Real Estate Marketing in China Shifts to Short Dramas Amidst Declining Price Hike Expectations

"Location, location, location" – real estate marketing typically sells the expectation of price appreciation. However, for China's real estate market, currently in a downturn, the notion of "price hikes" is no longer credible. Real estate marketing is now shifting to selling "lifestyles," infiltrating advertisements through the popular medium of "short dramas."

According to Yicai, a short drama titled "Please Don't Love Me, the Program Will Make a Mistake," recently invested in and produced by local Hangzhou developer Xingyao Real Estate, has garnered attention online. Unlike traditional advertisements, this short drama features almost no direct promotion of the property project. Instead, it allows viewers to learn about the project through plot integration and scene displays as they follow the story.

This 17-episode short drama focuses on realistic themes such as female growth, family relationships, and workplace challenges. It is currently available on major short drama platforms in mainland China. Although the plot does not contain obvious property project promotions, project elements are subtly incorporated.

For example, the female protagonist's name is "Mu Fangzhou," which is highly similar to the company's real estate project "Mufangzhou." All live-action filming for the drama took place within this project, with community amenities such as a constant temperature swimming pool, gym, and private dining room serving as filming locations.

It is reported that the total investment for the short drama was less than 200,000 RMB (approximately 934,000 TWD). By extensively utilizing the project's existing scenes, the filming costs for the short drama are far lower than traditional advertising placements. Following the drama's release, some viewers, interested in the lifestyle depicted, have proactively scheduled visits to the project.

In fact, this is not the first time real estate companies have ventured into short dramas. As early as June 2025, a property developed by Nantong state-owned enterprise Weifu Group became the primary filming location for the short drama "Real Estate Also Moves the Heart." The drama surpassed 10 million views within 48 hours of its release and once topped the trending list on a short drama platform.

The report states that real estate marketers in mainland China are also exploring more topical marketing methods. From producing short dramas to organizing art exhibitions, from pet social events to running group activities, an increasing number of developers are shifting their marketing focus from "selling houses" to "selling lifestyles."

The frequent cross-industry ventures by mainland developers actually reflect a change in the logic of the real estate market. During past upswings in the real estate market, buyers were more concerned with location, school districts, and expectations of price increases. However, as the market enters a phase of inventory competition, relying solely on appreciation expectations is becoming increasingly difficult to impress customers. (Editor: Zhu Jianling / Lu Jiarong) 1150624

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