Marketing to Millennials in China: Strategies to Reach Gen Y

Imagine this: Millennials and Gen Z together account for about 70 percent of luxury purchases, with Gen Y making up the bulk.

China’s millennial generation (Gen Y) – roughly those born 1980–1995 – has matured into a consumer powerhouse. They came of age amid China’s economic boom and digital revolution, and today they lead luxury spending and tech adoption in the country. 

Unlike Gen Z—who chase fresh trends and self-expression—millennials spend strategically. They’re building lives, managing careers, and making deliberate purchases that reflect their values and aspirations.

While Gen Z dominates conversations online, Gen Y dominates the cash register. They represent the prime audience if your goal is loyalty, returns, and long-term brand relationships.

This blog post will explore how brands can effectively market to China’s Gen Y, clarifying how they differ from Gen Z and outlining strategies across platforms, content, influencers, e-commerce, and more.

Key Takeaways

Here’s a brief overview of the following article:

• Definition of Chinese Millennials (Gen Y): Born between 1980 and 1995, this group values quality, cultural pride, and long-term brand relationships.
• Distinction from Gen Z: Gen Y favors stability, trusted platforms, and meaningful content, while Gen Z leans toward novelty, speed, and viral trends.
• Leading engagement platforms: WeChat, Douyin, RED, Kuaishou, and Bilibili dominate Gen Y’s digital life and drive informed, intentional purchases.
• Effective marketing strategies: Cultural authenticity, regional localization, micro-influencer partnerships, and user-generated content foster trust and loyalty.
• Priority product categories: Health, wellness, beauty, and culturally inspired domestic brands align with Gen Y’s lifestyle and values.
• Strategic support from Ashley Dudarenok: Offers keynotes, workshops, and consulting to help brands connect authentically with China’s millennial consumers.

Contact Ashley Dudarenok to build a winning Gen Y marketing strategy.

Who Are China’s Millennials? Values & Digital Habits

Chinese millennials (Gen Y) number around 400 million strong and make up a massive consumer market segment. They were the first generation to experience unprecedented prosperity in China, yet they also grew up during one-child policy years—meaning many are only children with significant family expectations. 

Here are key traits and values shaping their behavior:

Tech-savvy and Mobile-Centric

Chinese millennials are heavy smartphone users. Over 90% own a smartphone, spending an average of 5+ hours a day on mobile—even more than their U.S. peers. They seamlessly use apps for everything from messaging to payments, shopping, and entertainment. Cash is rare; mobile payments via super-apps like WeChat and Alipay dominate daily life.

Balance of Spending and Saving

This cohort loves to spend on quality and experiences, yet they’re also value-conscious. Many indulge in luxury products, with Chinese Gen Y expected to account for 40% of global personal luxury goods purchases by 2025. 

At the same time, surveys show millennials diligently save and hunt for deals (e.g., cashback, coupons) to stretch their money. They’ll splurge on items that matter to them but appreciate promotions that help them feel financially savvy.

Digital Socializing & Influence

Unlike older generations, millennials in China are deeply immersed in social media and online communities. They trust peer recommendations and online reviews. 

21% of consumers use Tmall/Taobao and 14% use RedNote to research beauty products, showing that they rely on social and e-commerce platforms for authentic user-generated content before buying. They also engage with brands directly on social platforms, expecting two-way communication.

Cultural Confidence

Having witnessed China’s rise, millennial consumers display growing pride in local culture and brands. They led early waves of the “Guochao” trend (literally “national tide”), preferring products that incorporate Chinese traditions or are made by domestic companies. 

They’ll still buy foreign brands, but increasingly evaluate all options on quality and cultural relevance rather than foreign prestige alone. This cultural confidence influences how brands need to position themselves with genuine respect for Chinese heritage and values.

Family and Responsibility

Many older millennials are starting families or caring for aging parents. This shapes their spending toward wellness, education, and home-related categories (more on that later). It also means convenience and reliability are prized – solutions that save them time or make life easier resonate well.

Understanding these characteristics is crucial. To effectively market to China’s Gen Y, brands must tap into their digital lifestyle, appeal to their values (quality, authenticity, a good deal), and communicate on the platforms where they spend their time. 

Winning Platforms in 2025: Where Gen Y Pays Attention

Chinese millennials taking a selfie in a café.

