Not Just a Pretty Face: Influencers as Brand Builders in Northeast Asia

This week, we touch down in Northeast Asia 🛬, where culture, commerce, and digital identity are constantly in motion! 🌃🏯

In many ways branding has become an artform - not only for local and foreign businesses looking to increase their relatability, but also for online influencers looking to solidify their place in a saturated digital landscape. Netizens have long become disenchanted by flashy ads, instead, they look for brands and communities that offer them genuine connection:)

Nowhere is this shift more evident than in China, where Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) are influential content creators who shape consumer decisions by sharing their personal experiences, product reviews, and expertise across social platforms.

To really understand how digital personalities shape consumer trust, let's start by diving into a day in one of Asia’s biggest tech capitals…👀😏

Imagine you've landed in Shanghai, where neon lights illuminate the skyline, and sleek glass buildings stand tall beside ancient temples and traditional Shikumen houses. Your phone is buzzing with notifications—fashion tips from Xiaohongshu, an update on the latest trending topic from Weibo, and messages from friends on WeChat. As you stroll through the city, you find yourself watching a new video from The Lipstick King, Li Jiaqi, while a group of friends walk past, discussing the upcoming 618 shopping battle. You wonder - what is it about the digital personalities you see online that incites you to trust them and follow their advice? 

Influencers are all around us, they build their personal brand and online following on their ability to captivate their audience's attention [1]. Their followers, whilst many, aren’t necessarily loyal - they’re there for a good time, the hype that comes with new tea and the expectation of being entertained. On the other hand, KOLs are experts in their field, they have credentials and knowledge to back up their opinions; many still maintain a primary profession whilst working online[2]. They focus on building online communities of shared interests and characteristics [3], in the long run, this results in a trusting and loyal audience.

Though this trust is largely based on KOLs’ expertise, it also comes from the authentic way in which they interact with their audience. Li Jiaqi, The Lipstick King, was a former beauty advisor before delving into live streaming where he gained recognition in 2018 for selling 15,000 lipsticks in 5 minutes. In an interview he mentions ‘I am not a cyberstar…I am a BA [shopping guide]’ showcasing his humility and intent to act in his audience's best interest [4]. This authenticity is a large part of why viewers choose to trust KOLs. KOLs not only open their hearts to viewers by interacting with them and sharing their authentic experiences [5] but also look to only present the most deserving products to them. This results in a loyal community who feel they have built a genuine connection with the KOL, trusting them for their authenticity and subject expertise.  Consequently, KOLs have the ability to not only break a brand but to generate great engagement and buzz around it[6]. 

Photo: Li Jiaqi - The Lipstick King

Chinese consumers' desire for unbiased product reviews, coupled with its burgeoning digital era and e-trade [7] have resulted in a society where social media has merged with e-commerce [8]. On platforms like Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou, and Douyin it has become the norm for KOLs to be live streaming products, sharing stories about themselves and answering viewer queries. This has resulted in a culture where trust between KOL and consumer has become primary currency. As such, collaborating with KOLs has become one of the best ways for foreign businesses to break into China. 

Chinese consumers have been particularly cautious of foreign businesses who have no background in China. The unfamiliarity of the business creates uncertainty around product quality and reliability, which Chinese consumers tend to be wary of [9]. However, the trust and familiarity Chinese netizens have with KOLs make their real-life brand testimonies a powerful way to build credibility, organically enhancing brand trust and awareness [10]. Dior's collaboration with Angelababy powerfully demonstrated the brand visibility KOLs can offer foreign businesses. Notably, following the partnership, Dior was ranked the most relevant luxury brand among China's Gen-Z-among whom Angelababy is especially popular- beating out Chanel, Gucci, and Cartier [11].

McKinsey predicts that 95% of foreign brands will soon incorporate overseas KOLs into their marketing strategies, particularly as China's international e-commerce market—referring to the buying and selling of foreign goods to Chinese consumers-surpasses 12 trillion yuan [12]. This underscores significant market potential, especially given that international consumption driven by overseas KOLs grew by over 45% year on-year in the final quarter of 2024 [13]. For foreign business this means they must strategically adapt their marketing strategies to invest in KOL partnerships to effectively engage Chinese consumers and establish market presence.

To do this effectively foreign business must focus on collaborating with KOLs whose expertise, content focus and community interests match naturally[14] the business’s brand values and offerings. An important consideration is the use of middle-tail KOLs and long-tail KOLs, known as Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs). Mid-tail KOLs have a larger but less engaged audience, brands generally use them for creating buzz and increasing visibility[15]. On the other hand, KOCs have smaller but more loyal audiences as they tend to focus on more niche areas, they can help a brand gain a loyal following by making it appear more authentic and trustworthy[16]. Often brands, like Versa Gripps who specialise in fitness accessories, will use a combination of both, KOLs to bring the star factor and attention and KOCs to humanise the brand by fostering a sense of community[17]. 

Additionally, businesses should consider what combination of apps best suit their purpose, for example, Weibo and Xiaohongshu are most commonly used to market beauty products as the apps centre around trends with a younger audience who often look to KOLs for beauty, lifestyle or fashion[18]. Now, advancements in AI are allowing brands to best match KOLs/KOCs and apps for their strategy and emerging technologies like the metaverse are providing innovative pathways to market themselves in the increasingly competitive online space[19].

