China’s influencer economy in 2025 is bigger, faster, and more competitive than ever, writes marketing expert Ashley Dudarenok in an overview of this booming industry in Chozan. “In 2024 alone, MCNs — multi-channel networks — were behind many of the country’s record-breaking livestream sales and viral content trends,” she adds.Read More →

Marketing guru Ashley Dudarenok dives into China’s B2B marketplaces and their latest key trends, including the top-10 platforms trying to get hold of the global market, at her website Chozan. “Trust is becoming a brand asset. Alibaba’s Trade Assurance, DHgate’s escrow, and Yiwugo’s secure payments provide buyers with additional protection. Video reviews, verified supplier programs, and standardization efforts help reduce fraud while ensuring shipments clear customs smoothly,” she writes.Read More →

Marketing expert Ashley Dudarenok explains the difference between TikTok and its Chinese sister Douyin at her website Chozan. In 2025, Douyin was named China’s most valuable brand, with a valuation of US$105.8 billion. That marked a 26% increase from the previous year, driven by the platform’s deep integration into everyday digital life. In March 2025, Douyin reached 1 billion monthly active users in China. What exactly is Douyin?Read More →

Internet giant Alibaba and leading university Peking University have joined forces to set up a new consumer index, the China Online Consumer Brand Index (CBI). Consumer expert Ashley Dudarenok highlights how the attitude of consumers has shifted in the world’s second economy over the past few years, as noted in Jing Daily.Read More →

Alvin Wang Graylin, author of Our Next Reality: Preparing for the AI-powered Metaverse, worked in both the US and China on AI and compares the strategy of both countries. While China focuses on a multipolar approach, with mainly economic targets, the US does the opposite and looks at military strategies, he tells Veronica Hylak at Hey AI.Read More →

China’s technology, design, and culture are part of a fusion that reshapes the country, says innovation expert Ashley Dudarenok in an analysis by the state-owned China Daily. “It’s a holistic shift, where tech meets culture, design, and daily life, and this wave is just starting,” according to Ashley DudarenokRead More →

Ask Chinese consumers what their leading platform is for purchases, both domestically and internationally, and they will point at the Xiaohongshu, or Little Red Book, as it is called in English. It offers a lead against competitors like Douyin and is a leading source for travellers, although only available in Chinese. “Xiaohongshu wants you deep in niche rabbit holes with people who care about the same weird stuff you do. “This isn’t just a slogan change,” says branding expert Ashley Dudarenok in Campaign Asia, “it’s Xiaohongshu cementing its moat against rivals like Douyin.”Read More →

When DeepSeek took on ChatGPT last year, the Chinese innovation took the world by surprise. Today, more Chinese companies are competing on world markets, achieving varying levels of success. Whether we talk about EVs, fighter jets, consumer retail, container ships, self-driving cars, or the movie industry, the world has to pay attention to what is coming from China. Innovation expert Ashley Dudarenok has begun adjusting her traditional speaking topics to reflect new developments.Read More →