SK-II, Nars vs Winona, Proya: Which beauty brand outshone for Qixi?

Subscribe to our Jing Beauty to get the latest on China's world of beauty and wellness. With Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, fast approaching, beauty brands have already launched dedicated campaigns promoting exclusive gift boxes for the occasion. For instance, SK-II’s Qixi gift box, which allows consumers to create their own unique packaging, won over many Chinese shoppers’ hearts. It comes as little surprise for the month of July that SK-II held on to the top position with $1.8 million in media value (MV), while Nars climbed to second place with $591,300 in MV. Close behind is Guerlain with $555,300 in MV. Meanwhile, the top three local players all generated millions in MV. From Chinese Valentine’s Day gift box giveaways to live action role-playing games, international brands are tapping innovative strategies to grab consumers’ attention online, whereas domestic brands are leveraging influencers’ allure and legions of followers. Although homegrown labels are achieving higher media values, in the long term, large marketing investments may dent the companies’ profitability. This issue, our WeArisma x Jing Daily Beauty Leaderboard* charts which brands are making the most buzz online from July 1 to 28. Global beauty SK-II ($1.8 million MV) For the third consecutive month, SK-II led the rankings in China, achieving a media value of $1.8 million in July. Harper’s Bazaar China, a major publication in the country, featured SK-II in four posts throughout the month across Weibo and Douyin, generating $251,000 in total MV. The announcement of Karen Mok’s return as a brand ambassador after 18 years created significant excitement. At 54, Mok embodies SK-II’s anti-aging mission, and greatly contributed to enhancing the brand’s share of voice and impact. Additionally, Chinese actress Zhang Zifeng (张子枫) published a single Weibo post about SK-II’s limited edition gift set generated that generated $109,00 in MV. The package’s illustration is customizable, allowing consumers to paint the scenes as they like, creating their own unique gift box, underscoring the strong appeal of exclusive and DIY beauty products in China. Nars ($591,300 MV) In July, Nars achieved $591,000 in MV, boosted by local beauty influencer Awen (@蟹阿文Awen) who has 5.4 million Weibo followers. She helped Nars generate $77,400 in MV through two Weibo posts. Her initial post featured a giveaway for a Nars Lip Gloss, driving significant fan engagement. The follow-up post announced the winner and highlighted the features of Nars’ Gold Tube Lip Gloss. This approach – collaborating with local influencers on giveaways – can effectively draw attention and spark interest. Guerlain ($555,300 MV) This month, Guerlain achieved a media value of $555,300, largely driven by a high-impact Douyin post from local influencer Yuanshen (@原神), who boasts 8.6 million followers on the platform. The post highlighted Guerlain’s collaboration with Genshin Impact — a live action role-playing game developed in China — featuring Emilie, a notable character from the game, generating $267,300 MV. As part of the collaboration, Guerlain will be hosting a series of themed events and merchandise releases in China. Travelers will be able to visit Guerlain’s physical retail stores to claim a special Guerlain x Genshin Welcome Gift. Additionally, after Emilie’s character’s live event, stores will also offer a collaboration themed Emilie Limited Character Gift to players. Guerlain will also be offering a special Emilie Fragrance Afternoon Tea at its boutiques, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the character’s alluring world. According to the 2024 ACG (Anime, Comics, and Games) research report, the industry beloved by Gen Z and Gen Alpha will soon reach $16.5 billion (120 billion RMB), making it the world’s largest ACG market. Undoubtedly, Guerlain is already paving its path to these young demographics. C-beauty Chando ($6.2 million MV) Chando achieved a remarkable media value of $6.2 million, claiming first position on the WeArisma Local Beauty Leaderboard. The achievement was largely thanks to the Chen Family Douyin account (@chensanfeigg31), which generated $5.6 million in media value by posting five posts on July 23. The Chen Family, with 41 million Douyin followers, typically averages $1.1 million in media value per post. They had an exceptional impact, mentioning the homegrown skincare brand five times in one day; highlighting the ability of Douyin’s algorithm to enhance visibility and brand awareness. By posting multiple times in a single day, they maximized exposure and engagement, as Douyin promotes frequent, high-engagement content, significantly boosting Chando’s share of voice this month. Winona ($2.6 million MV) Winona achieved remarkable success, securing second place with a media value of $2.6 million. The brand’s resonance with Chinese consumers was significantly strengthened by influential blogger Yuantuma (@原图妈), who has a reach of 10.9 million on Weibo, where she posted about Winona nine times, highlighting its product offerings. Her consistent support underscores the crucial role of influencer relationships in enhancing visibility, fostering trust, and driving success in China’s beauty market. Additionally, beauty KOL Ma Baoer (@马宝儿), with 8.9 million followers on Douyin, generated $254,200 in media value from a single post featuring Winona’s skin brightening range. For beauty brands aiming to resonate with Chinese consumers, enhancing media value and brand impact can be achieved by tapping into culturally valued beauty trends, such as fair skin, which deeply connect with Chinese audiences. Proya ($2.2 million MV) Proya was buoyed by the buzz of 82 influencers. Leading the charge was Everyday Sweet Point (@每日甜分), whose five Weibo posts about Proya’s skincare generated an impressive $250,900 in media value. This underscores the power of partnering with key influencers who can amplify a brand’s presence on platforms like Weibo. Notably, Proya’s media value peaked on July 27, driven by Yuantuma (@原图妈), who, with 10.9 million Weibo followers, generated $78,200 in media value from a single post about the brand. Yuantuma is also a very successful influencer driving brand awareness for local brand Winona, highlighting her impact and success in boosting brands’ share of voice. *Jing Daily’s monthly Beauty Leaderboards tracker analyzes the media value and social media buzz of beauty brands across Chinese social media platforms. Data provided by analytics company WeArisma can help brands measure and optimize their earned media and influencer marketing ROI.

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Which beauty brand outshone for Qixi?