How Durex Uses Weibo to Win The Chinese Market
Weibo is a social networking and microblogging service based in China. Akin to a hybrid of Twitter and Facebook, it is one of the most popular sites in China, in use by well over 30% of Internet users, with a market penetration similar to the United States’ Twitter.
Many Western brands have embraced Weibo and are building customer loyalty on this free social medial platform. Durex is a great example of how a business can use Weibo to reach more people and increase audience engagement.
Durex-Durex is the trademarked name for a range of condoms that used to be made by British company, SSL International and is the most popular condom brand in the world. The brand entered the Chinese market in 2007 and became the top condom company within two years. By leveraging Chinese social media platforms and investing in offline and online distribution, Durex condom sales increased threefold in China and market share increased by over 10%.
What’s the secret behind Durex Weibo marketing success? Let’s explore 7 key elements of Durex’s Weibo Marketing Strategy:
- Interacting with Weibo Fans
Durex created a fictional character called Little Dudu, to interact with fans and respond to the comments with its powerful social tone of voice which is Playful, Fun and Entertaining which makes the brand stand out with authentic conversations.
2. Alliances with Key Opinion Leaders
Key Opinion Leaders with millions of followers are extremely helpful for reposts and help brands to achieve their goals. Target KOLs in your industry, follow and interact with them is one of the key components for the success of Weibo Marketing.
3. Share Information That Are Related to Hot Topics
When Iphone 6 has been released, Durex shared tips on how to soak feet correctly, associating with hot topic “A Chinese guy is selling his kidney for money so that he could afford to buy Iphone for his girlfriend.”
4. Create Engaging Micro Topics to Enhance Audience Interaction
Micro Topics is a very “socialized” feature to encourage reposts and make people notice a certain discussion or topic, implemented by Weibo.
To create a topic, simply enter the keyword between hashtag. For example: #杜绝胡说#.
Weibo creates an unique page for all users to view and discuss the particular topic. By allowing users to create introduction, tags and apply to host the topic, it helps the brand to stimulate more followers’ interaction.
5. Activate Weibo “Prized Event”
By partnering with Dell, Durex activated “Prized Event” to give out free Dell computers to college students which is an unique approach to combine online and offline marketing efforts.
6. Getting Creative and Connecting Chinese Consumers
Durex focuses on developing and delivering creative content to keep their audience engaged. With high-quality creative content, Brands can grow their customer base and increase the ROI of their marketing programs.
7. Integrate Weibo
Durex integrated Weibo with other platforms including Renren, 荔枝FM, Youku and e-commerce platforms to align quality and business objectives.
Summary
Social Media Marketing is not about pushing out promotional materials. It’s about cultivating your customer relationships to help you grow your business. And Weibo is one of the best social media platforms in China to start with.
Reference:
Durex Weibo: http://www.weibo.com/durexinchina?topnav=1&wvr=5&topsug=1 ity an;\pB>
Harvard Business School: http://www.hbs.edu
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durex