However, there are several challenges that foreign brands must keep in mind when entering the online sphere. Foremostly, when employing a combination of mid-tail and long-tail KOLs livestreamers there is a risk of decreased trust in mid-tail KOLs[20]. This is as utilising multiple mid-tail KOLs heightens the risk of consumers noticing multiple mid-tail KOLs endorsing the same product[21], which can undermine trust by making the promotions appear less authentic. This is as mid-tail KOLs, with their significantly larger audiences compared to than long-tail KOLs, often have overlapping follower bases, and platform algorithms tend to suggest similar content to users, compounding this issue [22]. 

This feeds into a broader challenge; growing consumer skepticism towards KOL authenticity. As the distinction between genuine endorsements and paid promotions continues to blur, particularly when KOLs fail to disclose sponsorships[23], consumer trust is further eroded. undisclosed [23]-consumer trust erodes. The issue worsens when KOLs promote products misaligned with their audience's values and interests [24], creating confusion and further undermining their credibility.

Before we leave behind the neon lights of Shanghai, we come to understand that if brands can tread carefully—prioritizing genuine alignment with KOL values, transparent partnerships, and audience-centric storytelling, they can harness the full potential of digital identities to foster long-term brand loyalty in an increasingly crowded and competitive market. Next week, our journey continues as we will trade these high skylines for the rolling steppes of Mongolia. Here, where centuries-old traditions meet a cautious digital awakening, we’ll explore how Facebook has become the nation’s unexpected marketing powerhouse, and why the rising influence of K-Beauty, as opposed to C-Beauty and J-Beauty, is reshaping and driving consumer culture in ways no one quite expected. 

References

1. [7]  Cre8r.ai. (2024, April 15). KOLs vs. influencers — What they are & what differentiates them. Medium. https://medium.com/@cre8r.ai/kols-vs-influencers-what-they-are-what-differentiates-them-2532beaf9997

2. Ibid. 

3. [1] PARKLU. (2019, January 9). KOL 营销攻略：小营销大力量，KOL 带货力为何如此强大?.  SocialBeta. https://socialbeta.com/article/103490

4. [9] KrASIA. (2024, April 22). [直播] 李佳琦直播 | Li Jiaqi livestream [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_zY02nFDcA 

5. PARKLU. (2019, January 9). KOL 营销攻略：小营销大力量，KOL 带货力为何如此强大?.  SocialBeta. https://socialbeta.com/article/103490

6. [5]Daxue Consulting. (2023, October 21). KOL marketing in China: From live streaming to virtual influencers. https://daxueconsulting.com/kol-marketing-china/

7. [6] Business Research Insights. (2024). Key opinion leader (KOL) marketing market size, share, growth, and industry analysis, by type, application, and regional forecast 2024–2031. Business Research Insights. https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/key-opinion-leader-kol-marketing-market-118413

8. Daxue Consulting. (2023, October 21). KOL marketing in China: From live streaming to virtual influencers. https://daxueconsulting.com/kol-marketing-china/

9. [13]GLOBE Project. (n.d.). China. https://globeproject.com/results/countries/CHN%3Fmenu=list.html#list

10. Daxue Consulting. (2023, October 21). KOL marketing in China: From live streaming to virtual influencers. https://daxueconsulting.com/kol-marketing-china/

11. [15] Pan, Y. (2017, July 26). Dior: The most relevant luxury brand among Gen Z consumers in China. Campaign Asia. 

12. [4] 戴彬. (2025, January 16). 全球品牌新趋势：海外KOL营销重塑中国跨境营销格局. 数英网.Digitaling. https://www.digitaling.com/articles/1310091.html

13. Ibid.

14. [3] Microboe. (2023, March 10). 把握新变量与新机会，2023年KOL营销七大趋势预测. 数英网 Digitaling. https://www.digitaling.com/articles/902754.html 

15. [14] WPIC Marketing + Technologies. (2024, February 21). Mastering KOL & KOC influencer marketing in China. WPIC Marketing + Technologies. https://wpic.co/blog/mastering-kol-koc-influencer-marketing-china/

16. Microboe. (2023, March 10). 把握新变量与新机会，2023年KOL营销七大趋势预测. 数英网 Digitaling. https://www.digitaling.com/articles/902754.html 

17. WPIC Marketing + Technologies. (2024, February 21). Mastering KOL & KOC influencer marketing in China. WPIC Marketing + Technologies.  https://wpic.co/blog/mastering-kol-koc-influencer-marketing-china/ 

18. [2] Ying, ZK. (2021, May 12). 【报告】你与王饱饱、钟薛高们之间，差了这 8 步单品打爆法则. SocialBeta. https://socialbeta.com/article/106952

19.  Business Research Insights. (2024). Key opinion leader (KOL) marketing market size, share, growth, and industry analysis, by type, application, and regional forecast 2024–2031. Business Research Insights. https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/key-opinion-leader-kol-marketing-market-118413

20. [12]  Gu, X., Zhang, X., & Kannan, P. K. (2024). Influencer Mix Strategies in Livestream Commerce: Impact on Product Sales. Journal of Marketing, 88(4), 64–83. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231213581

21. Ibid.

22. Ibid.

23. Business Research Insights. (2024). Key opinion leader (KOL) marketing market size, share, growth, and industry analysis, by type, application, and regional forecast 2024–2031. Business Research Insights. https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/key-opinion-leader-kol-marketing-market-118413

24. Business Research Insights. (2024). Key opinion leader (KOL) marketing market size, share, growth, and industry analysis, by type, application, and regional forecast 2024–2031. Business Research Insights. https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/key-opinion-leader-kol-marketing-market-118413