It wasn't long ago when every marketer in China was talking about ecommerce. Alibaba and JD battled it out for supremacy, and then another challenger, Pinduoduo, came from nowhere, and it became a three-horse race.Whilst the traditional ecommerce platforms still dominate online sales in China, the new world of livestreaming, KOLs and social commerce has dominated marketing forums over the past few years.

"If you protect yourself from the sun, you will be whiter than others. If not, you will be uglier," so said a sun hat advertisement last month on Douyin from the multi-billion dollar Chinese sun protection brand, Beneunder.

Last week saw millions of Chinese kids take the gruelling Gaokao. The average 31 hours a week spent doing homework and extracurricular classes from the age of three, have largely been to prepare for the notorious 9-hour exam which determines the university they get into. Many consider the Gaokao scores to shape the trajectory of their lives.

Can you name one event in your lifetime that has shaken the world more than Covid? The world has forever-changed since early-2020. Whereas many of Covid's consequences have been negative, there have been some silver linings which will hopefully stay with us long after the face masks and vaccine passes have gone.

Here is a tale of three brands, each who have seen quite different outcomes in China over the past-12 months. They provide valuable lessons in public relations (PR) in China's increasingly sensitive and less tolerant consumer market.

Last month, there were less than half as many celebrity marketing events in China as a year ago according to a report from Shiqu. The events were undoubtedly impacted by the extended tough lockdowns hitting Shanghai and other cities at present. Shanghai hosts a disproportionate number of celebrity events, and Shenzhen, which was locked down last month, is also a primary destination on the events map.

Visitors to a stunning old vineyard in China represent the increasing sophistication in tourism and general consumer purchases in the market

Chinese beauty brands are spending more than 2/3s of revenue on marketing, whereas foreign brands are under half that, and holding strong

Eileen Gu ticks so many boxes - both obvious and not so obvious - which enable her to resonate with Chinese consumers

By every measure, winter sports are booming in China leading into Beijing's Winter Games, presenting a multitude of opportunities for brands

U.S. studios' share of box office continues to shrink, which may contribute to nationalism in both China and the West

Recent security concerns with WeChat is likely to see B2B comms change to alternative channels in China

Don't underestimate the importance of bricks & mortar touch points in China, and ensure they are integrated and optimised for consumer needs

Singles' Day grew again this year against all odds, with some interesting data indicating why

Despite the rise of Chinese brands, well-marketed foreign brands remained dominant over Singles' Day 2021 on Alibaba and JD

Sustainability is becoming a key requirement of doing business in China - both due to consumer-pull and Beijing-push

Foreign and domestic brands in China are increasingly employing marketing initiatives beyond price promotions to ensure long term ROI

Rising nationalism has been attributed to the rise in Chinese brands, but in many categories imported goods still hold an enviable reputation