(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
China has already moved far beyond basic retargeting. Today’s winners use sophisticated, privacy-compliant personalization that feels almost magical to consumers. These five trends show exactly where budgets and technology are flowing in 2025 – and how overseas brands are turning personalization into their biggest competitive advantage.
1. Zero-Party Data Collection Through Interactive Ads
1.1 Quiz & Preference Center Ads Explode on RED and Douyin Brands now run “skin-type quizzes” or “style finders” as native ads that collect declared preferences with user consent. This zero-party data is 5–8× more accurate than inferred data and powers hyper-relevant follow-up campaigns.
1.2 Gamified Ads That Reward Data Sharing Simple swipe games or AR try-on experiences offer Coupons in exchange for answering three quick preference questions. Users happily share data because they receive instant value.
2. Cross-Scenario Personalization Across the Consumer Journey
2.1 From Moments Ad → Video Account → Mini-Program Seamless Flow A user sees a personalized Moments ad, clicks into a Video Account that already shows products matching their browsing history, then enters a Mini-Program with pre-filled preferences. This closed-loop journey lifts conversion rates above 20% (vs. 3–5% industry average).
2.2 Post-Purchase Personalization Drives Repeat Rate Smart brands immediately serve “complete the look” or “replenishment reminder” ads 25–35 days after purchase, timed exactly to each customer’s consumption cycle.
3. Emotion-Aware Advertising via Multimodal AI
3.1 Facial Expression Analysis in AR Try-On Makeup and glasses AR tools now detect micro-expressions to recommend colors that make the user smile more. Early adopters report 68% higher add-to-cart rates.
3.2 Voice Tone Detection in Livestream Chat AI analyzes the emotional tone of viewer comments in real time and prompts the host to address concerns or excitement instantly, creating a genuinely personalized room atmosphere.
4. Community-Based Personalization on RED and Dewu
4.1 Note Content Triggers Ultra-Relevant Ads When a user likes or comments on RED notes about “oily skin routines,” they immediately enter a personalized ad sequence for oil-control products – often before they even search.
4.2 Subculture-Specific Creative Libraries Sneaker, hanfu, and guochao communities each receive completely different creatives, tone of voice, and offers tailored to their unique values.
5. Measurement & Attribution of Personalized Campaigns
5.1 Incremental Lift Testing Becomes Standard Brands now run geo-holdout or PSA tests specifically for personalized creatives to prove incremental ROI. Average reported lift: 42%.
5.2 Cross-Platform Unified Reporting Dashboards SaaS tools that combine Douyin, WeChat, RED, and Tmall data into one dashboard are now table stakes for any serious advertiser.
Case Study: Scandinavian Jewelry Brand – From 8% to 43% Repeat Purchase Rate A minimalist Nordic jewelry brand launched in China with PLTFRM in Q1 2025. We implemented quiz-based zero-party data collection on RED, emotion-aware AR try-on, and post-purchase replenishment campaigns timed to gifting seasons. Combined with community-specific creative on Dewu and RED, repeat purchase rate jumped from 8% to 43% in eight months while CPI dropped 37%.
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!
