Short videos are taking over social media and in the alcoholic beverages vertical in particular, this medium is on the rise. According to Internet tech company, ByteDance, by the first quarter of 2021, the number of daily active users of Douyin (Chinese Tiktok) had reached 600 million.
Influencers share creative, educational content with the general public in accessible and fun video format. By the end of 2020, the number of influencers in the alcoholic beverages space with more than 10k followers had increased by 329%, year-on-year.
With this astronomical rise in mind, let’s have a look at China’s top 10 alcoholic beverage influencers on Douyin.
1. 红斌-调酒的아저씨 (Hongbin the bartender)
Hongbin is a Harbin-based bartender currently ranking No. 1 on Douyin’s alcoholic beverage vertical. With over 100 million likes and 13.6 million followers, Hongbin engages his audience with original and classic cocktail recipes. While the eye-catching cocktails have great visual appeal, his years-long training and professional experience are the main pull for the audience. Through short videos, he delivers the art of mixology, providing insights into barman’s techniques and ingredients to an audience eager for top tips for making beautiful and delicious cocktails.
2. 调酒师——扬扬 (Bartender Yangyang)
Ranked second place with more than 6.7 million followers, Yangyang is a bartender working at MoYi cocktail and whisky bar in Shenyang (Liaoning Province). Unlike Hongbing, who uses the classic approach of making cocktails, Yangyang is what’s known as a flair bartender. In addition to turning out stunning cocktails, flair bartenders use bartending tools of the trade like shakers to give the audience a dazzling, spectacular performance – and Yangyang certainly knows how to put on a show!
3. 老宋的微醺23点 (Tipsy 23h of Old Song)
Shenzhen-based “Old Song” is an enigmatic creator of educational videos about alcoholic beverages. “Old Song” shares information about cocktails, spirits, and liquors which are known by name in China, but Chinese consumers are not widely familiar with. In real life, Mr. Song is a chef and restaurateur, owning several western-style cuisine bistros in Shenzhen. His trademark act is having a drink among young people after work, and sharing knowledge with humor, and charm.
4. 安森的话事酒馆 (Anson Bar)
With 20 years of bartending experience, Anson is a bartender who has won the prestigious Shanghai flair bartender competition held by CCTV Fashion. Via fun, lively, and informative weekly live streams, he teaches his audience how to make stunning, tasty cocktails and mocktails. Alongside mixology content, Anson shares information about wine and spirits as well.
5. 中式调酒师小猫 (Chinese-style mixologist Xiaomao)
Mixology and cocktails are not traditionally part of Chinese culture but the No.5 influencer in Douyin’s alcoholic beverage space, Xiaomao adds a fresh and exciting local touch to his mixology with interesting Chinese ingredients. He creates cocktails that include ingredients such as chrysanthemums and shares recipes for homemade flavored liquor. The finishing touch is how he gives all his creations poetic names in Chinese.
6. 酒仙网拉飞哥 (Lafei Bro of Jiuxian.com)
Lafei Bro is an executive team member of the leading online Chinese retailer of wine and spirits, Jiuxian.com. This WSET-certified wine professional and, impressively, owner of two estates in Bordeaux, France, is the icon of Jiuxian.com live stream sales campaign. With over 4 million followers on Douyin, in the first quarter of 2021, Lafei Bro hit sales of 160 million Chinese yuan!
7. 醉鹅的小酒馆 (Lady Penguin’s Wine Bar)
Wang Shenghan aka Lady Penguin is the best-known influencer in the wine space in China. The Brown University graduate has been actively promoting wine and wine culture on various platforms in China since 2014, demystifying the specialist niche and making it more accessible for Chinese consumers. She has built up a following of 3.8 million followers in Douyin.
8. 胡屿帆 (Hu Yufan)
With 2.7 million followers, Hu Yufan is another influencer whose main focus is spirits and cocktails in Douyin. His point of difference with the bartender influencers already mentioned is Hu Yufan employs a fascinating story-telling approach as he educates his audience and offers recommendations, connecting drinking culture to daily life situations. Cheers!
9. 徐博士 (Dr. Xu)
The ninth most popular alcoholic beverage influencer in Douyin is Dr. Xu. Impressively, she possesses a PhD in anthropology and is also a certified educator of SSI International Kikisake-Shi (Japanese sake certification)! Dr. Xu creates entertaining and informative content to guide her audience around the world of Sake, covering topics that include everything from basic knowledge to the intricacies of finessed sake food pairing. Dr. Xu now has over 2.5 million followers in Douyin.
10. 喵喵竹子佳酿 (Miaomiao Bamboo Liquor)
Miaomiao is an influencer who uses Douyin to promote her family business, bamboo liquor production! Her short videos provide the lowdown on the aromas, tastes, and pairings of bamboo liquor and have attracted over 2 million followers in Douyin.
Source: ByteDance 2021 Liquor Industry User Insights and Content Ecology White Paper
This list of top-10 Douyin influencers provides an interesting snapshot of Chinese alcoholic drinks culture. A quick glance shows Chinese consumers are part of a wider global trend toward cocktail mixology followed by an interest in niche drinks topics delivered by professionally-trained experts.
Notably, among the top 10 influencers, only two are specialized in the wine field but they still have significant followings. Also evident is the growing popularity of whisky and sake in the Chinese market.
The potential for drinks market reach on platform’s like Douyin is huge. With their massive audience bases, influencers are playing a key role in online drinks marketing and e-commerce sales in China and this trend looks set to continue to grow.
