Maximize Your Brand's Impact at the Xiaohongshu Outsider Festival!

Xiaohongshu presents the Outsider Festival GO WILDMAD LAND, one of the platform's most significant events, offering brands an extraordinary opportunity to showcase their products and increase sales in China!

As a festival partner, Value China invites companies and brands to participate, increasing their visibility and sales in China!

Why is this a unique opportunity for Western companies?

The Xiaohongshu Outsider Festival offers companies the chance to become sponsors, leveraging the numerous consumption scenarios created by the platform to integrate their products into the activities of Chinese consumers. This opportunity is particularly interesting for companies in the F&B, coffee machines, cosmetics, pet products, and sports industries. However, any company can benefit from the event, thanks to the numerous interactions between brands and consumers.

The "Outdoor +" trend allows various consumer products to be connected to outdoor activities and experiences during the event. The high engagement makes the Xiaohongshu Outsider Festival a unique opportunity for brands.

As part of Xiaohongshu's IP activities, brands are not limited to simple exposure; they can actively participate, explore new use scenarios, and reach a broader and more targeted audience. Additionally, brands can create new content and collaborate with participating influencers (KOLs) to spread the word to their community, generating high emotional value.

Join the Outsider Festival and showcase your brand to a vibrant community! Connect with us at [email protected] to further information

The Xiaohongshu Outsider Festival breaks down the limits of time, space, and number of participants, allowing anyone to interact with brands online and offline. Xiaohongshu communities exchange experiences and advice on products and brands daily, increasing your visibility and impact.

Success Stories

In past editions, numerous brands have successfully participated in the Xiaohongshu Outsider Festival:

• In 2023, Huawei organized a calorie-counting challenge using the Huawei WATCH GT4 during a Festival, aimed at promoting the product and engaging users in a fun and useful way. Participants had to take a photo of food with the smartwatch app to get information on caloric intake and view the calorie deficit on the watch face. This activity, particularly appreciated by outdoor enthusiasts, allowed them to surpass their limits without performance anxiety. By sharing their experience with Xiaohongshu, participants helped spread awareness of the smartwatch and its features to a wider audience.

• In 2023, the car manufacturer Nio invited outdoor enthusiasts to participate in the "Nio Wilderness Photo Studio Co-creation Challenge" during a Festival. The initiative involved participants in creating creative photo shoots with the Nio ET5, aiming to promote the brand and its adventurous spirit. The brand's evocative message, "No ceiling, no floor, a whole landscape in the trunk," invited users to capture the freedom and desire for the outdoors. Photos shared on Xiaohongshu highlighted the Nio ET5's ability to enhance the outdoor experience, presenting the brand as an ideal ally for nature adventures.

• In 2023, Huawei's slogan "Always a step ahead" gained notoriety thanks to the satellite calling feature of the Huawei Mate60 Pro. During an event, Huawei collaborated with Xiaohongshu to create a "satellite station on the cliffs." Outdoor enthusiasts who reached the Pilatunas rest stop could personally try the satellite calling feature of the Mate60 Pro, demonstrating how the smartphone ensures safety and connectivity even without signal.

Based on these advantages, this year at the Outsider Festival, not only did niche outdoor brands emerge from their circles, but consumer brands also approached the outdoors.

What is the Outsider Festival?

With the growing popularity of outdoor sports, since 2022, Xiaohongshu has annually organized a unique festival dedicated to outdoor enthusiasts, consolidating its position as a leader in promoting outdoor culture in China.

The choice of the term Outsider for the event is not accidental; it aims to talk about outdoor activities in all its facets. On one hand, in their social component as a relationship between people; a rediscovery of the simplicity and truthfulness of relationships. On the other hand, it refers to a relationship with oneself, with nature. Immersed in nature, people can leave their problems behind, relieve anxiety, and enjoy the fun of these activities and their healing effects.

Last year, the festival aimed to provide a deeper understanding of nature, highlighting the link between outdoor activities and quality of life. The event was held in the Tibetan region of Linzhi, which is considered a paradise for those seeking refuge from their hectic work lives. The goal was to emphasize the sensations that the outdoors can offer, awakening the "five senses" through nature for emotional healing.

