China’s marketing ecosystem continues to set the pace for innovation, from advanced mobile ecosystems to AI-powered personalization and platform-native creativity. But what truly sets the leaders apart is their ability to turn innovation into measurable business results.
The SMARTIES Business Impact Index (BII) 2024 – China recognizes the agencies, brands, advertisers, and solution providers that have not only embraced modern marketing but also proven their impact. Developed in collaboration with WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness, the Index is grounded in finalist and winner data across SMARTIES awards programs worldwide.
This year’s winners represent the cutting edge of marketing in China, where data, creativity, and scale converge to deliver tangible growth in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.
Introducing the SMARTIES BII 2024 Winners – China: a celebration of marketing that performs, at scale.
MMA China SMARTIES
Business Impact Index
Top Brands in China
| Rank | Brand | Product category | Total brand score |
| 1 | Coca-Cola | Soft Drinks | 139.0 |
| 2 | Sprite | Soft Drinks | 95.6 |
| 3 | Durex | Pharma & Healthcare | 91.9 |
| 4 | KFC | Retail | 85.4 |
| 5 | Snapdragon | Technology & Electronics | 64.2 |
| 6 | Magnetic Engine | Technology & Electronics | 51.3 |
| 6 | Oreo | Food | 51.3 |
| 8 | Haidilao | Retail | 47.1 |
| 9 | Minute Maid | Soft Drinks | 43.7 |
| 10 | Heinz | Food | 42.7 |
| 10 | Swisse | Food | 42.7 |
| 10 | Jian Ai Elderly Charity Center | Non-profit, public sector & education | 42.7 |
| 10 | Intel | Technology & Electronics | 42.7 |
| 14 | FOTILE | Technology & Electronics | 34.8 |
| 15 | Skittles | Food | 34.5 |
| 16 | FamilyMart | Retail | 34.2 |
| 16 | FILA | Clothing & Accessories | 34.2 |
| 16 | Nike | Clothing & Accessories | 34.2 |
| 16 | The LEGO Group | Leisure & Entertainment | 34.2 |
| 20 | SOFY | Toiletries & Cosmetics | 33.5 |
| 21 | Castrol | Automotive | 25.6 |
| 21 | Ambrosial | Food | 25.6 |
| 21 | Starbucks | Retail | 25.6 |
| 21 | Bactroban | Pharma & Healthcare | 25.6 |
| 21 | GEELY | Automotive | 25.6 |
| 21 | Synear | Food | 25.6 |
| 21 | FLIXONASE | Pharma & Healthcare | 25.6 |
| 28 | Dulux | Household & Domestic | 17.7 |
| 28 | Authentic Tea House | Soft Drinks | 17.7 |
| 30 | PlayStation | Technology & Electronics | 17.1 |
| 30 | Cotti Coffee | Retail | 17.1 |
| 30 | XIAOHONGSHU | Media & Publishing | 17.1 |
| 30 | Sheveu | Toiletries & Cosmetics | 17.1 |
| 30 | Elevit | Pharma & Healthcare | 17.1 |
| 30 | Volvo | Automotive | 17.1 |
| 30 | JD.com | Retail | 17.1 |
| 30 | Honor | Technology & Electronics | 17.1 |
| 30 | Estee Lauder | Toiletries & Cosmetics | 17.1 |
| 30 | meituan | Retail | 17.1 |
| 30 | Johnnie Walker | Alcoholic Drinks | 17.1 |
| 30 | Stride | Food | 17.1 |
| 42 | Tourism Australia | Transport & Tourism | 9.4 |
| 43 | VIPShop | Retail | 8.5 |
| 43 | Bisco | Food | 8.5 |
| 43 | 3CE | Toiletries & Cosmetics | 8.5 |
| 43 | Xiaomi | Technology & Electronics | 8.5 |
| 43 | Toyota | Automotive | 8.5 |
| 43 | Shiny Meadow | Soft Drinks | 8.5 |
| 43 | WALKHERO | Technology & Electronics | 8.5 |
| 43 | adidas Originals | Clothing & Accessories | 8.5 |
| 43 | Nescafe | Soft Drinks | 8.5 |
| 43 | -196 | Soft Drinks | 8.5 |
| 43 | Healthcare Co., Ltd | Household & Domestic | 8.5 |
| 43 | The Singleton | Alcoholic Drinks | 8.5 |
| 43 | Liushen | Toiletries & Cosmetics | 8.5 |
| 43 | Unilever | Household & Domestic | 8.5 |
| 43 | ECOVACS | Technology & Electronics | 8.5 |
| 43 | Caltrate | Pharma & Healthcare | 8.5 |
| 43 | Ice Dew | Soft Drinks | 8.5 |
| 43 | Kao Corporation | Toiletries & Cosmetics | 8.5 |
| 43 | Lee Kum Kee | Food | 8.5 |
| 62 | Rhinocort | Pharma & Healthcare | 5.0 |
