(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
99.3% of Chinese internet traffic happens on mobile phones in 2025. Yet most overseas brands still design campaigns on desktop, then “adapt” them — and wonder why they get ignored. The brands selling out in minutes all follow the same mobile-first creative playbook that treats the phone screen as the only canvas that matters. Here are the five unbreakable rules.
1. Vertical Screen Is the Only Screen – Everything Else Is a Bonus
1.1 Start Every Project at 1080×1920, Never Horizontal Top teams ban horizontal moodboards and desktop previews from day one. Every concept, thumbnail, and video is born vertical because that’s the only format Chinese users actually see.
1.2 0.8-Second Scroll-Stop Rule Chinese users scroll at 3–5 screens per second. Thumbnails must communicate brand + desire + urgency in under 0.8 seconds using bold color contrast, large faces, and single-focus messaging.
2. First Frame = Entire Campaign
2.1 The First 3 Seconds Must Carry 100% of the Message On Douyin and Kuaishou, users decide in 3 seconds. Winning campaigns put the hero product, price, and emotional hook in the very first frame — no slow brand intros allowed.
2.2 Text Overlay Hierarchy That Beats Subtitles 70% of videos play without sound. Large, high-contrast text overlays in the top 2/3 of the screen deliver the full story even on mute.
3. One Campaign, 60+ Mobile-Optimized Assets in 72 Hours
3.1 Modular Creative System Built for China Speed A single hero concept instantly spins into Douyin 15s/30s/60s versions, Xiaohongshu 9-grid, Tmall detail page banners, WeChat H5, and livestream lower-thirds using pre-built mobile templates.
3.2 Same-Day Iteration Loop Performance data from 10 am becomes three new thumbnail variants live by 6 pm the same day — only possible with mobile-first teams working in China time.
4. Thumb-Friendly Interaction Design
4.1 All CTAs Placed in Bottom 20% of Screen Chinese users hold phones with one hand. Every button, swipe-up, and sticker must live in the natural thumb zone or conversion drops 60%.
4.2 Shake, Swipe, and Long-Press Mechanics Top campaigns now use Douyin’s native interactions — shake to reveal discount, long-press to save coupon — boosting engagement by 400% compared to static ads.
Real-World Case Study: How a Spanish Olive Oil Brand Sold 180,000 Bottles in One Livestream
A premium Spanish extra-virgin olive oil brand wanted to launch during Double 11. We designed the entire campaign mobile-first: vertical hero video showing oil pouring in slow motion in the first 1.5 seconds, giant “€9.9 trial bottle” text overlay, and thumb-zone “tap to add to cart” sticker.
Paired with a 3-hour Tmall livestream using the same vertical creative language, the brand sold 180,000 bottles in a single session — the fastest-selling imported food product in Tmall history that week.
PLTFRM is an international brand consulting agency that works with companies such as Red, TikTok, Tmall, Baidu, and other well-known Chinese internet e-commerce platforms. We have been working with Chile Cherries for many years, reaching Chinese consumers in depth through different platforms and realizing that Chile Cherries’ exports in China account for 97% of the total exports in Asia. Contact us, and we will help you find the best China e-commerce platform for you. Search PLTFRM for a free consultation!
