Chinese brand you need to know: Tagi.

This is our monthly series where we introduce you to a Chinese brand because 1) they're doing cool stuff and 2) it's a great way to learn how to level up your own China marketing. Enjoy!

Jan 04, 2024

BRAND NAME

Tagi.

🛒 CATEGORY

Established in 2019, Tagi. is a lifestyle brand rooted in Shanghai that seamlessly blends intriguing concepts and unrestricted designs. Their goal is to craft a boundless and laid-back lifestyle experience.

🤑 PRICE POINT

Bags: USD 20-115
Tableware: USD 15-45
Daily Use: USD 1-45
Accessories: USD 7-30
Electronic product peripherals: USD 5-40
Clothing: USD 15-90

👤 TARGET AUDIENCE

Tagi. targets a youthful audience residing in first and second-tier cities, primarily Gen Z women between the age of 18-35 who seek individuality, creativity, and style.

The brand utilizes vibrant colors and imaginative concepts to ‘craft a paradise land' for adults — an ideal and relaxing lifestyle, that delivers the emotional environment desired by consumers to heal from a high-stress modern life.

✅ WHAT THEY ARE DOING WELL

1. Online Expansion and Offline Presence

In 2019, Tagi. strategically launched its online store on Taobao, which became its inaugural sales channel. Approximately a year later, the brand transitioned to offline retail by launching a pop-up store at Shanghai's "in the Park" market.

Tagi.'s products, characterized by vibrant colors, exaggerated shapes, and animated ambiance, garnered high recognition on social media platforms.

The design aesthetics of the offline stores seamlessly extended the brand's online presence, transforming them into sought-after "Internet celebrities.” The strategic deployment of pop-up stores across various cities, leveraging hungry marketing principles to manage costs, effectively drove social media traction beyond Shanghai.

2. Aligning with Evolving Consumer Trends

The 2023 China Consumption Trends report highlights a shift in consumer focus toward the inner world, emphasizing the significance of atmosphere, emotional value, and inner comfort in the consumption experience.

As a burgeoning lifestyle brand, Tagi. articulates clear brand propositions and specific life attitudes through its products and offline spaces, creating a highly contagious and resonant lifestyle for consumers.

The brand captures life's moments with a range of delightful items, such as flip-flop-shaped phone cases, mugs with candied haw-shaped handles, three-dimensional ball-shaped Yubao umbrellas (雨宝伞), and "call me” telephone shaped bags, offering small inspirations that strike a balance between aesthetics and practicality, aligning with the preferences of today's youth.

3. Transforming Stores into IP

In August 2022, Tagi. unveiled its inaugural offline space, a mini "Tagi House," (塔皮屋) on Urumqi Middle Road, Shanghai. The store recreates a homely storage atmosphere, diminishing the sense of distance, and injecting a sense of daily life and amusement.

Within three months of mini Tagi House's launch, the brand inaugurated its flagship store on the same road. Embracing the concept of "modern living,” the flagship store centers around courtyard living, drawing inspiration from various modern residential layouts.

In addition to previous merchandise such as phone cases, cups, and bags, the store expanded its product range to include clothing, shoes, hats, and more. "Tagi House” extended its brick-and-mortar footprint to cities like Chengdu, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Xi'an, facilitating a closer connection with the brand for foot traffic in diverse locales.

The physical store network ensures sustained user engagement, allowing consumers to immerse themselves in the brand's imaginative lifestyle.

4. Diverse Product Portfolio and Agile R&D:

Tagi. boasts a diverse product catalog encompassing electronic accessories, bags, accessories, daily necessities, clothing, and tableware, spanning a price spectrum from a few dollars to nearly a hundred.

The brand's commitment to innovation is evident in its frequent product releases, with a new series launching every two months. Each product series features distinctive and engaging designs, and in 2022 alone, Tagi. introduced 115 new products, each infused with a lively ambiance.

5. Collaborative Branding Unleashing Creative Potential

Tagi. fearlessly engages in collaborations with diverse partners, exemplified by its garden handmade tableware series co-created with the independent ceramics tool room "it doesn't matter.”

This series utilizes ceramic materials to immortalize the moment a small flower blooms, resulting in a vibrant and charming tableware collection.

The brand's cross-disciplinary collaboration with coffee & bakery brand DRUNK BAKER gave rise to the plush dessert bang-bang mobile phone holder, seamlessly integrating the joy and artistry of baking into daily life.

Tagi.'s willingness to explore uncharted territories for inspiration resonates with consumers, who eagerly embrace the brand's personalized creations, always anticipating the next innovative product.

Get a little more into the details here.

🧐 WHAT OTHER BRANDS CAN LEARN

1. Understanding Your Target Audience

Conduct comprehensive market research to discern the preferences, behaviors, and lifestyles of your target audience in China.

If your focus is on the youth in first-tier cities like Tagi., emphasize key points such as a distinctive brand image, uninhibited creativity, and emotional value tailored to urban living.

2. Emphasis on Quality and Innovation

Prioritize product quality and craftsmanship, aligning with the high regard Chinese consumers hold for well-designed, premium goods.

Introduce innovative and unique features to differentiate your brand in a competitive landscape.

3. Adaptability to Trends

Remain acutely aware of the latest trends in fashion, design, and lifestyle. Adjust your product offerings to align with evolving consumer preferences. Sustain the vitality of your brand by regularly introducing new collections or limited-edition items.

4. Online Presence

Leverage social media platforms such as WeChat, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin for audience interaction. Develop an e-commerce strategy seamlessly integrated with promotional content, including flash sales, live streaming events, and exclusive online promotions.

Optimize your online store for mobile users, fostering user-generated content and reviews to cultivate a sense of community.

5. Offline Presence

Contemplate the establishment of physical or pop-up stores in key cities to provide customers with a tangible brand experience. Collaborate with reputable retailers or department stores to broaden your offline footprint.

Maintain consistency between your online and offline brand image.

6. Collaborations and Partnerships

Leverage the strong influence of influencer marketing and brand co-branding among Chinese consumers. Collaborate with influencers, celebrities, or other brands to enhance visibility and credibility. Explore partnerships with local designers or artists for the creation of distinctive, limited-edition products.

Engage in joint activities with brands sharing a similar target audience to expand your fan base and deliver delightful surprises.