Chinese TikTok Douyin has decided to unleash its consumption potential in the Internet-famous city of Chongqing, by doling out millions of RMB to consumers in the city’s Jiangbei district in the format of a consumption coupon.
This is the first time the viral video-sharing platform has offered coupons to users in China’s central-western areas through short videos and live streaming sessions, and the new first-tier city has been picked as the first stop for the annual “Xindong” series campaign initiated by Douyin’s young business sector dedicated to local life, in collaboration with the local authorities.
Over 3,000 local businesses have opted in this event with hotels and food and drinks being the majority, who will also be joined by KOLs in a range of different industries. A total of three rounds of distribution are expected during the period between 28 June and 14 July. The first two rounds took place on 28 and 29 June and will last until 2 July. The coupon can be redeemed at corresponding local physical stores within 5 days from when it was issued, therefore, directing consumers to business owners and further driving the overall growth of the real local economy.
It is reported the campaign hashtag “Xindong Life in Jiangbei” has garnered more than 120 million views on Douyin since its launch on 28 June, showing great enthusiasm for the initiative amongst the locals.
In fact, Chongqing has already been a trendy topic on Douyin, with the city’s name drawing in over 48.7 billion plays on the video platform as of 24 May, according to Douyin’s lifestyle arm Xindong Life. While the city’s own uniqueness including its mountainous geographic features and a down-to-earth, laid-back lifestyle flavoured by iconic hotpots has found fame with tourists. The local government has stepped up to push the city’s global appeal by building an International Consumption Centre in the city by 2025 with the district of Jiangbei at the heart.
Having become a breeding ground for businesses in Chongqing, the latest Douyin campaign is, therefore, also part of the city’s globalisation efforts. The local authority shows no intention of missing out on an opportunity to leverage the platform which has seen stable monthly user growth of 8% between the end of last year and the first quarter of 2022, as a result of local merchants landing in its digital space.