Chinese millennials are active across a vast digital ecosystem, but a few key platforms dominate their attention in 2024–2025. Each platform plays a unique role in the customer journey:

Douyin

Douyin (China’s TikTok) dominates daily life in China, blending entertainment, discovery, and commerce into one seamless experience. In 2024, it reached over 1 billion monthly active users, 60% of whom were aged 18–35, making it a core platform for reaching Gen Y.

Engagement is intense. Users spend an average of 110 minutes daily, and videos see a 68% completion rate, reflecting highly optimized, attention-holding formats.

For millennials — who spend strategically but seek quality experiences — Douyin delivers both fun and frictionless commerce. They watch, decide, and purchase in minutes.

How brands win on Douyin in 2025

• Use short-form storytelling that mirrors real life — not just polished ads
• Leverage creators to showcase products in daily routines or transformations
• Run interactive campaigns like “challenge+coupon” combos that reward engagement with value
• Invest in livestreams for deeper education and trust-building before purchase

For Gen Y, Douyin is less about virality and more about emotional resonance plus instant utility. The brands that thrive speak to both.

Kuaishou

While less globally recognized than Douyin, Kuaishou is a major short-video platform in China — especially among users in lower-tier cities and rural regions. As of Q4 2024, it reported 401 million daily active users, who spend over 2 hours a day on the app.

The platform stands out for its strong community feel, interactive livestreams, and real-life storytelling. Unlike the polished, aspirational tone of other apps, Kuaishou favors down-to-earth, relatable content — which deeply resonates with Gen Y outside urban centers.

Why it works for millennial marketing:

• Builds trust through “everyday” creators and real product demos
• Supports two-way engagement via live chats and gifting
• Encourages repeat interaction through fan-based micro-communities

For brands targeting cost-conscious, loyal millennial shoppers in Tier 3–4 cities, Kuaishou offers both reach and authentic connection — but only if the content speaks their language.

RedNote (RED)

RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu or RED) has become a go-to lifestyle hub for China’s urban millennials. By late 2024, it surpassed 300 million monthly active users, with 77% aged 18–34 evenly split between Gen Z and Gen Y. Its core audience is educated, middle-class women in top-tier cities.

RED functions like a blend of Pinterest, Instagram, and Amazon — a daily source of inspiration for beauty, fashion, fitness, and travel. But what sets it apart is the depth of user trust.

Millennials on RED rely heavily on peer reviews, personal stories, and lifestyle tutorials before making purchase decisions. A 2025 academic study confirmed that user-generated content (UGC) from influencers and regular users outperformed celebrity posts in both engagement and conversion.

Winning Gen Y on RED in 2025:

• Seed products with micro-influencers who post honest, aesthetic reviews
• Encourage UGC from real users by offering trials, samples, or repost incentives
• Craft native-style content — tips, “before and afters,” or experience breakdowns
• Avoid hard selling; Gen Y scrolls RED like a lifestyle magazine, not a mall

Branded content works best when it feels organic. From clean beauty to career wear, Gen Y uses RED not just to shop — but to make confident, peer-informed choices.

WeChat

WeChat remains vital for reaching China’s Gen Y. As of 2024, it had over 1.38 billion monthly users. For millennials, it’s a daily tool for chatting, reading, shopping, and managing payments. Unlike short-video platforms, WeChat is built for long-term engagement and loyalty.

• How Brands Use WeChat to Win Millennial Loyalty:
• Official Accounts: Post regular updates, educational content, or behind-the-scenes stories. Focus on value-first messaging, not sales spam.
• VIP Groups & Community Chats: Create invite-only spaces that offer early access, service, or peer interaction. Gen Y values exclusivity and trust among familiar faces.
• Mini-Programs: Enable seamless in-app shopping, referrals, or loyalty actions. In 2024, Mini-Shop sales rose 200% YoY, fueled by social discovery and low-friction purchases.
• Loyalty Integration: Tie WeChat to broader CRM. Brands like Starbucks link gifting, points, and personalized offers into a unified app experience.

Why Gen Y Responds:

• They want convenience and control — WeChat lets them explore, ask, buy, and follow up in one place
• They respond to personalized value, not mass exposure
• They prefer quiet, consistent interactions that respect their time

WeChat isn’t where Gen Y discovers your brand — it’s where they stay. Build long-term trust through useful content, smooth UX, and community connection.