| 63 | Tata | Household & Domestic | 4.4 |
| 63 | Shell | Automotive | 4.4 |
| 63 | Snickers | Food | 4.4 |
| 63 | Hoegaarden | Alcoholic Drinks | 4.4 |
MMA China SMARTIES
Business Impact Index
Top Agency Networks in China
| Rank | Agency network | Holding company | Points |
|
1 |
Mindshare Worldwide | WPP | 245.9 |
|
2 |
GroupM | WPP | 230.7 |
|
3 |
EssenceMediacom | WPP | 191.9 |
|
4 |
Dentsu International | Dentsu | 94.0 |
|
5 |
LEO Digital Network | 85.4 | |
|
6 |
BlueMedia | 51.3 | |
|
7 |
IPG Mediabrands | Interpublic Group | 48.6 |
|
8 |
Wavemaker | WPP | 34.8 |
|
9 |
Starcom | Publicis Groupe | 4.4 |
MMA China SMARTIES
Business Impact Index
Top Advertisers in China
| Rank | Advertiser | Points |
| 1 | The Coca-Cola Company | 304.6 |
| 2 | Reckitt | 91.9 |
| 3 | Yum! Brands | 85.4 |
| 4 | Qualcomm | 64.2 |
| 5 | Haleon | 59.8 |
| 6 | Mondelez International | 59.8 |
| 7 | Kuaishou | 51.3 |
| 8 | Haidilao | 47.1 |
| 9 | Biostime Pharmaceuticals | 42.7 |
| 9 | Geely | 42.7 |
| 9 | Jian Ai Elderly Charity Center | 42.7 |
| 9 | Intel | 42.7 |
| 9 | Kraft Heinz Company | 42.7 |
| 14 | Mars | 38.9 |
| 15 | FOTILE | 34.8 |
| 16 | Nike | 34.2 |
| 16 | KIRKBI | 34.2 |
| 16 | FILA | 34.2 |
| 16 | Itochu | 34.2 |
| 20 | Unicharm | 33.5 |
| 21 | Starbucks | 25.6 |
| 21 | BP | 25.6 |
| 21 | Yili Group | 25.6 |
| 21 | Synear | 25.6 |
| 21 | Diageo | 25.6 |
| 26 | AkzoNobel | 17.7 |
| 27 | Sony | 17.1 |
| 27 | Estee Lauder Companies | 17.1 |
| 27 | JD.com | 17.1 |
| 27 | Cotti Coffee | 17.1 |
| 27 | Bayer Group | 17.1 |
| 27 | Sanofi | 17.1 |
| 27 | Government of China | 17.1 |
| 27 | Xiaohongshu | 17.1 |
| 27 | Meituan | 17.1 |
| 36 | Government of Australia | 9.4 |
| 37 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 8.5 |
| 37 | adidas | 8.5 |
| 37 | Unilever | 8.5 |
| 37 | Nestle | 8.5 |
| 37 | YiGuTechnology | 8.5 |
| 37 | Mengniu Dairy Group | 8.5 |
| 37 | Lee Kum Kee | 8.5 |
| 37 | Glico | 8.5 |
| 37 | L’Oréal | 8.5 |
| 37 | VIPShop | 8.5 |
| 37 | Healthcare Co., Ltd | 8.5 |
| 37 | Xiaomi Corp. | 8.5 |
| 37 | Suntory | 8.5 |
| 37 | Jahwa | 8.5 |
| 37 | Kao Corporation | 8.5 |
| 37 | ECOVACS | 8.5 |
| 53 | Johnson & Johnson | 5.0 |
| 54 | Tata Group | 4.4 |
| 54 | Anheuser-Busch InBev | 4.4 |
| 54 | Shell | 4.4 |
| 54 | Wrigley | 4.4 |
MMA China SMARTIES
Business Impact Index
Top Creative Agencies in China
|
Rank |
Agency | Agency Location | Country | Agency Group/Network | Holding company/Owner | Total agency score |
| 1 | Dentsu Creative | Shanghai | China | Dentsu International | Dentsu | 85.4 |
| 1 | Carnivo | Shanghai | China | LEO Digital Network | 85.4 | |
| 3 | dentsu China | Shanghai | China | Dentsu International | Dentsu | 8.5 |
MMA China SMARTIES
Business Impact Index
Top Media Agencies in China
|
Rank |
Agency | Agency Location | Country | Agency Group/Network | Holding company/Owner | Total agency score |
| 1 | Mindshare | Shanghai | China | Mindshare Worldwide | WPP | 245.9 |
| 2 | GroupM | Shanghai | China | GroupM | WPP | 230.7 |
| 3 | EssenceMediacom | Shanghai | China | EssenceMediacom | WPP | 174.2 |
| 4 | Wavemaker | Shanghai | China | Wavemaker | WPP | 34.8 |
| 5 | IPG Mediabrands | Shanghai | China | IPG Mediabrands | Interpublic Group | 34.2 |
| 6 | UM | Shanghai | China | IPG Mediabrands | Interpublic Group | 14.4 |
| 7 | EssenceMediacom | Guangzhou | China | EssenceMediacom | WPP | 13.3 |
| 8 | EssenceMediacom | Beijing | China | EssenceMediacom | WPP | 4.4 |
| 8 | Starcom | Shanghai | China | Starcom | Publicis Groupe | 4.4 |
MMA China SMARTIES
Business Impact Index
Top Digital/Specialist Agencies in China
| Rank | Agency | Agency Location | Country | Agency Group/Network | Total agency score |
| 1 | BlueMedia | Shanghai | China | BlueMedia | 51.3 |
| 2 | Genudite | Shanghai | China | 34.2 |