Omnichannel was an essential feature of the 2023 event, which skillfully integrated online and offline activities. The festival organization took place in three phases:

• A pre-promotion phase during which Xiaohongshu involved 10 celebrities to launch the "outsider mode," creating hype around the event. These passionate outsiders shared their experiences as outdoor enthusiasts on social media. To engage users further, Xiaohongshu launched online voting, pushing users to vote for their favourite outdoor sports. The project with the most votes was awarded the best of the year.
• Execution phase, in Linzhi, Tibet, participants were involved in four sensory paths, designed to experience nature through sight, sound, touch, and voice. During the hikes, outsiders had to carry out activities related to the five senses, such as taking photos for sight, collecting objects for touch, and listening to nature's sounds. In addition, there were collaborative activities to encourage socialization among participants.
• Post-event phase. The end of the festival did not mean the end of the activities. An IP must accumulate resources at each edition, such as creating a loyal community, collaborative resources, and brand improvement. Xiaohongshu introduced the "Outsider Decalogue," a collection of tips for interacting with nature, others, and oneself, in addition to publishing a short guide video with celebrities. The platform also organized over 100 related events across the country, offering over 5000 free experiences, strengthening the bond between the event and the brand.

For the 2024 edition, Xiaohongshu will take participants to the desert to rediscover nature, abandoning their social identities to build a new utopia together under the slogan ?Utopia, WILDer is more "wild"?.?

Xiaohongshu Outsider Festival 2024: Opportunities for Brands

Participating in the Outsider Festival offers brands an extraordinary platform to increase visibility and connect with consumers. Xiaohongshu plans numerous customized activities for brands, ensuring a significant presence on the platform and beyond. As in the previous edition, the promotional period will be distributed in 3 main phases.

• Pre-Event Promotions. Brands can brand the train that will take participants to the festival, distribute gift packs, and use interactive tools such as live streaming and lotteries. Celebrities and bloggers will be involved to humanize the interaction between brands and consumers.
• On-site Execution. At Utopia, the festival site, brands can seamlessly integrate into the participants' experience. Companies have the opportunity to leverage six outdoor lifestyle scenarios:

? Desert Restaurant: Perfect for the F&B sector.

? Olfactory sensory experiences: Ideal for the cosmetics sector and home decor.

? Outdoor Cinema: Opportunity for the cultural and artistic sector.

? Dog walking/riding: Suitable for pet economy companies.

? Desert photo exhibition: For the imaging, consumer electronics, device, and design sector.

? Desert games: Ideal for sports and cosmetics sectors.

In all these scenarios, brands from any sector with consumer products can easily integrate.

• Experiences and Sales: Brands can deeply connect with participants through themed spaces, creating dedicated sales points:

? Ultimate Outdoor Experience: Entertainment area and survival camp for 3C products, furniture, automotive, F&B, skincare.

? Extreme Outdoor Spirit: Cultural area and sustainable camping for luxury goods, clothing, and much more.

The Outsider Festival offers dynamic and immersive experiences to participants and opportunities for brands to increase visibility through open multi-brand cooperation. Brands can integrate with the local culture, creating a more human connection with the audience.

• Omnichannel Challenges: Brands can launch challenges that integrate the offline experience with online tracking, collaborating with KOLs and sector bloggers to promote their products.

Examples of Branded Activities for this edition:

• #challengestandingsandboarding: A sandboarding adventure promoted by NikeACGHete Xbit.
• #1-hour outdoor hike with Lanc?me: Promote essential sunscreen for extreme desert hikes.

Participating in the Outsider Festival means joining a passionate and dynamic community, gaining unique exposure, and strengthening the bond with Chinese consumers.

Don't miss the chance to be part of this extraordinary event!

User Journey during the event

Xiaohongshu has adopted an advanced strategy to integrate online and offline experiences, working closely with influencers and maximizing the platform's potential for the Outsider Festival, enhancing the connection to eCommerce.

The platform creates a seamless experience through the integration of online and offline events for the Outsider Festival. Users discover the event page through content posted by participating brands, influencers, and creators, finding detailed information on physical and related events.

Collaborations with relevant influencers and creators for the sector, who share authentic and relevant content about the Outsider Festival, allow for increased event visibility and user engagement through reviews, personal stories, and advice.

Xiaohongshu effectively uses its dedicated event sections, hot topics, and advertising formats to actively promote the Outsider Festival. This direct endorsement increases event visibility among platform users, encouraging them to participate and explore further.

Dedicated landing pages not only provide information about the event but also offer consumers the opportunity to explore participating brands. Users can discover brand products through thematic pages, flagship stores, and direct links to eCommerce, facilitating the purchasing process and amplifying the festival experience.

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Since 2019, we have supported the digital transformation of hundreds of companies operating in the Chinese market, adapting their digital approach to China. As a consultancy, research and marketing agency, we respond to all digital needs aimed at the Chinese market, differentiating ourselves through multi-sector expertise.

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