Chinese actor Zhang Linghe is taking his international popularity into the world of e-commerce through a new collaboration with Taobao, as the platform prepares for its annual Double 11 shopping festival with a campaign that places lifestyle, personal interests and the joy of discovery at the heart of the shopping experience.
The partnership marks a fresh approach to Taobao’s engagement with cross-border consumers, combining celebrity influence, interactive digital activities and immersive advertising to create a more engaging connection between shopping and everyday life. Through the collaboration, Taobao hopes to encourage users across international markets to look beyond conventional online shopping and discover products that reflect their individual tastes, interests and aspirations.
Launched globally on October 14, the campaign features a new brand film starring Zhang Linghe, supported by an extensive outdoor advertising rollout across Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore. The initiative introduces six refreshed shopping experiences centred on Quality, Taste, Lifestyle, Trendy, Smart and Surprise, highlighting the platform’s ambition to make product discovery more personal, inspiring and enjoyable.
The collaboration draws on Zhang Linghe’s growing international recognition, particularly across Southeast Asia, where Chinese dramas continue to attract audiences in markets such as Malaysia and Thailand. With his rising popularity and versatile on-screen presence, the actor brings a familiar face to a campaign that seeks to connect entertainment with the evolving habits of digital consumers.
Beyond his work on screen, Zhang Linghe’s diverse interests also complement the campaign’s emphasis on exploring different lifestyles. From fashion and sports to pet care, anime and smart technology, the brand film showcases how personal passions can shape the way people discover products and express themselves through everyday choices.
“Exploring new things and spending time on hobbies help me discover more possibilities in life and bring inspiration to the different characters I play,” Zhang Linghe said.
He noted that while consumers around the world have their own preferred lifestyles, finding products that truly match their tastes can sometimes be challenging when choices are limited. Through Taobao, he believes users can explore a wider variety of options, discover fresh inspiration and encounter unexpected finds along the way.
The campaign’s central message reflects Taobao’s broader brand promise of helping consumers find a wide range of products at competitive prices while supporting their individual lifestyles. Its six refreshed shopping experiences are designed to bring this promise to life, with Quality highlighting trusted products, Taste celebrating stylish designs, Lifestyle embracing diverse interests, Trendy capturing popular trends, Smart focusing on practical innovations and Surprise encouraging shoppers to discover something unexpected.
Through these themes, Taobao is positioning shopping as more than a transactional activity, presenting it instead as an opportunity for consumers to explore their identities, pursue their interests and uncover new possibilities in their daily lives. The approach also reflects the platform’s continued focus on improving cross-border shopping through product variety, logistics support and localised services.
The partnership extends beyond the brand film, with Taobao introducing interactive activities that allow fans to engage with Zhang Linghe throughout the Double 11 campaign. From October 14 to November 13, users in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand can participate in the “Daily Treasure Hunt” through the Taobao app by completing daily activities such as checking in, browsing products, placing orders and inviting friends.
Participants can collect “Ling Points” to unlock eight exclusive behind-the-scenes videos featuring the actor, while the accumulated points can be redeemed for digital gifts, Taobao red packets and Zhang Linghe-themed merchandise. These rewards include customised in-app skins, stickers, mobile wallpapers and voice messages, with top-ranking participants also having the opportunity to receive autographed gifts and other limited-edition items.
Adding another dimension to the campaign, Zhang Linghe is scheduled to appear in an exclusive livestream within the Taobao app during Double 11, connecting with fans across 11 markets in real time. The livestream is expected to strengthen the interaction between the actor and his international audience, while bringing entertainment and shopping together on a single digital platform. Further details will be announced through Taobao’s official Instagram account and the app.
The campaign will also reach audiences beyond their screens through a series of outdoor advertisements at prominent urban locations. Large-format video and print billboards, themed subway trains and glasses-free 3D displays will bring the campaign’s visuals to busy districts in Hong Kong, including Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay, as well as selected locations in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore.
In-person activities will further extend the collaboration, beginning in Hong Kong on October 15, followed by events in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on October 24. Visitors will have opportunities to experience Taobao’s latest brand activities and stand a chance to receive limited-edition Zhang Linghe-themed gifts, with venue information and participation details to be announced through the platform’s official social media channels in each market.
By combining digital rewards, celebrity engagement, outdoor advertising and in-person events, Taobao is creating a campaign that reaches consumers through multiple points of interaction. The strategy places particular emphasis on building an experience that continues beyond a single advertisement or shopping transaction, encouraging users to return to the platform and explore its offerings throughout the festive shopping period.
For Malaysian consumers, the collaboration offers another meeting point between the popularity of Chinese entertainment and the growing appeal of cross-border online shopping. Zhang Linghe’s involvement brings an entertainment-driven dimension to the Double 11 campaign, while Taobao’s refreshed shopping experiences aim to make product discovery more relevant to the varied preferences of regional audiences.
As Double 11 approaches, Taobao’s partnership with Zhang Linghe signals a broader ambition to reshape the way consumers engage with online shopping by bringing together commerce, entertainment and lifestyle discovery. Through a campaign built around curiosity, personal expression and unexpected finds, the platform is inviting users to explore not only what they need, but also what might inspire them next.