Bilibili

Bilibili attracts China’s most passionate, niche-driven millennial users, especially those born in the 1980s and 90s. As of 2025, it had over 300 million monthly active users, most under 35. Its content spans anime, gaming, tech, music, and pop culture.

Unlike Douyin or RED, Bilibili isn’t for instant virality. It’s for brands that want credibility, community, and depth.

Why It Works for Millennial Marketing

• Subculture targeting: Ideal for brands in gaming, anime, fashion, music, and tech
• Authentic creator partnerships: Collaborate with “UP owners” to produce content that blends naturally into niche communities
• Cultural integration: Campaigns that use storytelling, humor, or anime aesthetics (e.g., a car brand’s anime-style short) win attention
• High trust: Gen Y on Bilibili is ad-savvy — they engage only with creative, sincere content

Bilibili also hosts major events like its New Year’s Eve gala and supports brand-run channels. Even non-profits and museums have attracted millennial fans by sharing meaningful cultural or educational content.

For brands seeking credibility over virality, Bilibili offers a clear path to connect with millennial passion points — not by selling, but by joining the conversation.

Strategic Content & Creative Formats That Resonate

Reaching Chinese millennials is only half the challenge — the real work lies in speaking to their values through content and creative strategy. Gen Y responds best to campaigns that feel sincere, emotionally engaging, and culturally aware. They grew up during China’s rapid transformation and now expect brands to show cultural fluency, not surface-level localization.

Lead with Cultural Authenticity and Emotional Narratives

Millennials in China connect deeply with stories that mirror their lives — career stress, family roles, or personal reinvention. Brands that succeed often lead with narrative, not product.

• Ads centered on family reunions, social pressure, or self-growth perform well
• Mini-films and branded content that feel human and cinematic spark sharing
• Campaigns using real Chinese settings, music, or traditions resonate more than stock-style “localization”

Global brands that respect cultural nuance — through language, tone, and casting — earn Gen Y’s trust. Sincerity matters more than polish.

Hyper-Localization: Dialects, Regional Flavors, City-Specific Campaigns

Millennials in Chengdu don’t talk like those in Shanghai. Successful campaigns adapt to regional identity, especially in Tier 2–3 cities where Gen Y holds major purchasing power.

• Use dialects or slang in ad versions
• Launch city-specific pop-ups or flavor editions
• Tailor WeChat group content by region or city
• Reflect regional pride — from food to design to humor

Localized marketing tells millennials: “You’re not just part of China — you’re part of this place.”

Influencer & KOL strategies: Beyond the Megastars

Influencer marketing in China has evolved. For Gen Y, polished celebrity ads no longer move the needle. What matters now is trust, niche relevance, and creative authenticity — delivered by micro- and mid-tier voices who feel real.

From Celebrities to Credible Creators

Millennials are skeptical of big-name endorsements. They’re more likely to act on recommendations from creators who feel like peers.

• Top-tier “wanghong” fatigue has set in — the aspirational sheen feels disconnected
• Micro (10k–100k followers) and mid-tier KOLs (100k–500k) drive stronger engagement with less spend
• Peer influencers are seen as part of the community — not hired spokespeople

This shift reflects Gen Y’s preference for honest, lifestyle-integrated content. Overly polished scripts no longer land.

Targeted Engagement, Higher ROI

Working with multiple niche influencers delivers better results than one high-profile name.

• 10+ micro-KOLs across lifestyle segments (fitness, parenting, skincare, travel) create broader reach
• These campaigns feel organic, especially when creators showcase daily use, personal stories, or product trials
• Brands report stronger conversion when content is tailored to each audience rather than mass broadcast

Authenticity Requires Creative Freedom

Gen Y responds to real stories over scripted promotions. Brands that give influencers room to create natural, personal content see stronger engagement.

• A fitness micro-KOL might document a real 30-day challenge with a product
• Beauty influencers often share honest reviews and daily-use posts, which outperform polished ads

KOCs and Private Advocacy Loops

Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs) — regular users who share real feedback — are rising in influence. Gen Y trusts peer-to-peer tips more than official posts.