MMA China SMARTIES
Business Impact Index
Top Solution Providers in China
|
Rank |
Solution provider | Location | Total agency score |
| 1 | Tencent Advertising | China | 111.1 |
| 2 | Xiaomi Ads | China | 85.4 |
| 3 | iQiyi | China | 42.7 |
| 3 | Xiaohongshu | China | 42.7 |
| 3 | Bluefocus | China | 42.7 |
| 6 | yeahmobi | China | 17.1 |
| 7 | Qisheng | China | 8.5 |
| 7 | Kaytune | China | 8.5 |
| 7 | bilibili | China | 8.5 |
Explore other SMARTIES Business Impact Index reports here:
SMARTIES APAC Business Impact Index 2024
SMARTIES Global Business Impact Index 2024
SMARTIES Philippines Business Impact Index 2024
SMARTIES Vietnam Business Impact Index 2024
SMARTIES India Business Impact Index 2024
SMARTIES Indonesia Business Impact Index 2024
SMARTIES Thailand Business Impact Index 2024
To access the most comprehensive body of successful, award-winning work in modern marketing available today, produced by the companies named on the Index, the MMA Case Study Hub—available exclusively to MMA membership—offers the insight and context as to why the work matters. This robust, highly searchable database of more than 1,000 case studies, including a portfolio of the latest prize-winning Cannes Mobile Lions, helps both buyers and creators in the industry navigate the modern marketing landscape. Through real-world examples, marketers can get inspired by seeing what others in their industry are doing or examine the work of leading modern marketing creators to inform hiring decisions, and creators can evaluate the competition or gain insight into the past work of a prospective client to inform their approach to a specific creative challenge.
Both the Index and the Case Studies Hub are fueled by the SMARTIES award-winning and finalist campaigns.
About the MMA:
Comprised of over 800 member companies globally and 15 regional offices, the MMA is the only marketing trade association that brings together the full ecosystem of marketers, martech and media companies working collaboratively to architect the future of marketing, while relentlessly delivering growth today. Led by CMOs, the MMA helps marketers lead the imperative for marketing change in ways that enable future breakthroughs while optimizing current activities. The MMA is committed to science and questioning and believes that creating marketing impact is steeped in constructively challenging the status quo encouraging business leaders to aggressively adopt proven, peer-driven and scientific best practices, without compromise. The MMA invests millions of dollars in rigorous research to enable marketers with unassailable truth and actionable tools. By enlightening, empowering and enabling marketers, the MMA shapes future success, while also propelling business growth.
Members include 1-800-Flowers.com, Adobe, Allstate, Ally Financial, American Family Insurance, AT&T, Bank of America, Campbell’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chobani, Choice Hotels, Citi, Clear Channel Outdoor, Cuebiq, CVS Health, Dunkin’ Brands, eBay, E*TRADE, Electronic Arts, EY Facebook, Ford, General Motors Company, Google, Hilton Worldwide, IBM Watson, JPMorgan Chase, Kellogg Company, Kroger, LinkedIn, L’Oreal, Marriott International, Match Group, Mastercard, McDonald’s, Merck, MillerCoors, Monster, NBCU, Nike, Pandora, Petco, Pfizer, Salesforce, Samsung, Snap Inc., Spotify, Target Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, The Hershey Company, TikTok, T- Mobile, Twitter, Uber, Unilever, Verizon Media Group, Verizon, Visa, Walmart, Waze, Western Union and many more. The MMA’s global headquarters are located in New York with regional operations Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) and Latin America (LATAM). For more information, visit the website.
