How Chinese brands are rewriting the global expansion playbook

Campaign's China Summit 2025 returned to Shanghai on February 27 last month, convening more than 100 senior marketers, branding experts and agency professionals to discuss cross-border strategies driving Chinese brands' global success. As China’s leading platform for international marketing insights, the summit focused on empowering global ambition with a special emphasis on helping Chinese brands explore "borderless possibilities" and expand their global marketing efforts.

Organised by Campaign, the event featured a full-day programme of keynote speeches, data-led sessions and panel discussions unpacking international market challenges, cultural nuance, and practical strategies for expansion.

A recurring theme throughout the day was the transition from manufacturing-led exports to culturally empowered brand-building. George Feng, founder of Mukzin, outlined a four-phase journey from supply chain and product expansion to brand building and finally, cultural export. "It's about exporting the cultural values, lifestyles, and aesthetic philosophies behind the brand," he said, signalling a maturation in how Chinese brands are presenting themselves globally.

Speakers repeatedly highlighted the shift from price wars to value creation. Jeff Cao of Kantar Profiles stated, "As Chinese brands go global, we must compete on value creation, not price wars," while Fiona Lian of Longi reinforced the need to maintain a brand’s essence even while localising: "While you should adapt your brand’s expression to resonate with local audiences, you must maintain its core identity."

Technology and marketing integration also took centre stage. Lucy Guo from Amazon Ads pointed to the power of full-funnel advertising in driving international reach, reporting a 145% surge in video campaign activity. Rita Liang of Sofsy advocated for data-driven experimentation: "Start by running multi-dimensional experiments... you'll gradually uncover the marketing strategies that truly resonate with your brand."

Yet global expansion, speakers cautioned, requires more than ambition. From agricultural tech to premium yoghurts, panellists spoke of the deep research and cultural sensitivity required to succeed. Agnes Lung from Uni-China Group shared how tailored strategies helped a Chinese dairy brand outperform sales targets in Hong Kong, while Yilong Xu of Seres Group stressed that "cultural perceptions of product attributes vary drastically" across markets.

The day closed with a focus on long-term strategy. Ruyi Xu of Mintel urged brands to view global expansion as a marathon, not a sprint, while Bel Sun of Camus reminded attendees that "patience is key"—some local markets take years to develop. The consensus? Success abroad depends not only on speed, but on deep market knowledge, authenticity, and sustained commitment.

Some key takeaways from the event for marketers were:

• Culture is the new frontier: Beyond products and branding, embedding cultural values and aesthetics can drive deeper consumer trust and preference in international markets.

• Prioritise value over price: Competing on value creation rather than pricing can offer stronger, more sustainable brand differentiation.

• Keep your core identity intact: Localisation is essential, but not at the expense of losing what makes a brand unique.

• Harness the full funnel: Integrated marketing, including a strong push on video and data-led campaigns, is central to reaching global audiences.

• Let data lead: Constant testing and interpretation of diverse data sets can help uncover the most effective strategies for each market.

• Play the long game: Patience, consistency, and thorough market research are key—global expansion is a marathon, not a sprint.

Find more information on Campaign's China Summit 2025 and upcoming events here.