• Brands encourage referrals and posts through small perks or early access
• KOC voices carry weight in trusted, peer-driven environments — often within private or content-rich platforms. 
• Campaigns that tap real users as part of brand storytelling feel more grassroots and credible

Beyond Content: Building Millennial Communities

Influencer impact now extends into livestreaming, private fan groups, and co-creation.

• Livestream hosts build real-time connections and drive sales
• Some influencers build private groups or fan chats where loyal users exchange product tips and participate in exclusive drops.
• Co-branded product lines (e.g. limited edition collabs) reinforce Gen Y’s desire for involvement and insider access

A Smart Millennial KOL Strategy Looks Like This

• Use a macro or celebrity for brand awareness
• Combine with 30+ micro- and mid-tier KOLs across categories for deeper reach
• Let each creator tailor content to their audience — no one-size-fits-all
• Measure what matters: engagement, referrals, and conversions — not just likes

Lifestyle & Niche Opportunities: Wellness, Beauty, and Domestic Pride

Chinese millennial shopper receiving a purchase in a store.

To truly connect with Chinese millennials, brands should look at what specific product categories and lifestyle niches are booming for this demographic. Gen Y’s spending priorities in 2025 reveal some clear opportunities:

Health & Wellness

Millennial consumers in China are increasingly health-conscious, especially after the pandemic. There’s surging interest in wellness products, from nutritional supplements to fitness services. A recent 2025 survey found that 41% of Chinese consumers plan to spend more on health-related products like vitamins and traditional Chinese medicine. 

Top-performing categories:

• Functional foods: Probiotic drinks, herbal teas, collagen supplements
• Sleep aids: White noise machines, magnesium sprays, app-connected sleep trackers
• TCM-based home care: Warming patches, guasha tools, and foot soaks for everyday relief

Beauty & Personal Care

China’s beauty market is massive, and millennials (especially women, but also men increasingly) spend significantly on cosmetics, skincare, and personal care. In early 2025, China’s cosmetics retail sales surged, showing renewed growth. 

Domestic beauty brands have made big waves by aligning with millennial tastes – Perfect Diary, Florasis (Hua Xizi), Proya, etc., often emphasizing quality at reasonable price and cultural elements (Florasis famously incorporates Chinese floral designs and ancient poetry in its branding. Millennials are open to trying new brands if the product is good and the marketing is engaging. 

One case is Yunifang (a Chinese skincare brand), which launched an AI-driven system to personalize face masks for users based on a skin test – appealing to millennials’ love of tech personalization.

Top-selling formats include:

• Routine-based skincare: Gentle retinol, anti-pollution cleansers, SPF serums
• At-home devices: Facial massagers, LED masks, ultrasonic cleansers
• Child-safe beauty items: Fragrance-free options, clean ingredient lists

Domestic Pride in Brands (“Guochao” in Products)

We discussed guochao in marketing, but it also manifests in what products millennials buy. There’s a renaissance of interest in homegrown brands and culturally-inspired products. This spans fashion (apparel with Chinese elements, local designer streetwear), food (domestic snack brands reviving traditional flavors), and beyond. 

For instance, traditional Chinese tea and herbal drinks are being re-packaged in chic, modern ways to entice young consumers who might otherwise pick soda or coffee. A brand like Wanglaoji (herbal tea) became trendy after repositioning itself as a healthy, heritage-rich, cool drink.

Winning brands:

• Mix heritage visuals with utility-first features
• Offer accessible pricing for family buyers
• Focus on green packaging, service, and aftercare

Crafting Brand Narrative & Loyalty Building for Gen Y

Chinese millennial researching a product in a shop.

Gen Y in China stays loyal to brands that reflect their values and deliver consistent, personalized experiences. Loyalty isn’t transactional — it’s emotional, built through relevance, cultural fluency, and real connection.

Build a Brand Story That Resonates

Millennials align with brands that speak to their lives and values. Narratives that highlight personal growth, cultural pride, or social impact work well — especially when grounded in local relevance.

• Baijiling blends Chinese herbal science with modern skincare, creating a distinct local identity
• Nike China features everyday athletes facing real-world struggles, not just elite performers
• Themes like sustainability, wellness, and education create long-term resonance — but only when backed by action

Loyalty Programs That Feel Personal

Points alone aren’t enough. Successful loyalty programs offer exclusive access, recognition, and community.

