Consumer behaviour has evolved significantly over the years, prompting a shift in marketing from simple selling to compelling storytelling, and from siloed functions to fully integrated marketing and communications. This transformation is especially critical when navigating the complexities of the Greater China market, where cultural nuance and digital fluency are key to brand success. Telum Media spoke with Jean Kniss Loh, Global Chief Marketing Officer at EternityX, to explore the rise of integrated marcomms and her strategic playbook for brands entering Greater China.
EternityX as an adtech marketing firm, is expanding its services to offer integrated marcomms solutions, including public relations. What's driving this shift, and how will it help brands build stronger connections with consumers and stakeholders?
Marketing has changed across all markets globally. In the past, advertising and PR were separate entities. But now, marketing is very different. Consumers today, are not simply purchasing products or services, but they are buying into stories, values, personalities and communities that resonate with them. And marketing has become more about shaping perceptions, building trust and creating long-term influence amongst target audiences. This shift is happening across the region and globally, resulting in brands leaning into credibility and community-building aspects of marketing.
I think that's the reason why EternityX is evolving. With the introduction of our new product, NaviX, we take all our AI-powered audience intelligence and integrate it with strategic PR tools to help brands not just reach their audience, but to engage with them in a way that is consistent, meaningful and measurable.
For international and Southeast Asian brands looking to enter the Chinese market, what are the key elements or cultural nuances that brands should keep in mind in their cross-border marketing strategy?
The Greater China market is vast, diverse and operates with its own distinct logic when it comes to consumer communications and behaviours. Success here is not just about localisation - it’s about deep cultural integration.
One of the most critical elements to understand is that social commerce reigns supreme. Chinese consumers are highly active on platforms like Douyin (TikTok China), Xiaohongshu (RED), iQiyi, and Tencent Video, where they consume a dynamic mix of content - from short-form videos and real-time reviews to influencer recommendations and mini-dramas. These platforms are no longer just channels; they are ecosystems where consumers discover, engage and transact. For brands, this means being present where the action is and tailoring content to platform behaviours.
Authenticity is also key. The era of superficial localisation - using traditional symbols or simply featuring Asian faces - is long gone. Today’s Chinese consumers, especially Gen Z, are highly discerning. They seek real cultural relevance and expect brands to speak their language not just literally, but emotionally and socially. This calls for a deeper understanding of what drives your target segments - from traditional values like family and harmony during Lunar New Year, to modern aspirations like self-expression and convenience.
For example, a campaign targeting younger consumers might highlight how a product fits seamlessly into their fast-paced urban lifestyles, while another aimed at families during the festive seasons could focus on emotional storytelling that reflects shared traditions and togetherness.
At EternityX, we’ve met many marketers and global brands who face the same challenge: how to connect with Chinese audiences authentically and effectively. That’s why we created the
EternityX Global Knowledge Hub - a first-of-its-kind, always-on strategic content and intelligence platform designed to help brands navigate China’s cultural, behavioural and digital landscape with confidence.
Social media platforms like WeChat and RED are integral to marketing in the Greater China market. How can brands leverage these platforms to build long-term loyalty with Chinese consumers and foster deeper connections with their audience?
Let’s be real about this. If brands are not meeting consumers where they already are, then we are missing out on opportunities to build consumer loyalty. In fact, one of the whitepapers that we have done, titled “Mainland Chinese Expats in Hong Kong: Unlocking Growth Opportunities and Market Dynamics”, reveals that culturally relevant marketing strategies on familiar digital platforms enhance brand recognition and fosters loyalty as consumers see brands speaking their language and understand their needs.
Take WeChat, I would call it China's CRM powerhouse, akin to a digital VIP lounge. The social media platform allows brands to create mini programs and set up exclusive member clubs reaching out to a particular segment of the audience and even have loyalty programs tied into the platform. On the other hand, RED or Xiaohongshu, is like a gold mine for user-generated content. As Chinese consumers seek peer recommendations, this is the platform where they check out reviews. Brands could leverage this platform to cultivate a consumer community through content that focusses on brand value and how they could fulfil the lifestyle that their targeted consumers aspire to have.
In the end, the thing about loyalty in this market is not really just about repeat purchases. It's about getting into the community that you know your consumers are in, building that trust and, most importantly, creating that sense of exclusivity that they seek.
Drawing on your two decades of career experience in Singapore and Hong Kong, what key strengths have you observed from these two regions, and how can they learn from each other to enhance their communication strategies?
That's a fun question. As a Singaporean who has spent a significant part of my adult life in Hong Kong, I often get asked this. On the surface, Singapore and Hong Kong might appear quite similar, but when it comes to communication operations, they are quite distinct.
Singapore is what you would call “the strategist”. Their communications tend to be very structured and government-driven. Brands here focus heavily on long-term reputation management, corporate trust and regulatory compliance. Singapore is forward-thinking, especially in areas like AI and sustainability, which the government actively promotes, and brands would respond to these shifts. On the other hand, Hong Kong thrives on agility and speed. The media landscape is much more saturated, with numerous media outlets, which makes real-time engagement a crucial part of their communications strategy. Hong Kong is also known for its crisis management capabilities and bolder messaging and storytelling from brands.
Personally, I learnt that Singapore can take a page from Hong Kong's agility. While waiting for the perfect execution to happen, you might actually miss some of the real-time opportunities. For Hong Kong, I think that it could benefit from perhaps a more structured approach from Singapore towards building long-term brand trust as well as in the area of sustainability-driven communications.
Nevertheless, I think there won't be the best of both worlds. We, as marketers, are always evolving and drawing lessons from each other.
What is your biggest takeaway from your PR career?
I started at the time of PR where you don't have email. We typed our press releases and sent them out via fax, so that's what a “dinosaur” I am. But there's one thing that I have learnt is that the age of one-way messaging has passed, it has passed us a long time now.
And whether you are a consumer or a brand reaching out to an audience, you have to keep in mind that people are not just buying into a product, service or an idea. They want to buy into a trend; they want to be a part of what's going on.
So I think it's about always evolving with the trend and evolving with what customers need.
