a mascot, but achieved the same effect: The Pokemon Psyduck was available as a toy at KFC. Due to its cute appearance and the singing and dancing function, it went viral on all Chinese social media channels. The toy was quickly sold out. In China, more and more companies are aiming to attract attention with cute mascots. It is not uncommon for the mascot to become even more popular than the actual brand.
digital marketing etoc mascot china pikachu
Pokemon Psyduck - Source: whatsonweibo

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