Most successful luxury brands on Douyin in China 2025
Ralph Lauren replaced Gucci to be the most successful luxury brand on the Chinese short video app Douyin. During the week from January 26 to February 1, 2025, the American fashion and apparel empire scored over 222,000 points on Douyin's brand index. Louis Vuitton remained in its second place with about 205,000 points, followed by Gucci within striking distance. The former long-time winner Dior has lost its luster and slipped to ninth. The brand index evaluates the overall performance of luxury brands on Douyin, based on effective brand content, user reach, and user search volume.
Luxury marketing in China
Social marketing, particularly content marketing, referral links on videos, and affiliate marketing with live streamers, has become the center of luxury marketing in China. Many high-end brands have used social media to build loyalty and drive word of mouth. The most effective platforms to reach new and diverse customers were Weibo (Twitter of China), Xiaohongshu (Chinese equivalent of Instagram), and Douyin (TikTok’s sister). Short videos featuring major fashion shows were extremely popular on Douyin. To engage with Chinese high-end consumers, luxury ads need to be relatable, authentic, and accurate.
Which luxury brands have stood out?
Among the luxury labels in China, Louis Vuitton and Dior have achieved outstanding marketing impact. When it comes to online advertising budgeting, Prada, however, came in second after Louis Vuitton; Lancôme and Shiseido were leading the luxury perfumes and cosmetics segment, whereas Van Cleef & Arpels and Tiffany were the biggest spenders in the luxury jewelry segment.