Top KOL on Douyin based on our agency experience, recommendations from key figures, data tracking from the Madman APP, using criteria such as strategic insight, creative expression, viral capacity, and conversion ability.
Douyin, known as TikTok outside of China, is significantly influencing the fashion industry in China. It merges advanced technology with trendsetting styles, reshaping the future of luxury fashion through its interactive platform.
Douyin’s innovative approach includes various content formats like short videos, live streaming, live fashion shows, online check-ins, and the use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies. These features enable luxury brands to engage interactively with users, enhancing their marketing strategies and connecting with a tech-savvy, young clientele.
Influencers aka Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on Douyin play a vital role in promoting fashion brands in China. They help generate interest in products and drive luxury sales, especially during festival promotions, making them crucial for strategic marketing.
Wang Qiyue It’s too cheap, I’m raising the price
- Followers: 14.05 million on Douyin
- Reason for Recommendation: Known as a Douyin KOL, her video style dramatically showcases product benefits and scenes, often with the catchphrase “It’s too cheap, I’m raising the price”. She successfully elevates ordinary products to luxurious items through exaggerated expression and strong contrast. Her video “Where’s the Mosquito Coil” received over 10.28 million likes, showcasing her strong viral capacity.
艺术菜花 Art Cauliflower
- Followers: 3.77 million on Douyin
- Reason for Recommendation: Known as the pinnacle of Douyin advertising, Art Cauliflower’s ads are a perfect blend of commerce and art. Using a clever mix of warm and cool tones, the ads reflect characters, emotions, and product features, creating a fairytale-like ambiance. The painting-like color scheme perfectly suits luxury advertising with its elegance and sophistication.
Li Ruru
- Followers: 21.31 million on Douyin
- Reason for Recommendation: Li Ruru’s videos have evolved through different phases, initially gaining popularity through TVB dubbing imitations before creating new content styles and paradigms. Her video “When the Sales Champion Goes Home for New Year” cleverly combines plot and sales techniques, showcasing impressive content creativity.
Qi Baishi
- Followers: 208,000 on Xiaohongshu
- Reason for Recommendation: An ENFP original poet, he initiated the “Poetry in Play” experiment, integrating poetry into everyday life, such as Guangzhou’s kites and Shanghai’s old buildings. This innovative expression brings poetry to life, showing its new possibilities in modern living.
Evian Bibi
- Followers: 1.85 million on Douyin
- Reason for Recommendation: A Douyin creative advertising KOL known for shooting commercial-grade ads with simple props and amateur-looking equipment. The contrast and novelty of this approach have sparked discussions both within and outside the advertising community, attracting attention from various brands.
Tudou Man
- Followers: 43,000 on Xiaohongshu
- Reason for Recommendation: A digital concept artist. With the explosion of AIGC applications this year, Tudou Man has created multiple viral works domestically and internationally using AIGC tools, collaborating with brands like McDonald’s, Lancôme, Lenovo, Buick, Amoy, UGG, AMIRI, Meituan, and Tmall. His works are exhibited and collected by various art institutions and museums, marking the rise of a new AIGC art trend.
米雷-RayDog
Douyin: 638.3k Followers
Recommendation Reason: A comic creation artist. Mi Lei has “an Andersen living inside her heart.” Her creations are not just limited to showcasing her comic skills, but are more about combining storytelling. She breaks through the dimensional wall through various scenes, creating a realistic and richly plotted animated micro-movie for the public, truly achieving “unity of person and painting.”
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Auntie Nonsense
Followers on Xiaohongshu: 98k Recommendation Reason: A post-00s male, who has interned at W+K and 404 Dark Store, with a background in creative copywriting. He excels at turning life into poetry, participating in Xiaohongshu’s 618 poster creation, Xiaohongshu Road Life Festival poetry street campaign, etc. The copy he has created has received continuous praise on Xiaohongshu and has also achieved a certain level of dissemination outside the platform.
How to Work with KOL in China?
Regarding how to work and collaborate with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in China, and ideas about pricing:
- Understand Their Influence and Audience: Before collaborating, understand the KOL’s follower demographics and their influence in specific domains. This helps in targeting the right audience for your brand.
- Align with Brand Values and Aesthetics: Choose KOLs whose style and values align with your brand. This ensures authentic and effective promotion.
- Develop Creative and Tailored Content: Work with KOLs to create unique and engaging content. This could range from product reviews, how-to videos, to storytelling that incorporates your brand.
- Negotiate Clear Terms and Expectations: Be clear about what you expect in terms of content, frequency of posts, and engagement. Also, discuss the rights to the content created.
- Pricing Models: Pricing can vary widely based on the KOL’s popularity, engagement rates, and the type of content. It can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per post. Some KOLs may also accept products or services in exchange for promotion.
- Monitor and Measure Success: Track the performance of the KOL’s posts in terms of engagement, reach, and if possible, the conversion to sales or leads.
- Build Long-term Relationships: Rather than one-off promotions, aim to build long-term relationships with KOLs for sustained brand presence and credibility.
- Stay Updated with Trends: The digital landscape and influencer trends change rapidly. Keep abreast of these changes to optimize your KOL marketing strategy.
Work with KOL has a cost
Remember, successful collaboration with KOLs depends on authenticity, creativity, and alignment with your brand’s goals and values.
About us
Gentlemen Marketing Agency (GMA), which includes the Fashion Chain Agency division, specializes in assisting international brands in penetrating and growing in the Chinese market. Their expertise in platforms like Douyin allows them to offer services such as digital strategy development, video marketing, influencer marketing, reputation advertising, and performance analysis.
GMA’s deep understanding of the Chinese digital ecosystem and cultural nuances makes it an essential partner for luxury brands aiming to succeed on platforms like Douyin.