While Chinese brands aggressively expand into overseas markets, foreign companies continue to target China’s vast consumer base, drawn by its immense growth potential, an industry expert said during a session at the BEYOND Expo 2025.
Olivia Plotnick, founder of Shanghai-based social media marketing agency Wai Social, said digital marketing in China is evolving, and foreign brands must adapt to the complex market.
With over a decade of experience helping global companies navigate China’s unique digital ecosystem, Plotnick highlighted the rapid development of social media platforms and the importance of long-term, culturally nuanced strategies for international brands to become successful.
Plotnick founded Wai Social to escape the slow pace of large marketing firms and to embrace the fast-moving, dynamic environment of China’s social media landscape. She emphasized that her agency aims to connect brands with consumers through social media platforms — which in China are markedly different from those in the West — rather than just filling a specific market gap.
Reflecting on the past decade, Plotnick noted the dramatic rise of platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin — virtually nonexistent when she began her career but now also known outside China — which now dominate the digital space and influence global communication trends.
“I think they need to be looking at Chinese platforms because of how people are using those platforms,” she said. “Using them as search engines and shopping platforms is quite different from what they’ve been used for previously.”
Plotnick cited Canadian athletic apparel brand Lululemon as a case study in successful localization.
“They were one of the first brands to have a mini program linked to like a Xiaohongshu campaign,” she said. “A good digital strategy and localizing digitally isn’t about being 100% digital or having the best AR or VR experiences. It can still be very small things — it’s showing your audience that you are willing to innovate and try out new things and give them different ways to interact with your brand digitally as well as offline.”
Amid geopolitical tensions and regulatory scrutiny, Plotnick underscored the complexities international brands face in China.
“I think it’s always tricky for global brands in China for their marketing strategy,” she said. “They have always had to be careful and conscious.”
Meanwhile, Plotnick added that localization is more than just “translating materials into Chinese” or hiring a local marketing agency. She said brands also need to invest in building a relationship with local governments.
“That means having people on your team that really understand legal compliance and who have connections and an understanding of the way that government in China works,” she said. “It is not only important for compliance, but it’s also important that the government backs initiatives.”
Speaking to young female entrepreneurs in tech and marketing, Plotnick encouraged them to trust their instincts and speak assertively.
“I often find myself in situations where I don’t say my idea or I allow other people to convince me of their opinions rather than listening to my gut feeling, which is usually correct,” Plotnick said. “Having the confidence to go with your gut is really important.”
