Some argue that business in the digital age thrives on online traffic and trends, and recent events seem to support this notion.

A TikTok video featuring Chinese products went viral in late November, thanks to a charismatic female employee greeting viewers with a cheerful "Hello boss!" Her distinct northeast Chinese accent and imperfect English captured widespread attention.

The woman, whose TikTok handle is robert etong, presented her brand's "space capsule" in just 40 seconds, pointing out 15 exclusive product features.

This capsule is in fact a 40-square-meter aluminum alloy mobile prefabricated house, which includes smart locks and comes completely furnished. Designed as a compact homestay or residence, it offers functionality and style in equal measure.

Ending the video with the phrase, "Do you like it? Contact me," the host invited interested customers to reach out, while the brand's logo, ETONG, was displayed on-screen. Though its production base is located in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in Guangdong Province in south China, the brand exports its products to the world.

Despite the video's straightforward editing, the presenter's casual attire and her simple delivery, it quickly gained traction. At the time of writing, the video had already amassed 6.4 million views and over 400,000 likes. Consequently, the company's TikTok account had gained more than 40,000 new followers. In the comment section, numerous viewers expressed their interest in purchasing and requested contact details.

This viral success demonstrates how authenticity, creativity and a touch of humor can drive global interest, even for niche products like smart portable homes.

One netizen, Kqmariaa, commented, "Y'all are making fun, but I genuinely wanna live there."

Another user, rimanic, said, "I like how she calls me boss even if I'm not her boss."

Indeed, who can resist being greeted with a "boss" right off the bat?

With platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Chinese manufacturers—hidden behind the once generic Made in China label—are stepping into the spotlight.

Through engaging short videos, they're presenting brand images that are lively and accessible.

Sweet!

On TikTok, the hashtag "chinafactory" has accumulated tens of thousands of videos, many of which boast impressive view counts ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions. The product categories showcased under this hashtag are incredibly diverse, spanning shoes, clothing, furniture, doors, windows and more.

This year, Chinese factories have gained much momentum on TikTok, with short videos about Chinese manufacturing achieving viral status among international audiences. Beyond brands like ETONG, many other Chinese manufacturers have started leveraging international social media platforms to drive growth in overseas orders.

One standout example is Donghua Jinlong, a chemical company specializing in the production of glycine, a product primarily used as a food sweetener or industrial and pharmaceutical raw material.

Founded in 1979 and based in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province in north China, the company entered the TikTok scene in December 2023, releasing simple, unpolished videos to showcase its high-quality products and strict production standards.

In March, the company's account posted a video titled Introducing Donghua Jinlong's Food-Grade Glycine, which features straightforward English narration and low-resolution factory footage.

Despite its modest production, the 30-second clip quickly amassed over 800,000 views. Soon after, the hashtag "DonghuaJinlong" gained over 10 million views, trending internationally as memes and parody videos flooded the platform.

The brand's success lies in its authentic, no-frills approach, which contrasts sharply with the entertainment-heavy content typically seen on TikTok. This sparked curiosity among netizens, who began humorously and enthusiastically sharing the brand's story.

One user jokingly commented, "Donghua Jinlong is my favorite producer of food-grade glycine, hands down."

Another comment read, "I always ask the waiter at every restaurant if they use Donghua Jinlong's food-grade glycine. If they don't, I don't want it."

Even major media outlets took notice. The Washington Post in April published an article titled What's 2024's hottest product? According to TikTok, there is only one answer: industrial-grade glycine from China.

Chen Liya, a representative from Donghua Jinlong, shared in an interview with Hongxing News, a media platform operated by Chengdu Media Group, that the company initially started creating TikTok and YouTube content to target manufacturers and traders. However, the overwhelming attention from international netizens exceeded their expectations.

Chen explained that the company's shift to overseas advertising stemmed from two factors: their substantial domestic market share (a third of China's glycine production capacity) and a desire to enhance brand recognition in major export markets such as Japan, Europe and Southeast Asia.

Through TikTok, Donghua Jinglong is not only generating new business opportunities but also reshaping perceptions of Chinese industrial capabilities.

Traffic transformation

On TikTok, even seemingly ordinary content has the potential to pique users' curiosity.

Recently, a TikTok video posted on the account xixijewelryfactory, which belongs to gem producer Xixi Jewelry based in Dongguan, another manufacturing hub in Guangdong, shared a glimpse into the factory's jewelry production: a craftsman transforming an ordinary gemstone through meticulous cutting, polishing and setting, making it sparkle in just 10 seconds. Many global netizens apparently took a shine to it, given the video had raked in over 10 million views at the time of writing.

Founded in 2008, Xixi Jewelry manages business operations in several countries. Aside from TikTok, the company also has a YouTube account, mainly sharing jewelry design and production processes. This account's following is even bigger than its TikTok peer .

With their unpolished, minimalist, almost industrial filming style, ETONG, Donghua Jinlong, Xixi Jewelry and many more Chinese factories, appear to have cracked the code to TikTok success, exporting their Made-in-China products worldwide.

At the 2024 TikTok Made in China Brand Going Global Partnership Summit held in Xiamen, Fujian Province in southeast China, in August, industry insiders shared how Chinese enterprises, especially private ones, are demonstrating strong resilience and innovation in the face of challenges in the domestic economic environment and changes in the global trade landscape.

However, in the long run, many observers added, companies will still need to find new growth drivers.

TikTok is now the most downloaded app in the world, with over 176 million downloads since early 2022, according to statistics portal Statista.com. As of late August, the app's monthly worldwide active user count had reached 1.58 billion.

Chinese manufacturers are increasingly intertwining their confidence in product quality with content-driven e-commerce marketing, offering new insights for traditional factories aiming to expand internationally. Instead of relying on flashy special effects or exaggerated copy, these brands let their product quality speak for itself. By authentically showcasing industrial processes, they offer global audiences a close look at Chinese manufacturing techniques.

Perhaps the secret to global success lies not in elaborate packaging but in earning trust through genuine quality and attention to detail. This sincere approach could provide a fresh strategy for manufacturing enterprises seeking to reach global markets. BR

Printed edition title:#CHINAFACTORY          

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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