Chinese lifestyle app Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, has rolled out a brand refresh, launching a new slogan, ‘Your Lifestyle Interest Community’. The update, along with a revised opening screen, went live on July 8.

The new tagline is a literal translation of the Chinese “你的兴趣社区, and replaces the 2022 version, ‘Your Lifestyle Guide’. The new positioning nudges users to focus more on shared interests and community, rather than simply using the platform as a recommendation tool.

RedNote also released a promotional film titled ‘A History of Interests’ to support the rebrand.

Industry watchers tell Campaign Asia-Pacific that the move is more than a superficial tweak.

Ashley Dudarenok, founder of ChoZan and Alarice, called it “an important step in platform evolution”.

“It crystallises its transformation from a product-review hub into China’s definitive ‘interest-based social ecosystem’,” she said. “A move validated by its 2025 Q1 financials showing 70% year-on-year daily active user growth in niche communities like outdoor sports and vintage fashion.”

Subramania Bhatt, founder and CEO of China Trading Desk, agreed that the platform is undergoing a clear shift in how it is used.

“Xiaohongshu is moving from being a ‘lifestyle guide’ to becoming a decentralised interest ecosystem, where niche communities, peer-driven narratives, and UGC are central,” he said.

“For users, it indicates a more participatory, lower-barrier environment to share and express,” Bhatt added. “For brands, it’s a preview of a new marketing model—less about product seeding, more about story-first, interest-aligned communication.”

Dudarenok noted the repositioning helps Xiaohongshu stand out in an increasingly competitive space.

“This isn’t just a slogan change – it’s Xiaohongshu cementing its moat against rivals like Douyin,” she said. “Where others focus on short-form entertainment and quantity, Xiaohongshu dominates ‘lifestyle scaffolding’—guiding Chinese netizens from inspiration to action within trusted micro-communities.”

Bhatt thinks that as Xiaohongshu leans further into short-form video, live tools and creator engagement, it’s edging closer to Douyin’s turf.

“The two platforms still support different behaviours, but the overlap is growing,” he said. “Xiaohongshu’s edge remains in community depth and trust, especially in categories like beauty, fashion, wellness and pets.”

Behind the scenes, content dynamics are changing too. “Compared to earlier phases where long-form, text-rich posts dominated, today’s content landscape is shifting decisively towards video,” Bhatt explained. “Internally, this is being reinforced by algorithmic prioritisation of short-form video content and stronger discovery for creators who integrate visual storytelling.”

He believes the platform’s direction now leans heavily on emotional and cultural relevance. “In essence, Xiaohongshu is evolving from content e-commerce to interest e-commerce,” he said. “Those who can embed themselves in authentic narratives and spark emotional or cultural resonance will have deeper, more durable commercial impact.”

Bhatt also sees the move as part of a wider consumer shift. “There’s growing demand for personalisation, self-curated identity, and micro-community belonging,” he said. “This positions Xiaohongshu well for long-term differentiation in an increasingly homogenised content landscape.”

Dudarenok agrees, noting clear benefits for both users and brands. “First, hyper-personalised discovery. Algorithms now prioritise community-driven interests over generic trends, making recommendations more relevant. Think ‘Hanfu Restoration’ or ‘Balcony Gardening’ circles,” she said.

She also pointed out that focusing on real user content helps restore trust. “By doubling down on authentic UGC within vertical communities, Xiaohongshu counters influencer saturation—a pain point for 68% of its Gen-Z users, as per a recent survey.”

And from a brand perspective? “Self-segmented, high-intent audiences turn casual browsing into potential conversion,” she added.

The brand refresh comes amid RedNote’s broader ambitions to expand beyond China. The company opened a Hong Kong office in June, and in May, teamed up with Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall Group to allow merchants to embed product links directly into RedNote posts. It had tested a similar integration with JD.com earlier in the year.

The platform has also seen a surge in new users from outside China. Since January, a wave of ‘TikTok refugees’, mainly from the US, have flocked to the app amid fears of TikTok’s possible shutdown.