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China Marketing 2025: How AI Redefines "Productivity" — From 300% Ad ROI to Precision KOL Selection

Introduction: The Great Shift in "Marketing Productivity"


In 2025, marketing in China is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. Generative AI (AIGC), intelligent ad engines, and AI-driven influencer selection have fully permeated the marketing chain.


According to recent industry reports (including Weiboyi), over 60% of Chinese enterprises initiated AI marketing deployments between 2024 and 2025—a staggering increase of nearly 200% compared to 2023.


For global brands, the message is clear: AI in China is no longer just an efficiency tool; it is reshaping "Marketing Productivity."


This article dissects how AI is multiplying efficiency across three core scenarios: Ad Delivery, Content Production, and KOL Selection.




1. AI in Ad Delivery: From "Guesswork" to "Precision"


The Metric: 300% ROI Improvement In 2025, leading enterprises utilizing AI for ad delivery reported ROI improvements of up to 300%. Intelligent delivery has moved beyond manual monitoring to a fully automated loop:

  • Automated Strategy Generation

  • Smart Budget Allocation

  • One-Click Creative Iteration

  • Real-Time Optimization


Real-World Examples:

  • Alibaba’s "Wanxiangtai" (AI Knife): Automatically generates delivery strategies and optimizes them in real-time, boosting ROI target achievement by over 30%.

  • Tencent Ads: Uses prediction models based on social and payment behaviors to increase Click-Through Rates (CTR) by 25%.


The Takeaway: Brands no longer "guess" where to spend money; decisions are now driven by data models.



2. AI in Content Production: The 500% Efficiency Revolution


The Metric: Producing in Hours, Not Days By 2025, 40% of brands are using AI to generate copy, images, and short videos. Advanced large models (like iFlytek’s marketing model) are delivering shocking efficiency gains:

  • Copywriting Efficiency: +500%

  • Creative Image Efficiency: +200%

  • Short Video Editing Efficiency: +300%


Work that used to take a creative team a full day can now be completed in an hour.


The Trend: Multi-Modal Content While text (44%) remains common, Video (26%) is the fastest-growing AI application. In China's video-first market (Douyin/bilibili), AI tools enable brands to rapidly produce:

  • Product animations

  • User tutorials

  • Live stream opening sequences

  • KOC "Seeding" scripts Crucially, AI can automatically adapt these assets for different platform styles (e.g., Douyin vs. XiaoHongShu) instantly.




3. AI in KOL Selection: The "Anti-Fraud" & Precision Tool


The Metric: Efficiency +90%, Cost -50% Influencer (KOL) marketing is often the largest expense for brands in China, and AI is revolutionizing this historically opaque process.


1. Screening Efficiency: According to the 2025 KOL Marketing Trends Report, AI-driven selection tools have:

  • Increased screening efficiency by 90%.

  • Reduced manual labor costs by 90%.

  • Doubled the Match Rate and Bid Success Rate.


AI filters creators not just by follower count, but by Content Style, Fan Personas,

CPM/CPE Costs, and Historical Performance. What used to take a team 2-3 days of manual scrolling now takes 10 minutes.


2. Predicting "Viral Hits" & GMV: Using NLP and semantic analysis, AI can now predict:

  • Which creators are most likely to produce a "Viral Hit" (爆文).

  • Which script structure drives the highest interaction.

  • GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) growth curves.


Insight: AI analysis reveals that on XiaoHongShu, Humor-category KOLs often have 46% lower CPE (Cost Per Engagement) than Fashion KOLs, with higher interaction potential. AI turns "Media Buying" into a "Predictive Science."



4. The 2026 Outlook: AI as the "Decision Central"


If 2024-2025 was the "Adoption Phase," 2026 will be the "Strategic Phase." AI will move from "doing things faster" to deciding "what to do."


Trend 1: From "Execution" to "Strategy Co-Creation" Leading brands will use AI to answer upstream questions:

  • Which platform deserves more budget next quarter?

  • Should we focus on "Product Efficacy" or "Emotional Value" for the new launch? AI will simulate multiple strategy scenarios based on historical data and platform algorithms, allowing humans to make the final judgment.


Trend 2: Self-Optimizing Content Systems Content will evolve from static assets to dynamic, learning systems.

  • Real-Time Adaptation: A video ad might change its opening hook or thumbnail automatically based on the first 30 minutes of interaction data.

  • The "Post then Analyze" model will be replaced by "Test, Learn, and Edit while Posting."


Trend 3: KOLs as a "System Engineering" KOL selection will evolve from finding "one right person" to designing a "Matrix."

  • AI will determine the optimal combination of creators: Who is for Awareness? Who is for Trust? Who is for Conversion?

  • Marketing moves from "Buying Reach" to "Designing Strategy."



Conclusion & CTA: The "Intelligent" Divide


As we move toward 2026, the competitive divide in China marketing will not be "Are you using AI?", but "Have you integrated AI into your organizational capability?"


Future-ready brands will possess:

  1. Structured Data (not just raw data).

  2. AI Marketing SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).

  3. Human x AI Collaboration Workflows.


AI will not replace marketers, but it will redefine their value.


Ready to upgrade your China Marketing Strategy? Whether you need to integrate Smart Ad Tech, optimize your KOL Strategy, or build a Data-Driven Marketing System, DCH Business Solutions is your partner in the era of Intelligent Marketing.


👉 Contact us today to discuss your MarTech roadmap for 2026.



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