While 广告 is a modern term, its prevalence tells a story about modern China. After the “Reform and Opening Up” (改革开放, gǎigé kāifàng) in the late 1970s, China's economy transformed, and with it came the explosion of commercial advertising. Today, ads are an unavoidable part of urban life in China, from the subways of Shanghai to the videos on Bilibili. A key difference from some Western advertising is the directness. While Western ads often focus on building a brand through abstract storytelling, many Chinese ads are famous for being very direct, sales-focused, and repetitive, emphasizing product features, benefits, and celebrity endorsements. However, this is changing, with more sophisticated and creative campaigns emerging. The rise of e-commerce and live-streaming has created a unique advertising culture. Influencers (网红, wǎnghóng) doing live-stream sales are a major form of 广告, blending entertainment with high-pressure sales in a way that is far more integrated into daily life than in many Western countries. These ads often reflect current societal values like technological prowess, family, and achieving a modern, prosperous lifestyle.
广告 is used constantly in daily conversation, business, and online.
e.g., 我跳过了那个广告。 (Wǒ tiàoguò le nàge guǎnggào.) - I skipped that ad.e.g., 我们公司需要打广告。 (Wǒmen gōngsī xūyào dǎ guǎnggào.) - Our company needs to advertise.e.g., 这个网站的广告太多了！ (Zhège wǎngzhàn de guǎnggào tài duō le!) - This website has too many ads!