(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
Many overseas brands are still running 2023 strategies in a 2025 reality—and paying dearly for it. These are the mobile ad trends that have moved from “nice-to-have” to “must-have” in the past 12 months.
1. Zero-Party Data Collection at Scale
1.1 In-Ad Quizzes & Preference Centers Ads that collect style, taste, or need preferences directly drive 5–8× more valuable first-party data than passive campaigns.
2. Always-On vs. Burst Campaign Shift
2.1 Continuous Low-Intensity Presence Brands moving from seasonal bursts to always-on, data-fed campaigns are seeing 30–50% lower long-term CPAs.
3. KOL Seeding + Paid Amplification Hybrid
3.1 Paid Boosting of Authentic KOL Content The highest-performing model: create with mid-tier KOLs → test organically → scale winners with lookalike + retargeting.
4. Cross-Border Mini-Program Dominance
4.1 Tmall Global & Douyin Global Mini-Programs New cross-border mini-programs allow instant purchase and duty-paid delivery—conversion rates are 3–5× higher than traditional paths.
Case Study: A Canadian Outdoor Gear Brand’s Zero-Party Data Revolution
A Canadian outdoor apparel brand replaced generic awareness ads with interactive preference quizzes collecting size, activity, and style data. Combined with always-on amplification of top-performing KOL content and direct cross-border mini-program sales, the brand achieved 9.4× ROAS and built a 400,000-member segmented database for future launches.
Conclusion
The rules have permanently changed. Overseas brands that collect zero-party data, run always-on, master KOL+paid hybrids, and sell directly through cross-border mini-programs are the ones scaling profitably in China today.
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!
