Gallery: Chinese Video Marketing Examples

What Does This Post Teach Us About Marketing on Chinese Social Media?

Showing Genuine Interest in China Helps Brands Connect With Chinese Audiences

The video does more than show Cruz surfing: it follows his experience visiting China, including trying local food and interacting with people at the wave pool.

These moments help make the video relevant to Chinese viewers, even though the featured surfer is American.

For international brands, localization isn’t just about translating content; it also involves selecting content that connects with the audience’s interests and experiences.

Local Context Can Make International Content More Relevant

The video was filmed at a wave pool in Hainan, an island known for its beaches, tourism, and growing surfing scene.

Rather than presenting American Wave Machines’ technology in isolation, the video shows it being used at a Chinese surfing destination.

This gives viewers a familiar location to connect with and demonstrates how the company’s technology fits into China’s developing surfing industry. It also creates opportunities for collaboration with local partners, such as resorts and tourism businesses that may benefit from promoting the same destination.

The Best Product Videos Don’t Always Focus on the Product

American Wave Machines manufactures wave pool technology, but the video spends little time explaining how it works. Instead, it focuses on Cruz surfing, enjoying the waves, and experiencing the local culture.

Viewers can see the technology in action without sitting through a technical explanation or a conventional product demonstration. This approach can be particularly useful for B2B companies whose products may be difficult to explain or visually uninteresting on their own.

Rather than simply listing product features, brands can show how their products are used, the experiences they create, and the benefits they provide.

In this case, the surfer and his experience are the main attraction, while American Wave Machines’ technology makes the experience possible.

What Can We Learn From This Video?

A Good Hook Makes People Curious

Tap Into Trending Topics, but Offer a Different Perspective

Our team regularly monitors trends on Chinese social media to identify potential video ideas. One recent viral video featured a Chinese teacher of English complaining about Starbucks’ confusing drink sizes.

He pointed out that instead of using 小 (small), 中 (medium), and 大 (large), Starbucks uses 中 (medium), 大 (large), and 超大 (extra large) in China.

Our video approached the same topic from a different perspective: a Westerner explaining that the English names are even more confusing.

The combination of a familiar topic, an unexpected perspective, and a foreigner speaking Chinese gave viewers a reason to stop and listen.

High Production Value Isn’t Always Necessary

One advantage of the “walk-and-talk” format is that it feels natural. There are no cuts in the main footage. Tait speaks continuously while walking, making the video feel more like a casual conversation with a friend than a polished advertisement.

We added a few images to help explain the different drink sizes, but otherwise kept the editing minimal.

One thing we recommend investing in is a good microphone.

For videos filmed in busy shopping malls or windy outdoor locations, clear audio makes a noticeable difference. Tait uses a DJI Mic 3, which is available both inside and outside China.

A Large Follower Count Doesn’t Guarantee Views

Tait isn’t a wealthy celebrity or a famous influencer. His videos don’t automatically become popular because of who he is. Although his accounts have around 200,000 followers combined, some videos receive only a few hundred views on individual platforms.

That’s an important distinction.

Having an established audience can help, but it doesn’t guarantee that every video will perform well—the topic, hook, and presentation still matter.

People Can Be More Engaging Than Brands

One lesson we’ve learned from producing short videos is that individuals often have an easier time attracting attention than corporate accounts.

People generally find it more natural to engage with another person than with a company logo.

Not all of our clients want to put someone in front of the camera. But when they’re open to it, we encourage them to experiment.

A spokesperson could be the company founder, a product expert, or someone from the Chinese marketing team. Of course, Tait’s Mandarin-speaking ability is an advantage that can’t be replicated in a few weeks.

However, speaking fluent Chinese isn’t necessarily a requirement. English-language videos with Chinese subtitles can also perform well, particularly in industries where viewers are accustomed to consuming English-language content.

The broader lesson is that effective short videos don’t always require expensive production, elaborate editing, or a famous presenter.

Sometimes, a relatable topic, an interesting perspective, and a person speaking naturally to the camera are enough to get people watching.