• The Asia Pet Fair opened in Shanghai on 20 August as brands tap into the booming “pet economy” in China.
• Brands such as NetEase Yanxuan, CHAGEE and Tmall all launched campaigns to resonate with current and aspiring pet owners.
• From angles of health, companionship and responsibility, the campaigns try to provide “emotional value” to pet-loving young people.

With the 27th Asia Pet Fair underway in Shanghai, from robot dogs to a pet fashion show, brands, pet-related or not, are trying to leverage the spotlight on these companions. The pet economy in China has continued to grow as people seek “emotional value”, not necessarily through romance or family, and pets are one of the alternatives for young people in China.

For brands that are not known for making pet products, it is a great way to tap into the massive appeal of pets, whether through new products or campaigns. Here are some of the highlights from this year.

Getting steamy

NetEase, the Chinese tech company best known for its 163 music platform and video games, brought its lifestyle brand NetEase Yanxuan (网易严选, lit. curated by NetEase) to the fair.

Not only did it showcase its latest pet food innovation, but it also built a “check-in” (打卡) spot for photo opportunities. The latest offering is “freshly steamed” pet food, made with cutting-edge technology designed not only to provide nutritious meals but also to support pets’ digestive systems.

To reinforce its steamed theme, NetEase brought a huge steamer installation to the Pet Fair, providing photo opportunities for visitors and making the NetEase Yanxuan booth a popular destination. The brand also launched livestreams on both Douyin and Tmall for online participation.

Season of pets

In late August, the “new Chinese-style” tea chain, CHAGEE, launched its “pet-friendly” season of 2025, almost exactly one year later. This year, the tea chain launched a four-pronged campaign for both online and offline.

With a central theme of “accompaniment”, CHAGEE brought in-store experiences, collaborations with charities, exclusive merch releases and user engagement to provide social interactions and raise awareness of animal protection.

CHAGEE launched a free dairy cream giveaway for pets at 135 locations across China. 20 CHAGEE branches also have a wall for photo opportunities. There is merch such as fridge magnets and customisable cups, where you can upload pictures of your pet to print on. With its WeChat Mini Program, users can exchange in-app credits for 100kg of pet food at rescue stations.

At the Asia Pet Fair. CHAGEE hosted adoption events for visitors to encourage adoption. CHAGEE has been opening pet-friendly branches since 2023 and started its first pet-friendly month last year.

Are you sure you want a pet?

Like CHAGEE, Tmall, also took the charity path as its step into the pet economy. However, the Alibaba-owned e-commerce giant took a subversive route by “discouraging” pet ownership.

The context is that with the current pet boom, people are exposed to too much “seeding” for pets and Tmall has sought to discourage potential impulse buys driven by either fear of missing out or sheer cuteness from pet videos. When heads cool, these impulse decisions or adoptions may lead to abandonment, sometimes repeatedly.

According to the “2023-2024 Pet Industry White Book”, there are approximately 100 million stray cats and dogs, and over 75% of stray animals are the result of human abandonment. With a slogan urging people to “think it through” before owning a pet, Taobao and Tmall, along with 17 pet product brands, are trying to curb unprepared pet-keeping.

Using a visual pun of a pet-shaped “pit”, the campaign poster plays on the idea of “入坑” (really getting into something, but lit. entering a pit). Tmall asks viewers whether they are ready for the potential bad behaviours and destruction that can come with pets, and whether they are prepared to look after them for their entire lives. The key message is to reject “pets as entertainment”.

As the pet economy continues to grow, pet-keeping is becoming part of everyday life for many young people in China. Brands, pet-related or not, are tapping into the lifestyle sector and trying to leverage the “emotional value” in marketing. Pets are just as important as messaging aimed at romance, family or the recently buzzing “interest” trend. However, like with family or romance, a resonating message can’t be only “buy”. Health, companionship, and responsibility were some of the innovative angles from brands at the Asia Pet Fair this year, and we can expect to see more creative pet-based campaigns in the future.

