Why has the entire Chinese internet been talking about “county seat dames” and “small town noble ladies”?
Let’s unpack these two hot new buzzwords:
- #县城贵妇 (xiancheng guifu) county seat dames: 2.09 million views on Rednote
- #小镇贵妇 (xiaozhen guifu) small town noble ladies: 3.5 million views on Rednote
Both terms have recently surged in popularity and point to an emerging (and somewhat overlooked) consumer segment, that while wealthy, is not concentrated in China’s top-tier cities. Think: Ningbo, Lanzhou, as opposed to Chengdu, Nanjing.
What has fascinated online audiences about this group is their leisurely “anti-involution” lifestyle and strong buying power – leading to high engagement on content around their attitudes and fancy small-town lifestyles.
What does this mean for brands?
With luxury entering lower-tiered cities, premium brands are also landing in small towns. From sportswear brands like Lululemon and Adidas to EVs and coffee shops, small towns are seeing an invasion of formerly urban fixtures.
Resonating with this 有钱有闲 “got money, got time” demographic is key to benefiting from the growth opportunities available in China’s lower-tier cities.
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