With competition among brands intensifying and brand perceptions becoming less rigid, brand content needs to evolve from merely attracting attention to deeply resonating with audiences. Brands can develop content strategies focusing on three key aspects: knowledge, emotion and humanisation. Knowledge and insights can convey a sense of the brand's vision. Emotional companionship can help meet the need for emotional resonance. A relatable and engaging human authenticity can help generate action. By resonating with consumers in various aspects of their everyday lives, brands can become trusted partners, earning approval and enduring trust with consumers amid a perplexing variety of choices.
Gloria Gan, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
Content marketing refers to a kind of market behaviour where brands themselves lead in creating and distributing a variety of content based around their own concepts, products or target consumers for the purposes of brand communication, relationship building and communicating shared values. The brand content studied in this Report includes but is not limited to short videos, image and text-based creations, live streams, podcast programmes/interviews, brand mini-dramas, brand stories and lifestyle advocacy content. It also covers content produced in collaboration with celebrities and key influencers, as well as the practice of co-creating content with consumers.
The Report focuses on communication methods where brands have principal rights over the planning and messaging of content and emphasises the connection between content communication and brand strategy. Other types of content, such as purely user-generated content (UGC), are not within the scope of the content marketing discussed in this Report.
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Executive summary
- Key issues in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- Three brand content approaches to resonate with consumers: expanding knowledge, evoking emotions, being human
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The big picture
- Overall advertising market is stable, with online advertising rapidly converging with content ecosystems
- Graph 1: nationwide advertising business revenue and revenue growth of advertising industry public institutions and businesses above a designated size, 2021-24
- Graph 2: share of revenue from internet advertising (%), 2021-24
- With slowing growth, cost cutting and efficiency drives, content is an important operational asset for brands
- Graph 3: number of brands in food and drink and BPC categories on Taobao/Tmall, 2022-25
- Brand perceptions becoming less rigid; content is more about value perception and building trust
- Graph 4: brand preference – brand recognition, by generation, 2025
- Graph 5: brand preference – age of brand, by generation, 2025
- Content that highlights a brand’s values is key to differentiated brand perception
- Graph 6: attitudes towards brands – brands are a representation of my personality, by generation, 2021-25
- Graph 7: attitudes towards brands – brands are a demonstration of my values, by generation, 2021-25
- Lifestyle is an expression of identity; brand content moving into scenario-based competition
- A human feel is the key for brands to make themselves a part of consumers’ lives
- Graph 8: mentions of ‘AI digital human (AI数字人)’ and ‘a human feel (活人感)’ on social media, 2025
- Story-driven content fuses entertainment, mini-dramas achieving record levels of traffic
- Graph 9: number of different types of internet audio and video users, 2024
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The consumer
- Decoding content appeal: target groups and three content strategies
- Content appeal comes from combination of informational value, emotional engagement and participation
- Graph 10: consumer segmentation based on most preferred brand content type, 2025
- Graph 11: attractiveness of brand content types, 2025
- From usefulness to resonance, encourage sustained connection by addressing the pain points of different groups
- Demographic profiles
- Graph 12: generations, by preferred brand content type, 2025
- Graph 13: gender distribution, by preferred brand content type, 2025
- Relaxed and easy content builds familiarity, stories enhance emotional impact
- Graph 14: interest in brand content formats, 2025
- Brand content format is not just a practical choice, but also an important means of strengthening relationships
- Graph 15: preferred brand content formats, by preferred brand content types, 2025
- Three kinds of content strategy
- Content strategy 1: knowledge and insights, helping to guide decisions and broaden horizons
- For knowledge-based content, males want autonomy, while females value scenario-centric content
- Graph 16: effective advertising scenarios for reaching Knowledge Seekers, by gender, 2025
- Design a content section of useful, practical knowledge as an initial touchpoint during independent searches
- Video live streams help concepts gain mindshare, social media sharing drives further dissemination
- Knowledge Seekers value knowledge density, and a sense of real-life experience and cultural depth
- Graph 17: selected brand role expectations, by preferred content type, 2025
- Graph 18: negative touchpoints for Knowledge Seekers, by preferred content type, 2025
- Leverage a sense of local identity, place and culture to encourage imagination in the lives of knowledge content fans
- The value of knowledge lies in providing certainty to choices, a means of growth and meaning to life
- Graph 19: select reasons for being interested in brand content, by preferred brand content types, 2025
- Content that showcases ethical values and health care is more likely to resonate with older Knowledge Seekers
- Graph 20: select initiatives to create a positive image, by generation, 2025
- Demonstrate accountability through environmental achievements and convey compassion through health education
- Content strategy 2: emotional companionship, bringing warmth into life
- Emotional release, authentic resonance, and emotional projection the main attractions of emotional and entertainment content
- Graph 21: select reasons for being interested in brand content, by preferred brand content types, 2025
- Women expect content to be light yet not frivolous, men are interested in deeper meaning and attitudes
- Graph 22: select negative touchpoints for Emotional Connectors and Entertainment Seekers, by gender, 2025
- Graph 23: select brand role expectations for Emotional Connectors and Entertainment Seekers, by gender, 2025
- Cultural imagery, narrative context and life’s details infuse content with warmth and depth
- From fellow life travellers to trusted companions, real life scenarios give form to emotional expression
- Bringing kindness closer to the consumer is the most genuine way for a brand to convey compassion
- Graph 24: select initiatives to create a positive image, by gender, 2025
- Gen Z values splash screens, Post-1990s follow influencers and Post-1980s rely on social media touchpoints
- Graph 25: select effective advertising reach scenarios for Emotional Connectors and Entertainment Seekers, by generation, 2025
- Turn the splash screen touchpoint from information push into emotional interface
- Shift from endorsement to empathy, convey the warmth of the brand through celebrities’ real stories
- Create opportunities for relaxation in Moments with social interactions and visual effects
- Content strategy 3: generate action, human authenticity brings content to life
- Generating action requires a combination of decision-making efficiency, shared values and interactive participation
- Graph 26: select reasons for being interested in brand content, by preferred brand content types, 2025
- Align design with consumer needs, enhance awareness of product suitability through rational persuasion
- Attract participation and extend content lifecycle with a philosophy that resonates, artistic co-creation and social multiplication
- Getting continued emotional feedback is an implicit driver for direct purchases
- Gen Z want human authenticity, Post-1990s value aesthetics, Post-1980s want practicality, Post-1970s/1960s look at principles
- Graph 27: negative touchpoints for Direct Buyers and Social Engagers, by generation, 2025
- Conversion is also based on emotion, building trust relies on creating a personified brand role
- Graph 28: select brand role expectations of Direct Buyers and Social Engagers, by generation, 2025
- Humorous, witty and lively content helps create a raw human authenticity
- Technology is about the experience, providing practical help to become a useful partner in life
- Reliable and always there for you, brands can be like an old friend who understands you
- What we think
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Appendix – methodology and abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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