Xiaohongshu (or Little Red Book) is revolutionizing the marketing approach, shifting the focus from simply selling products to creating meaningful connections with the public. By adopting a people- and content-based approach, Xiaohongshu responds to the needs of daily life, co-creating experiences and anticipating future trends through IP events.
These events stand out for their ability to transform scenes of everyday life into content marketing opportunities that attract large communities. It is precisely the strong desire of users to create and co-create with brands that offer fertile ground for companies.
IP festivals allow users to participate in the life of Xiaohongshu and its communities, create new friendships and strengthen bonds. These events broaden the circle offline and online, offering fun experiences and bringing out niche interests, increasing their popularity and attracting brands.
Content is crucial for capturing consumers’ attention and establishing deep interactions. Therefore, publishing quality content can stimulate consumer demand, and encourage them to share, influencing their purchasing decisions. With the rise of “content marketing” and “storytelling marketing”, brands are experimenting with innovative ways to increase their market presence and create emotional connections with consumers.
Kantar MediaReactions’ Q1 2024 report highlights a 24% increase in content marketing advertising reach rate compared to Q2 2023, while consumer experience grew 2%. Brand content has increased user acceptance and trust in content marketing.
IP events arise precisely from sharing the daily lives of users who inspire other people to improve their lives, understand their needs, co-create experiences and anticipate trends. Xiaohongshu integrates various lifestyle trends emerging throughout the year, such as “Citywalk”, “flashy bags” and “social MBTI“, to keep the interaction alive with its young users.
The formula behind every Xiaohongshu IP event
Xiaohongshu IP events are precisely organized, based on factors analyzed by the platform itself.
- Community trends.
A huge amount of posts and topics of interest, actively shared by users, are the most valuable content resources in building IP marketing. In addition to product information, this content includes user feedback, revealing many of their real needs within the community. Xiaohongshu users share an “altruistic” and “helpful” approach, showing a passion for exploring life that enriches the community’s language and values. - User experience.
Users’ ideas and new proposals constantly renew Xiaohongshu’s IP marketing, offering content and scenarios that allow brands to dialogue with their target. The high-quality content generated by events attracts users, encouraging them to try new products, create distinctive lifestyles and actively share their experiences through feedback and ratings. From the perspective of brand growth, the appeal of Xiaohongshu IP lies in the ability to connect “audience”, “content” and “word of mouth” through the community, helping brands consolidate or upgrade their image. - Integrated marketing resources.
IP marketing cooperation resources comprehensively cover all types of user touchpoints, including traffic resources (brand promotion), event page resources, interactive resources (blind boxes, stickers), content assets (content posted by KOLs/celebrities/official accounts), and combined with the immersive experience of offline activities, comprehensively enhance user participation and brand influence.
What advantages does Xiaohongshu IP marketing have for brands?
Per i marchi, comprendere appieno il sistema di valori degli For brands, fully understanding the value system of Xiaohongshu IPs is crucial. This allows them to find IP solutions on Xiaohongshu that fit their growth needs, marketing objectives and market demand preferences, thus accelerating the achievement of their business goals across multiple “life aspirations”. Participation in IP events allows brands to:
- Consolidation of brand awareness. Through IP content that reflects the values of the brand, the existing image is renewed and consolidated. For new products, the goal is to create a new brand identity, while for classic products the aim is to renew the existing one.
- Content Collection. By stimulating user participation with original content, you build a content network within the brand community. Original content represents authentic user feedback, while professional content comes from authoritative experts and influencers.
- Improved reputation. By connecting brand, product and IP content, you create an authentic connection with consumers, establishing a long-term reputation pool. Emotional value focuses on the emotional connection, while functional value offers objective assessments of product features.
- Audience penetration. Core audience penetration focuses on specific groups, while expansion aims to attract a broader audience and reach interest groups.
Leggi anche: FBIF 2024: Xiaohongshu and the future of F&B marketing
Case study: Slow Life Festival
In the city of Dali, Yunnan, the atmosphere held the annual event “Xiaohongshu IP Annual Experience Conference” which caught the attention of Chinese youth, ushering in the IP event “Slow Life Festival“.
The area has transformed into a true slow-living village, offering a range of experiences designed to promote a more relaxed and mindful lifestyle. Main attractions include the Slow Life Village, the Slow Music Festival, Slow Camping, the Slow Market and the Wellness Workshops. Each of these events has been designed to respond to the real needs of individuals and brands, highlighting the benefits of a more peaceful pace of life.
Xiaohongshu presented the report “2024 Xiaohongshu Slow Life Trend Atlas” in collaboration with Rui Cong Consulting and One Way Space. The report identified eight major trends associated with slow living, offering users guidance in understanding and embracing this philosophy.
A key aspect of the relationship is the four fundamental dimensions of slow living: personal well-being, individual development, interpersonal relationships and connection with the world. These principles provide a clear framework that users can apply in their daily lives.
During the event, Xiaohongshu also presented the short film “Big Deal”, starring Guo Biting, which invites viewers to reconsider their lives at a more humane and thoughtful pace. Users are encouraged to become “ambassadors of slowness” by exploring the “Slow Life Village” on the Xiaohongshu app and actively participating in this new experience.
The “Slow Life Festival” represents the natural continuation of other successful Xiaohongshu initiatives, such as the “Festival of Strangers” and the “Snow Festival”, which have helped explore new lifestyles and emerging communities.
Thanks to its ability to analyze big data and understand social dynamics, Xiaohongshu can satisfy the real needs of users, creating user-generated content that reflects authentic life scenarios. This approach not only improves user experience but also allows brands to grow and adapt to changes in contemporary lifestyle patterns.