• Tiered benefits (early drops, VIP access, birthday perks) make Gen Y feel seen
• Peer engagement — via fan clubs, running groups, or WeChat meetups — deepens brand bonds
• Brands like Starbucks succeed by embedding their loyalty strategy into users’ daily lives

Personalization and Service Matter

Gen Y expects brands to know them — and show it.

• Send meaningful follow-ups: a “thank you” on a WeChat order or a reminder to reorder what they last bought.
• Celebrate milestones: anniversaries, birthdays, or loyalty tiers.
• Offer quick, no-hassle support. Great after-sales service builds long-term trust, especially in tech and lifestyle categories.

Everyday Content That Stays Relevant

Stay present without spamming. Consistent, helpful content keeps Gen Y engaged between purchases.

• Celebrate cultural festivals like Qixi or Singles’ Day with local campaigns
• Share behind-the-scenes stories, creator takeovers, or product tips
• Encourage user co-creation through reviews, reposts, and challenges

Loyalty Means Advocacy

The most powerful loyalty metric? Referrals. Gen Y trusts their peers and will recommend brands that deliver consistently. Many brands now tie referrals to mini rewards, helping satisfied customers turn into organic promoters.

At the same time, millennials are vocal online — both in praise and critique. Active reputation management (monitoring, responding, and adjusting) reinforces trust and positions the brand as responsive and human.

Sample case studies & brand wins

To wrap up, let’s look at a few brief case studies illustrating how brands applied the above strategies to win Gen Y in China:

Adidas – Blending Culture with Streetwear

Strategy: Tapped into the Guochao trend with a culturally inspired drop

Tactics:

• Collaborated on “Adidas Originals × Journey to the West” streetwear collection
• Released anime-style video content on Bilibili, reimagining the Monkey King in modern Shanghai
• Partnered with mid-tier fashion bloggers who were long-time fans of the novel

Results
The campaign’s hashtag reached over 50 million views on Weibo within one week. The collection sold out within days, reconnecting millennial buyers who were drifting toward domestic competitors.

Why it worked: Adidas didn’t just borrow from Chinese culture — it told a culturally literate story that resonated with Gen Y’s nostalgia and national pride.

Pop Mart’s “Blind-Box” Culture (2024–2025)

Strategy: Built community fandom around collectible “blind-box” toys

Pop Mart’s collectible toy “blind‑box” marketing—a model built on scarcity and community fandom—targeted millennials and Gen Z in China. The thrill of unwrapping, coupled with designer collaborations, helped create repeated purchases and social sharing behavior. 

Tactics:

• Collaborated with artists and IPs to create exclusive characters
• Leaned into psychological drivers — scarcity, randomness, and community hype
• Leveraged influencers like Lisa (BLACKPINK) for mainstream lift, then relied on user content for sustained buzz

Key takeaway: Leverage psychological drivers like scarcity, surprise, and collectibility, supported by influencer content to drive millennial engagement and repeat purchase behaviors.

Lululemon’s China Health & Wellness Rise (2024)

Strategy: Positioned itself at the center of China’s millennial health movement.

The brand prioritized community events, fitness influencers, and messaging that combined aspirational wellness with accessibility—a strategy that resonated particularly well amid economic slowdown.

Results:

In 2024, Lululemon saw +26% same‑store sales in mainland China, reaching $393M in Q2, driven by millennial and Gen Z interest in health, fitness, and community-based retail experiences. 

Key takeaway: Align with values like wellness and community, use local influencer partnerships, and host offline/online experiences to strengthen loyalty among younger Chinese customers.

Want to Reach China’s Gen Y with a Strategy That Actually Converts?

If you’re targeting China’s millennial buyers—those who value authenticity, loyalty, and thoughtful content—Ashley Dudarenok can help you get it right the first time.

Through her executive sessions, strategic keynotes, and custom briefings, Ashley delivers:

• Deep dives into Gen Y values and platform behavior (WeChat, RED, Douyin, Bilibili)
• Keynote talks or private team briefings on how to win millennial trust through content, loyalty, and cultural fluency
• Tailored strategic insights comparing Gen Y vs Gen Z—so your campaigns don’t miss the mark

Whether you’re launching a product, revamping your China strategy, or just struggling to resonate with intent-driven millennials, Ashley will help you decode what matters—and how to act on it.

Book a Keynote Session with Ashley now.

FAQs about Marketing to Millennials in China