January 22, 2025
As an old-school RED user myself, I’ve typically used the app for product reviews and occasional makeup tutorials. Most recently, I checked out car seats for my two-year-old, examining practical recommendations from influencers and brands to my great satisfaction. But this past weekend, I found myself compulsively opening RED multiple times a day, much to my American husband’s chagrin.
“Really?!” he’d say, eyeing me as I scrolled through the app while waiting for our coffee.
“Really,” I replied. “This is an incredible, historic moment. You should see for yourself.”
Fifteen minutes later, my husband exclaimed, “What the heck. Should we open our own account as a Chinese-American family?!”
What transformed this impulsive act by Americans into an epic global phenomenon? And what might happen next?
American content creators were stunned by the sheer volume of engagement they received on RED, which, with its 300 million users, accounts for roughly 80% of the U.S. population. Moreover, RED’s demographic is primarily well-educated urbanites from China’s major cities, with 80% being female.
Chinese (female) netizens are becoming the best fans in the world, showering content creators with poems and instant likes by the thousands.
TikTok users chose RED as a protest, believing it to be the “most Chinese” of all apps. They were then amazed to see RED introduce English-version features and translation functions in just three days. This agility, while expected in China, has deeply impressed many American users, fostering an emotional connection to the platform.
The most fascinating aspect is the explosion of cultural exchange between netizens of two countries at geopolitical odds. Americans, frustrated with their government, are discovering aspects of China they believe have been hidden from them. Meanwhile, Chinese users, eager for global attention since before the economic downturn, are excited to showcase their language, culture, daily life, and, of course, cats.
In this unprecedented, direct interaction at scale, people are realizing they have more in common than not.
RED now faces a significant opportunity to capitalize on this moment and plan its global expansion strategy. Key challenges include:
1. Implementing multilingual content moderation to maintain an authentic user experience
2. Developing a sustainable global business model leveraging international influencers and cross-cultural marketing strategies
3. Ramping up security measures to address potential concerns from international users and regulators
The rest, only time will tell. But one thing is certain: This unexpected digital migration has opened a new chapter in cross-cultural online interactions, challenging our preconceptions about the global digital landscape.
As I watch this unfold, I can’t help but feel we’re witnessing a pivotal moment in social media history. The question remains: Will RED seize this opportunity to become a truly global platform, or will this remain a fascinating but fleeting episode in the ever-evolving world of social media?
