5 Xiaohongshu Success Stories: How Global Brands Won China’s Trending Platform

Posted on November 1, 2025 | By AdXingmei Insights Team

"Does Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book/RED) really work for global brands?"

It’s the question we hear most. And the answer is: Yes—if you do it right.

From Australian skincare lines to Italian luxury resorts, brands across industries have used RED to go from "unknown" to "must-have" in China. What’s their secret? They didn’t treat RED like a Western platform—they leaned into its unique "trust-first" culture.

These 5 success stories prove one thing: Xiaohongshu isn’t just a marketing channel. It’s a way to build a loyal Chinese audience that will grow with your brand.

1. Rósa Skincare (Australia): From 0 to 100,000+ Searches in 3 Months

A small Australian organic skincare brand with no prior China presence wanted to target eco-conscious Gen Z.

Strategy:

• Partnered with 20 micro-KOCs (1k–5k followers) in the "clean beauty" niche to post "7-day trial" reviews.
• Focused on specific pain points: "How this serum fixed my dry skin in winter."
• Amplified top posts with search ads targeting "organic serum" and "clean skincare."

Result:

Brand searches on RED jumped from 0 to 120,000+ monthly. 40% of first-month sales came directly from Xiaohongshu links.

2. Villa d’Este (Italy): Luxury Resort Gets 58% More Chinese Bookings

This historic Italian lake resort wanted to attract high-end Chinese travelers (average spend: $5,000+ per stay).

Strategy:

• Worked with 5 mid-tier travel KOCs (50k–100k followers) to create "VIP experience" content (private yacht tours, Chinese-speaking staff).
• Added localized details: "They served congee for breakfast—so thoughtful for Chinese guests!"
• Used RED’s "location targeting" to reach users in Shanghai/Beijing searching for "European luxury travel."

Result:

Chinese bookings increased by 58% in 6 months. 72% of new guests mentioned seeing the resort on Xiaohongshu.

3. Bolt Sneakers (USA): Turning Viral KOC Content Into a National Trend

A US streetwear brand wanted to make its new sneaker model a hit with Chinese Gen Z.

Strategy:

• Sent free sneakers to 50 "campus KOCs" (college students with 5k–20k followers) to post "OOTD (Outfit of the Day)" content.
• Launched a hashtag challenge: #BoltOnCampus, with the best posts winning a year of free shoes.
• Partnered with 2 top fashion KOLs to repost the best user content, creating a "viral loop."

Result:

The hashtag got 8.2 million views. The sneaker sold out within 2 weeks on Tmall, with 90% of buyers aged 18–25.

4. Green & Co. (UK): A Sustainable Food Brand Builds a Loyal Community

A British plant-based food brand wanted to position itself as a leader in China’s growing vegan market.

Strategy:

• Created an official RED account posting "easy vegan recipes" using their products (e.g., "30-minute stir-fry with Green & Co. tofu").
• Encouraged users to share their own recipes with #GreenEats, featuring the best on their account.
• Collaborated with 10 "sustainable living" KOCs for long-term partnerships (not one-off posts).

Result:

Built a community of 250,000+ followers in 1 year. 65% of users who engaged with their content became repeat buyers.

5. What All These Brands Did Right

Every success story shared three key moves:

• They prioritized authenticity over salesy content.
• They targeted niche audiences (not "everyone").
• They combined organic seeding with strategic paid ads.