Top 8 Consumer Trends in China for 2025

1.The Rise of "Photo-Worthy" Experiences: Offline Spaces Regain S-Tier Marketing Status

Brands are elevating the aesthetics of offline spaces to unprecedented heights.

A restaurant doesn’t necessarily need to serve great food, but it absolutely must be "photo-worthy." This might be the last lifeline for fleeting "internet-famous" shops. Some are curating exhibitions, others are creating innovative stores or pop-ups, while some are pushing creative boundaries on traditional advertising mediums. Even a unique installation can draw crowds—think Redmi’s Platform 9¾ at Peking University East Gate Station or To Summer’s "Leaping Hills" installation at Taikoo Li Chengdu. In the right environment, creating a city landmark that embodies a brand can become a powerful way to dominate various communication channels.

The revival of offline spaces hinges on two key elements: creativity and aesthetics. While it sounds simple, execution is a five-star challenge! Collaborations can somewhat ease the difficulty, with "authenticity" becoming a critical benchmark.

Trend Keywords: Photo-Worthy, Offline, Scenes, Installations, Stores, Pop-Ups, Aesthetics, Creativity

2. The Soaring Commercial Value of "Happiness": Emotional Value Drives Brand Growth

In 2024, Xiaohongshu’s keyword of the year was "abstract." Brands like Yili capitalized on this trend with their "abstract" campaigns, such as the Paris Olympics’ "Lu Yu" and Christmas’ "Ao Bai," which dominated online brand visibility metrics on their launch days. Comedian Wang Tianfang’s "Touch the Blue Ring" ad became the year’s most viral marketing phenomenon.

Data shows that over the past three years of "happiness-driven variety shows" , the average brand visibility increase was 128.95% (based on 23 brands). During the second season of The Big Band, the brand 00 Star saw a staggering 548% boost in visibility. Platforms like iQiyi and Tencent are fiercely competing in this space.

As emotional value becomes a central focus of online consumer demand, happiness-driven variety shows and abstract humor are thriving. Notably, 75% of the audience for these shows are aged 26-45, with over 70% having a monthly disposable income exceeding 10,000 RMB. Sixty percent are highly educated, making them more willing to pay for emotional value.

Trend Keywords: Happiness-Driven Variety Shows, Comedians, Abstract, Happiness

3. Lifestyle Never Goes Out of Style—It’s All About How You Tell the Story!

Tip: We can first become a habit, then evolve into a lifestyle.

When we talk about lifestyle, you’ll find the concept both familiar and elusive—it’s almost metaphysical and defies a clear definition. At its core, it’s a strategic concept that helps brands break free from the competition of product-centric branding. By seamlessly blending scenes, emotions, products/services, and brand philosophy, it aligns with or creates a slice of consumer life, aiming to convince the target audience that this combination is an integral part of their existence. For example, one brand sells curtains, while another sells "the drapes of life."

To determine whether a lifestyle has been successfully established, two layers need to be confirmed:

Physical World: Concrete actions or events that validate the lifestyle.
Spiritual World: Clear emotional resonance or perception that reinforces it.

However, to articulate this effectively, it’s crucial to understand the difference between habits and lifestyle.
For example:

Drink a glass of water after wake up: Habit
"Drink a glass of water after wake up to rouse a energetic day": Lifestyle

Trend Keywords: Lifestyle, Scenes, Emotions, Habits

4. The Driving Force of "Her Power" is for All Humanity!

Expressions centered around "girls help girls" will continue to dominate as the mainstream narrative.

From the early-year drama My Altay, to the mid-year highlight of the grand female sculptures at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, and finally to the year-end releases like The Decision to Leave and The Good Stuff, 2024 felt like a breakthrough year for "Her Power." Unlike previous years, which often emphasized radical forms of "social power" or "misandry," this year’s "Her Power" quietly yet powerfully showcased the strength and stability of women through various "her stories."

A key focus for brands in female-centric marketing is the dual emphasis on women’s physical and mental health. "Girls help girls" remains a standout expression and will continue to shine in 2025. Meanwhile, "herstory" is likely to multiply in presence. Rather than striving for novelty, authenticity will be the cornerstone.

