(Top left: German influencer Pamela Reif with Chinese followers)
Video-influencers are very popular in China, driving sales on e-commerce platforms. Unsurprisingly, most are Chinese, but a few foreigners are also making their mark. A Senegalese-Italian influencer nicknamed the “Silent Comedy King” has over 162 million followers on his TikTok account. The 25-year-old, whose real name is Seringe Khabane Lame, shot to fame with his expressive mute reactions to overly complicated life hacks. He is one of the world’s most popular online personalities, but it’s in China, a country known for its vibrant digital culture, that his rise has been especially meteoric. His Chinese fans call him “speechless brother”. On July 31, Lame officially joined Weibo, one of the most popular social media platforms in China.
“You might not know my name, but I’m guessing you’ve definitely used my reaction memes,” he posted on Weibo. “I am super excited to be officially here on Weibo! I’ve heard Chinese netizens are the masters of creativity and humor, so let’s have some fun!” Within 24 hours, he garnered more than 100,000 followers on Weibo. Lame also launched accounts on other Chinese social media platforms, including RedNote and Kuaishou, which received warm feedback from his local fans. Lame’s popularity in China derives from his iconic facial expressions, which have been absorbed into Chinese digital culture. One deadpan expression, often paired with an open palm gesture, perfectly encapsulates the feeling of “Why complicate things?”, a sentiment that resonates deeply in Chinese online communities.
Recognizing his huge popularity in China, Shanghai-headquartered ShootsWorks announced Lame’s upcoming trip to the country, which was met with great excitement. “We plan to take him to experience Chinese culture in several profound and immersive ways,” said Yuan Yiqing, ShootsWorks’ overseas IP content director. In Changsha, Lame will witness China’s role in addressing global collaboration. In June, the city held the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The interaction of Chinese and African people will give Lame a glimpse into how travel, exploration, and cross-cultural exchanges foster business innovation.
Zhu Liping, ShootsWorks’ head of IP monetization for the Chinese market, commented that “China’s dynamic market, growing digital presence, and the increasing influence of Chinese social media platforms have all created a thriving environment for global influencers.” It will not be the first time the Chinese company has brought a Western influencer to China. ShootsWorks has had a successful collaboration with Pamela Reif, a German workout lifestyle influencer, whose fitness content has a massive global following. The collaboration with Reif began in early 2023 when Zhu recognized her growing popularity in China, particularly during the pandemic. Zhu, who was living in Germany at the time, reached out to Reif who was seeking to grow her presence in China. In 2023, Zhu took on the role of managing Reif’s Chinese social media accounts, helping her navigate platforms like Weibo and RedNote. The goal was to introduce Reif’s positive and healthy lifestyle message to China’s massive audience, offering her fans not just workout routines, but also a connection to a role model. In October 2023, Reif visited major Chinese cities including Shanghai, Beijing, and Changsha. Zhu planned the trip, and Reif engaged with her Chinese fans by hosting live workout sessions and fan events. “Despite the language barrier, the energy and enthusiasm of the events showed that fitness and fun are universal languages,” Zhu recalled. In addition to a massive 9.68 million followers on YouTube, Reif has established a presence on Chinese social media and has more than 11.6 million followers.
Zheng Huanzhao, Vice President of Jinan University’s Chinese Language and Literature Department, said international influencers can create content that connects with the international community through their “credibility” and “charm”. When visiting, they are likely to seek fresh and distinctive ways to express themselves and explore Chinese cities for new content. “The spread of foreign influencers can highlight perspectives that are relatively overlooked in local communication about a city,” he noted, as reported by the China Daily.
