How China’s technology, design and culture fuse – Ashley Dudarenok

 

Ashley Dudarenok

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 Dudarenok

China Daily:

The fusion of technology and storytelling has elevated Chinese pop culture to new heights. Video games such as Black Myth: Wukong, based on the classic novel Journey to the West, are drawing global praise for both their cinematic visuals and mythological depth.

“It’s a holistic shift, where tech meets culture, design, and daily life, and this wave is just starting,” according to Ashley Dudarenok, founder of China-focused digital marketing company Alarice.

Platforms like TikTok and Xiaohongshu (RedNote) are at the center of this movement. TikTok, developed by China’s ByteDance, is not only a global leader in short-form video but also ranked by Brand Finance as the world’s seventh most valuable brand, ahead of Instagram and Facebook…

Dudarenok attributed this rise to China’s multi-pronged strategy of massive R&D investment, tax incentives for global co-productions, and a creative wave led by Gen Z content makers.

In 2024 alone, China invested 3.6 trillion yuan ($502 billion) in research and development, as per the National Bureau of Statistics…

Younger generations, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are engaging with China in more nuanced ways. According to Brand Finance’s 2025 Soft Power Index, perceptions of China among digitally connected young people have improved significantly since 2020.

“Gen Z appreciates the blend of heritage and hyper-modernity,” said Dudarenok. “Black Myth: Wukong isn’t just a game, it’s a cultural ambassador that shifts how people view Chinese creativity.”…

Despite the momentum, challenges remain. Some cultural exports still struggle to resonate abroad due to localized storytelling or dense cultural references.

“Many Chinese pop culture exports focus on fusing ancient stories with modern values, which can sometimes limit global reach,” said Dudarenok from Alarice.

She pointed to Ne Zha 2, which became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, yet earned 99 percent of its revenue on the Chinese mainland.

“While the world is fascinated by companies like DeepSeek and Unitree, it will take time for people to fully embrace these innovations,” she said. “As interactions with China increase, initial apprehension will give way to excitement and appreciation.”

More in the China Daily.

Ashley Dudarenok is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more innovation experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

How a strategy change made Xiaohongshu a leading platform for travellers – Ashley Dudarenok

 

Ashley Dudarenok

Ask Chinese travellers 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.”

Campaign Asia:

Chinese lifestyle app Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, has rolled out a brand refresh, launching a new slogan, ‘Your Lifestyle Interest Community’. The update, along with a revised opening screen, went live on July 8.  The new tagline is a literal translation of the Chinese “你的生活兴趣社区, and replaces the 2022 version, ‘Your Lifestyle Guide’. The new positioning nudges users to focus more on shared interests and community, rather than simply using the platform as a recommendation tool…

Industry watchers tell Campaign Asia-Pacific that the move is more than a superficial tweak. Ashley Dudarenok, founder of ChoZan and Alarice, called it “an important step in platform evolution”. “It crystallises its transformation from a product-review hub into China’s definitive ‘interest-based social ecosystem’,” she said. “A move validated by its 2025 Q1 financials showing 70% year-on-year daily active user growth in niche communities like outdoor sports and vintage fashion.”…

Dudarenok noted the repositioning helps Xiaohongshu stand out in an increasingly competitive space. “This isn’t just a slogan change – it’s Xiaohongshu cementing its moat against rivals like Douyin,” she said. “Where others focus on short-form entertainment and quantity, Xiaohongshu dominates ‘lifestyle scaffolding’—guiding Chinese netizens from inspiration to action within trusted micro-communities.”…

“First, hyper-personalised discovery. Algorithms now prioritise community-driven interests over generic trends, making recommendations more relevant. Think ‘Hanfu Restoration’ or ‘Balcony Gardening’ circles,” she said. She also pointed out that focusing on real user content helps restore trust. “By doubling down on authentic UGC within vertical communities, Xiaohongshu counters influencer saturation—a pain point for 68% of its Gen-Z users, as per a recent survey.” And from a brand perspective? “Self-segmented, high-intent audiences turn casual browsing into potential conversion,” she added.

More in Campaign Asia.

Ashley Dudarenok is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more branding experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

China’s corporate forces underlining its economic strength – Kaiser Kuo

 

Kaiser Kuo

China veteran Kaiser Kuo examines the ten Chinese companies, which are booming in China’s economy, despite the pressure it is under. Most names might be new to the non-Chinese, but these ten are worth putting on your China watch list, if they are not yet, he writes at the World Economic Forum: CATL (宁德时代), Envision Energy (远景能源), Haier (海尔集团), Huawei (华为), JinkoSolar (晶科能源), LONGi Green Energy Technology (隆基绿能科技股份有限公司), Meituan (美团), Pop Mart (泡泡玛特), Seres Group (赛力斯), Xiaohongshu (小红书 / RedNote),

Kaiser Kuo on Haier:

Status: Public (SSE: 600690), also listed in Hong Kong

Founded: 1984 by Zhang Ruimin

Headquarters: Qingdao, Shandong province

Main Businesses: Smart appliances, IoT, home automation solutions, digital factories

Why It Matters:
The oldest company on our list, Qingdao-based Haier revolutionized Chinese entrepreneurship — famously when its CEO used a sledgehammer to destroy a defective fridge in the year of its founding. In the 40 years since, it’s grown from a white goods company known mainly for its dormitory refrigerators into a global IoT appliance leader, integrating AI across its platforms and operating micro-factories in over 20 global markets while targeting zero-carbon operations.

What You Probably Didn’t Know:
Haier spun off nearly a dozen micro-factories: small, flexible production units focused on local demand and customization. In Qingdao, one “dark factory” — so-called because there’s no need for lights in this almost fully robotic operation — produces washing machines and fridges autonomously, with no more than three human overseers.

Think of it as…
GE Appliances meets Bosch’s precision engineering, with a dash of Netflix’s AI-driven personalization and modular, user-centric flair.

Nine more at the World Economic Forum.

Kaiser Kuo is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more strategic experts at the China Speakers  Bureau? Do check out this list.

What makes China’s apps different – Sharon Gai

 

Sharon Gai

Former Alibaba employee Sharon Gai, author of Ecommerce Reimagined: Retail and E-commerce in China, is an expert on how Western apps and those from China differ from each other. Now that Rednote, formerly known as Xiaohongshu, has become an alternative for Tiktok, she takes the opportunity to dive into this issue again in her vlog.

Sharon Gai is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Get in touch or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more e-commerce experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.