For example:
On Xiaohongshu’s parenting section, the mainstream approach is "moms help moms." By leveraging identity recognition, this form of support can be effectively implemented.

Trend Keywords: Her Power, Female Solidarity, Women’s Health, Herstory

5.The Power of "Mysticism" is Simply Too Strong

In the contemporary market, "mysticism" still cannot be entirely separated from "superstition," so a careful and cautious approach remains essential.

"Mysticism" is more like a potent remedy that quickly heals the present and even keeps tomorrow shining bright.

Application Side: It serves as a copywriting tool or packaging format, designed to be eye-catching and appealing. Examples include Hippo’s "Money Fragrance" and the Summer Palace’s "Best Luck Cookies."
Usage Side: It forms the foundational concept, focusing on inner strength. Rather than emphasizing external blessings, it’s about grounding in persistence. For instance, reframing "making a wish" as "starting a commitment right now" avoids superstition while maintaining a positive tone.

Trend Keywords: Mysticism, Blessings, Contemporary Interpretation, Non-Superstitious

6. "Oriental" Remains a Hot Trend

The concept of "Oriental" will continue to thrive in 2025. Brands like To Summer and The Beast East have already achieved significant success by tapping into this theme. Compared to the ethereal and inclusive nature of "Oriental," trends like "New Chinese Style" and "Guochao" often over-rely on product forms, neglecting the deeper cultural accumulation and expression.

In the future, more brands across various industries will embrace "Oriental" as a core concept. To truly resonate with consumers, brands must skillfully leverage culture and foster a sense of identity. The form itself is merely a vessel—what matters is the content.

The more Oriental, the more content-driven. But what kind of content? And how to execute it?
Here are two tips:

Choose non-standard cultural themes based on the brand’s DNA.
Incorporate the 24 Solar Terms to diversify competition away from traditional festivals.

For example:

McDonald’s campaign "Eat Big Fries on Great Heat Day" (大暑吃大薯).
Ele.me’s seasonal short film series, "The 12 Solar Terms," which moved viewers with its Qingming-themed episode, "If We Could Share One More Meal with Those Who’ve Left."

Trend Keywords: Oriental, Content, Cultural Content Communication

7. "Anime Culture" is Conquering the World

After years of vibrant growth, "anime culture" is no longer a niche—it has become a mainstream trend among young consumers and a form of social currency. For brands looking to tap into this world, collaborations with well-known IPs from anime, gaming, cosplay, or fan-created content are the go-to strategy.

Successful collaborations often come with high consumer willingness and exceptional purchasing power. Even Miniso, known for its relentless stream of collaborations, has seen massive profit growth, with its stores subtly transforming into hubs for anime merchandise.

Speaking of merchandise, mastering the "collectible culture" is a must for brands. For example, Shanghai’s transportation card cleverly turned its collaboration into collectible items, achieving huge success in 2024. (Who bought a stack of transportation cards? I won’t say! But the Link Click cards are totally worth it!）

On the anime front, the end of 2024 saw a McDonald’s collaboration with Evangelion, where Asuka’s iconic catchphrase was perfectly integrated into a short film, instantly going viral across the internet.

Trend Keywords: Anime Culture, IP Collaborations, Collectible Culture, Fan Engagement

8. "Healing" Enters the Health and Wellness Arena: Don’t Miss This Massive Opportunity

Aligned with the broader health and wellness theme, the "healing" sector is rapidly growing in the fertile soil of "relaxation" and "light living." To some extent, various "healing" organizations are beginning to resemble the early forms of "religions." This demonstrates that users who embrace the belief in "self-healing" possess significant spending power, willingness, and potential.

Within legal and regulatory boundaries, "healing" could serve as a pivotal opportunity for product-centric brands to transform into "lifestyle" brands. Examples include home goods, jewelry, and apparel brands (many of which are already capitalizing on this trend).

The monetization potential of personal IPs is particularly notable in this sector, which requires a certain level of expertise. The strong appeal of personal IPs could become a powerful tool for brands to break through quickly.

Astute readers will notice that this trend not only aligns directly with "lifestyle" but also, when combined judiciously with "mysticism," can yield double the results with half the effort.

Trend Keywords: Healing, Mental Wellness, Mysticism, Maximizing Personal IP Influence