（Singapore, 16.10.2026)Taobao Tmall World has partnered with popular Chinese actor Zhang Linghe for its 2026 global 11.11 campaign, as the e-commerce platform seeks to strengthen its appeal among cross-border shoppers through a refreshed brand proposition built around product discovery, lifestyle and localised shopping experiences.
The collaboration coincides with Taobao’s rollout of six refreshed shopping experiences for overseas users — Quality, Taste, Lifestyle, Trendy, Smart and Surprise — as rising consumer expectations push cross-border e-commerce platforms to compete beyond product range and price.
On 14 Oct, a new brand film featuring Zhang premiered globally across major online platforms. Taobao is also rolling out an outdoor advertising campaign across Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, using large-format video and print billboards, themed transit advertising and glasses-free 3D displays.
The campaign will run through the 11.11 shopping season.
From “Find Everything” to Product Discovery
Taobao has long built its consumer proposition around the breadth of products available on its platform. Its latest overseas brand push attempts to extend that positioning from simply being able to “find everything” to helping consumers discover products that match their tastes, lifestyles and interests.
The six refreshed experiences reflect that shift. Quality focuses on trusted products, Taste on design and style, Lifestyle on products catering to different ways of living, Trendy on popular and viral items, Smart on technology-enabled lifestyles, and Surprise on unexpected discoveries.
The approach is reflected in the new brand film, which begins with Zhang tapping the Taobao app and entering a visual world of products and different lifestyles.
Fashion, design and clothing are used to illustrate Taste, Quality and Trendy, while Zhang’s interests in sports, pets and anime represent Lifestyle. Smart devices highlight the Smart proposition, while unusual products are used to convey Surprise.
Taobao said the film was shot using a motion-control robotic camera system to create fluid transitions intended to mirror the experience of browsing and discovering products on the platform.
Zhang, whose television and drama roles have attracted a growing following outside China, particularly in Southeast Asian markets such as Thailand and Malaysia, said the diversity of products available online could allow consumers to explore lifestyles beyond what is readily available in their local markets.
“People around the world have a lifestyle they aspire to, but finding products that truly match their tastes can be challenging when choices are limited,” Zhang said.
He added that Taobao could offer consumers not only products they actively search for, but also unexpected discoveries that could inspire new ideas in everyday life.
Celebrity Engagement Moves Into the App
Beyond traditional celebrity endorsement, Taobao is bringing Zhang’s participation directly into its app and 11.11 shopping activities.
Participants can accumulate “Ling Points” to redeem digital gifts, Taobao vouchers and Zhang Linghe-themed merchandise. Regular participation can also unlock eight behind-the-scenes videos, while selected users may receive autographed merchandise and other limited-edition rewards.
During the 11.11 period, Zhang is also scheduled to appear in an exclusive livestream on Taobao, connecting with users across 11 markets.
The combination of celebrity content, shopping incentives and in-app engagement reflects the increasingly blurred boundary between e-commerce, entertainment and social interaction, particularly as platforms compete for consumers’ attention rather than simply transactions.
From 14 October to 13 November, users in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand can participate in a “Daily Treasure Hunt” campaign by completing activities including visiting the app, browsing products, placing orders and inviting friends.
Bringing an Online Platform Onto City Streets
Taobao is also extending the campaign beyond the app.
Outdoor advertising featuring Zhang and the six shopping experiences will appear at major locations in Hong Kong’s Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay, as well as in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
The company is also organising physical brand events, beginning in Hong Kong on 15 October, followed by Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on 24 October.
While Taobao remains fundamentally an online marketplace, the campaign illustrates how cross-border e-commerce companies are increasingly using physical spaces and celebrity-led experiences to build brand recognition in overseas markets.
For Taobao, the collaboration with Zhang comes as the platform attempts to refresh how overseas consumers perceive it. Its longstanding “Find Everything and Anything on Taobao” proposition remains anchored in a broad product selection, competitive pricing, cross-border logistics and localised services.
The new campaign adds another layer: encouraging consumers not only to search for something they already know they want, but also to discover products, styles and lifestyles they had not originally set out to find.
As competition among cross-border e-commerce platforms intensifies, that shift from search to discovery may become increasingly important in determining which shopping app consumers choose to open first.