Need to boost your China strategy? Dao Pro delivers bespoke insights on marketing, innovation, and digital trends, direct from Chinese sources. Find out more from our Dao Strategy Team here.

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The McDonald’s-backed charity organisation helps to house and care for children who seek medical attention away from their homes, usually in higher-tiered cities. Wang visited a Ronald McDonald House as a volunteer, and helped with a prize draw and answered questions, before playing table tennis with the children.

• #王楚钦 麦当劳叔叔之家 Wang Chuqin Ronald McDonald House Charity: 3.41 million views on Weibo, ranking number 6 on the Hot Search list

Meanwhile, McDonald’s has also installed donation boxes in over 6,000 restaurants around China, as well as pledging to donate 0.5 RMB (0.07 USD) to the charity every time someone orders a Happy Meal. The project has helped over 1,500 families at their 3 Houses in Beijing, Shanghai and Changsha since its launch in 2006. This new campaign leverages Wang’s positive image to support its ESG efforts and raise awareness about children who must travel far from home for medical care.

Need to boost your China strategy? Dao Pro delivers bespoke insights on marketing, innovation, and digital trends, direct from Chinese sources. Find out more from our Dao Strategy Team here.

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The story of Taotao is about it being released into the wild at 2 years of age and learning to survive in the harsh conditions of the Sichuan mountains before finding love and building his family. Indeed, Taotao is the first panda to have successfully had grandchildren after being released into the wild. The video, is accompanied by a voiceover narration in a traditional singsong tone, reenacting key moments of Taotao’s life, including his lessons with his mother, being released into the wild and finding food in the snow etc.

The campaign also involves partners such as the SEE Foundation, Foping Panda Natural Reserve and merchants for a charitable sales event to raise 1 million RMB (136,718.48 USD) for the protection of wild pandas, of which Taotao is one of over 1,900. At the same time, a gamified experience is available for Taobao users to play along with Taotao’s stories.

Back in September last year, Taobao announced that it had “adopted”, or sponsored Taotao the panda in 2011. It had been successfully mating after being raised in the wild for the past 12 years (13 years now). From the adoption came a project called IPANDA, and the name Taotao was also voted by 10s of thousands of Taobao users in 2011.

This CRM campaign, 14 years in the making, really hones in on the “emotional value” of such campaigns. Pandas are a great subject for not only its adorableness but also the national pride Chinese consumers have for the China-exclusive mammal. By incorporating shadow play, which is an intangible cultural heritage (ICH), it is also an example of ICH marketing. In fact, the nostalgia of 2010 and the early days of Taobao also provide an angle for emotional value. It is evidenced by the fact that the topic “Taotao’s steps in bamboo” (#淘淘的竹迹#, which is a play on words between “足” in “足迹”, footsteps, sounding similar to “竹” meaning bamboo) earned 210 million views on Weibo, China’s Twitter equivalent.

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The release is a collaboration between Kanekoayano, SoundFact (声场), the promoter of the band’s upcoming China tour and stray cat rescue organisation RHR (Rescue, Heal, Rehome, 上海领养之家) in Shanghai. The band created a poster and an exclusive round phone holder, which will set you back 39 RMB (5.37 USD), both featuring frontwoman Kaneko Ayano’s doodle of a cat. All proceeds, apart from the costs will be donated to RHR to pay veterinarian bills.

RHR has recently collaborated with homeware brand CASUCA to create a foundation called CAdoption and released a loungewear collection with cat graphics. 10% of all earnings will be used towards adopting stray cats.

Kanekoayano is a new moniker recently adopted by singer-songwriter Kaneko Ayano (カネコアヤノ) and her band to emphasise the collaborative process the band goes through to create music. Frontwoman Kaneko is known for keeping three cats, two of them rescues. Not only do cats regularly appear in her lyrics but also feature as a doodle and band mascot. Her love for cats may or may not stem from her family name “Kaneko” includes “neko”, which means cat in Japanese.

The charitable release of the tour merch not only helps RHR but is also incredibly on-brand for Kaneko and the band, for they are known for their signature warm sound. The band’s tour will include four dates in Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Sichuan and Guangzhou, Guangdong between 4 and 8 December. They played several shows around Asia this year and are due to embark on their third UK mini tour in as many years next year.

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In China, KFC created its “Food Station”(食物驿站) in 2020 to work with its suppliers to give away surplus food in the form of gift bags donated to people and groups in need. This year, the restaurant chain worked with 8 of its suppliers in the country under the instructions of the China Consumers Association to give away over 20,000 gift bags across 100 cities. KFC also awarded the title “K’s Fried Chicken Man” (肯家炸鸡侠) to its partners for the good deeds they did for both reducing food waste and helping out people in need.

This year, KFC also teamed up with its brand ambassador Chinese actor Zhu Yilong to film a short “unboxing” video of the gift bags, showing off how the surplus food is packaged and distributed through the “Food Station” system. On Weibo, China’s Twitter equivalent, the topic “KFC Food Station” (#肯德基食物驿站#) has accumulated over 57.08 million views, with 3.81 million in the past 30 days. This is, of course, partly to do with the star power of Zhu, but it is also effective in bringing interest to the cause.

The “Food Station” is a proactive way of celebrating World Food Day and raises awareness of both food waste and hunger, and is a great ESG campaign for not only KFC but its stakeholders. Suppliers such as Sheng Nong made themselves visible to general consumers by working with KFC. It also takes both the international brand and its local suppliers closer to the communities in China.

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Tencent’s “Accessible Cinema” is the first long-form video application to pass the China Library for the Blind’s accessibility test, with its core functions adapted to screen-reading software. Tencent has conducted extensive research on visually impaired users and implemented many targeted designs. When visually impaired users log in to the Tencent Video App, the “Accessible Cinema” will automatically appear as the first button on the left side of the home page, provided the screen reading feature on the user’s mobile phone is turned on, simplifying the navigation process.

Additionally, the involvement of Tencent Video’s Large Scale Artificial Intelligence technology has greatly enhanced the efficiency of producing traditional accessible films. In the production process, AI identifies video content and automatically generates the first draft of the script. Volunteers then modify it, and AI performs dubbing and synthesis. This innovation has shortened the production cycle from 30 days to just 10 days.

“Accessible Cinema” will release over 600 high-quality popular films and videos in batches, including “YOLO”, “The Long Season”, and “The Three-Body Problem”, covering movies, TV dramas, children’s animation, and some variety shows. The service has also set up a questionnaire to collect user preferences for future productions.

16 May was Global Accessibility Awareness Day, which aims to foster discussions and awareness about the accessibility and inclusiveness of digital environments (web, software, mobile devices, etc.) for over 1.2 billion people worldwide with disabilities. Tencent’s initiative is also part of its ESG strategy to address social issues through technological innovation.

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The charitable venture involved the collection of used sports shoes from consumers, which were then transformed into a functional court through Nike’s new Grind technology. In addition to the eco-friendly aspect, the renowned sportswear giant collaborated with celebrated Chinese designer Susan Fang to add a touch of artistic flair to the court’s design, with a special focus on empowering young school girls to embrace sports.

Drawing from Fang’s artistic vision, the court now boasts an array of motifs including butterflies, rainbows, and symbols of love. These carefully chosen elements were thoughtfully incorporated to imbue a lively and colourful perspective on sports specifically targeted towards young girls. The overarching objective behind this creative endeavour is to establish a cheerful and welcoming exercise space that not only promotes physical activities among young girls but also nurtures an environment in which their dreams and aspirations can flourish.

As a testament to Susan Fang’s popularity and influence, her Weibo account enjoys a substantial following of 105,000 followers, while her presence on Instagram commands an audience of 57,200 followers. So far, her most recent post detailing the collaboration with Nike has garnered 617 likes on the latter platform.

While its involvement might seem modest, the project seems to align with a localised strategy aimed at resonating with consumers in China in a more authentic way. By collaborating with a renowned mainland designer such as Fang, Nike not only reinforces its engagement with social causes but also lays the foundation for continued cultural connections in the coming years.

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While individual brands have previously demonstrated their commitment to charitable causes, this event marks a unique moment where these top-tier brands are pooling their resources for a larger philanthropic impact.

During the event, the tea brands cemented their dedication by signing donation agreements. Additionally, a fund management committee was established, comprising representatives from both the donor brands and the foundation.

At present, the ‘New Tea Charity Fund’ aims to secure an initial fundraising target of tens of millions of RMB (millions of USD). Looking forward, this committee will oversee the various aspects of fund administration, ensuring transparency and effective decision-making.

All in all, the collective effort of these esteemed Chinese tea brands to establish the ‘New Tea Charity Fund’ exemplifies not only their commitment to product excellence but also their broader dedication to societal progress. This collaboration not only holds the potential to make a significant difference in the lives of individuals but also serves as a beacon for industry-wide collaboration for the greater good.

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So far, one of the highlights of the trip has been the unique “Can’t stop talking” online interactive topic initiated by Peak officials, which so far has garnered over 10 million views and 18,000 interactions on Weibo. For the event, fans were encouraged to participate in a lottery where they had the opportunity to express their thoughts directly to Wiggins. Whether it was sharing heartfelt messages, posing burning questions, or simply expressing admiration for the NBA star, fans eagerly embraced the chance to interact with their idol.

Additionally, as part of their commitment to ensuring widespread involvement, Peak teamed up with Tmall Super Experience to organize a series of exclusive “face-to-face with NBA stars” events. Lucky fans in Zhengzhou secured their spots in the offline meet and greet with Wiggins through an online raffle. However, in a bid to include as many enthusiasts as possible, Tmall ensured that those unable to attend the event in person could still partake by tuning into the live broadcast on Taobao.

Peak has also gone the extra mile to cater to its devoted fanbase during the trip. To commemorate the China tour, limited-edition T-shirts and Wiggins sneakers were launched exclusively for this occasion. Fans across the nation eagerly participated in online giveaway raffles to get their hands on these coveted memorabilia, further amplifying the excitement surrounding the trip.

All in all, the favourable outcomes of this venture have generated considerable anticipation for Wiggins’ upcoming tour stops. By bringing Wiggins on board, Peak embraces the current trend of leveraging NBA star marketing, which has also attracted interest from tech companies such as Ant Group collaborating with NBA China to create digital content. Moving forward, Wiggins’ continued success on the court and his global appeal are poised to contribute positively to Peak’s business objectives, exemplifying the convergence of sports and marketing in the contemporary business landscape.

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This year saw LILANZ curate a fashion show at a primary school in Guizhou, in what was the brand’s most spectacular public welfare project yet. The children of No.2 Primary School of Jiangkou County Guizhou province had the chance to design and showcase their own fashion creations under the guidance of representatives from LILANZ.

Taking the theme “Travelling through China” as inspiration, the children were encouraged to draw from local cultures and at the same time explore the essence of the Chinese spirit. More importantly, though, the “Dream Course” – LILANZ’S name for the art classes they bring to youngsters – set out to help the children recognise their uniqueness and potential.

“Every child’s schoolbag has a trophy inside, each with a different award. You are all number 1 in the class at something,” LILANZ Brand Director Wang Junhong told the students at Jiangkou No.2 Primary School.

In collaboration with Adream Foundation, LILANZ has donated almost 5 million RMB (690,350 USD) towards the construction of “Dream Centers” since 2018, which the foundation describes as “a network of multimedia classrooms built in schools in rural areas and urban inner-cities”.

Starting in 2022, Wang has set his sights on spreading aesthetic education across China after noticing that it is often overlooked in areas with fewer educational resources. In aid of this goal, LILANZ plans to invest a further 5 million RMB and impact 200 schools in underprivileged areas.

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