2025
8
China Content Marketing Market Report 2025
2025-11-06T14:01:47+00:00
REP42639BEF_E6DE_48FB_A9F0_22673CE4D58E
3695
188369
[{"name":"Marketing and Advertising","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/marketing-advertising"},{"name":"Market Intelligence Reports","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/report-type\/market-intelligence-reports"},{"name":"China","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/markets\/china-market-research"}]
Report
en_GB
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…
China
Marketing and Advertising
simple

China Content Marketing Market Report 2025

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.

Trusted by leading global brands

Amazon logo
Deutsch brand logo
waitrose
Bauer-Media-Group
mediacom-logo-e1438678858172 (1)
VML Logo
Epsilon Logo
VocaLink_Mastercard_logo-PNG-1
Amazon logo
Deutsch brand logo
waitrose
Bauer-Media-Group
mediacom-logo-e1438678858172 (1)
VML Logo
Epsilon Logo
VocaLink_Mastercard_logo-PNG-1
4.5 stars
Source: G2.com, Inc.
Collapse All
  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. Appendix – methodology and abbreviations

    • Methodology
    • Abbreviations
Download Report Summary

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.

£ 3,695 excl. Tax
Secure direct checkout
Instant PDF download
Portal access included
Need help deciding? Get in touch

Trusted by global industry leaders

4.5 stars
Source: G2.com, Inc.
Jackman logo

At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.

Alana Gavin, VP Research and Insights, Jackman
Waitrose & Partners logo

We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.

Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.

Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Bauer Media Group logo

We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.

They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.

Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
Deutsch logo

One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.

We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.

We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.

Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
VocaLink logo

We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.

As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.

We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.

 

Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
Amazon logo

Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.

Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.

Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
Mediacom logo

Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.

It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.

Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
Epsilon logo

We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.

By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.

For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.

Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
Wincanton logo

When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.

They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.

So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.

Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
VML logo

We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.

Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.

Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
Abacus logo

There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.

However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.

Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
Tenth Wave logo

Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.

When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.

The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.

Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave