Livestreaming Entertainment to Fuel the 618 Shopping Frenzy
Plus: Drama's big brand freeze, Oppo takes it to the extreme, and the future of shoppable video.
In addition to hosting a series of splashy TV gala shows to promote the 618 Shopping Festival, China’s e-commerce platforms are also turning to livestreaming entertainment to boost sales for this year’s event, which is being closely watched as a bellwether for the recovery of the consumer economy in the wake of the coronavirus.
JD.com partnered with indie music label Modern Sky to bring a livestreamed version of its long-running Strawberry Music Festival to JD Live on June 13 and 14, with rock bands such as The Face and Mr. Sea Turtle. The event drew more than 5.2 million viewers over two days and included brand sponsorships from Budweiser and Abbott. It is part of a broader campaign by JD to draw 618 shoppers via entertainment, with other livestream broadcasts featuring concerts by rockers Cui Jian and Zheng Jun, along with airings of Beijing Satellite TV’s cultural reality series “The Summer Palace” (我在颐和园等你) and other programs.
JD.com is also kicking off its strategic partnership with short video platform Kuaishou with a major livestreaming campaign that merges JD’s 618 event with Kuaishou’s own June 16 sales promotion. A slew of celebrities and more than a hundred leading influencers on Kuaishou will offer discounted products provided by JD.com including 100,000 iPhone 11s, 100,000 iPads, 20,000 bottles of Moutai, 20,000 Nintendo Switches, and 50,000 M.A.C lipsticks.
Tmall is aiming to create a new model of “immersive” and story-driven e-commerce livestreaming that departs from the typical format of a host hawking products directly to an audience. On June 13, Tmall Super Press Conference worked with the producers of the still-shuttered “Sleep No More, Shanghai” to showcase new products from 20 brands via a “treasure hunt” in the historic McKinnon Hotel. Punchdrunk and SMG developed a new storyline for the livestream based on the original script for “Sleep No More, Shanghai,” set in the 1930s, presenting it as a prequel to the interactive drama, and the stars of the livestream performed jazz-inspired jingles for each brand. More than 1 million viewers tuned in, and the related topic on Weibo drew more than 200 million views.
Don’t be shy — if you’ve got a story tip, are interested in sponsorships or advertising, have a question about our recent Guide to Streaming Platforms, or just want to say hello to our team, reach out today!
Mentioned in today’s newsletter: Abbott, Budweiser, Farfetch, Gucci, Huawei, JD.com, Lincoln, Oppo, Shiseido, Sprite, Tmall, Vipshop, Vita Coco, Xiaomi.
Dramas Still Struggle to Draw Brands
While brand interest in sponsoring reality shows has bounced back, scripted programming is still having a hard time drawing support, according to Starlink’s May report on the sector.
Out of 35 new series that launched in May, only seven featured brand involvement. Most of the new shows are debuting online, but only five out of the 28 had sponsors.
Hunan Satellite TV’s “Love Designer” (幸福触手可及), which is also airing on iQiyi, Youku, and Tencent Video, is the big winner, with 19 brand placements, including Lincoln, Vita Coco, Huawei Honor, Sprite, and Vipshop. The series is an adaptation of an internet novel about the romance between a fashion designer and an e-commerce entrepreneur, with the popular celebrities Dilraba Dilmurat and Huang Jingyu in the lead roles.
The Future of Shopping is Already Here...in China
Total vertical entertainment integration, from program conception and production to distribution, e-commerce integration and promotion, might sound like the future — and very well may be for streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.
A recent Fast Company piece on the future of shopping noted that the acceleration of e-commerce (which only increased amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic) means “a big opportunity for brands, consumers, and streaming services to reinvent the theater of shopping.”
But interestingly, many of the futuristic predictions made for streaming platforms in the US and Europe are already up and running, in China.
Key Takeaways From the Webinar “Acceleration With Technology for Fashion”
Last week, Jing Daily partnered with Parsons School of Design to present a discussion on how new technologies have been deployed to support the fashion industry since during the Covid-19 outbreak. The conversation explored how brands and retailers can navigate the future in light of the disruptions to the environment for fashion and luxury, with an emphasis on the lessons from Shanghai Fashion Week’s experience in going digital earlier this year.
The digital fashion week shift is fueling inclusivity as virtual communication allows both industry insiders and a wide range of consumers to engage in online events and interact with each other.
Technologies such as VR and AR allow brands to create new types of experiences, such as immersive shows, and offer tools that can assist consumers such as virtual try-ons.
While some brands express concerns about the investment involved, new technologies can provide sustainable and cost-effective solutions in the long-term.
Read the full story on Jing Daily
Brand Film Pick: Oppo’s National Geographic Adventure
Chinese mobile phone maker Oppo’s global-facing branding efforts are not limited to its work with international celebrities. The brand’s latest effort sees it partner with National Geographic for a campaign that documents the experience of using the flagship 5G model Find X2 Pro in extreme conditions
Oppo and National Geographic worked with Michaela Skovranova, an Australian-based filmmaker, photographer, and director, who traveled to Antarctica in February for the project, along with director and cinematographer David May. Skovranova produced a short film and a series of photographs that highlight the natural beauty of the environment and aim to inspire amateur photographers to think big, while another behind-the-scenes film and set of articles provide additional background and insights into the working process.
It’s the latest in a series of brand films we’ve seen from mobile phone makers that showcase the capabilities of today’s high-end phone cameras. For more, check out Xiaomi’s journey to Lhasa and Huawei’s drama set in the Mongolian wilderness.
News in English
Gucci appears to be adapting the Chinese e-commerce livestreaming model globally with its new personalized live video shopping rollout. Vogue Business
And Shiseido plans to use the digital strategies it has developed in China to support its growth globally, with e-commerce expected to make up 30% of total sales within the next couple of year. Bloomberg
The luxury e-commerce platform Farfetch paired British designers with Chinese influencers for a series of video interviews as part of London Fashion Week’s digital initiative. WWD
Tmall is enlisting international diplomats to engage in e-commerce livestreaming to boost sales of products from their home countries. Radii
China’s intangible heritage is also a livestreaming hit, with artisan livestreaming on short video platforms helping to sell traditional wares. CGTN
Ready for Tmall? Key factors brands should consider in deciding whether to get onto China’s leading e-commerce platform. Azoya
Tencent is further integrating its entertainment platforms with new roles of executives that span its film, literature, and entertainment holdings. Technode
Questions of dependence on China, legal exposure, and collaboration are among those that corporate boards need to address in the current political climate. Harvard Business Review
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