An Analysis of the Marketing Strategy for Xiaomi SU7 Short Videos

Based on SICAS Theory

Ruiting Wang

International Business School, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, Guangzhou, 510320, China

Keywords: SICAS Model, Xiaomi Automobile, Marketing Strategy.

Abstract: With the rapid development of the internet, the new energy vehicle industry is currently in a highly

competitive growth phase. As consumers increasingly seek personalized experiences, short video marketing

plays a significant role in the competition between businesses. This paper conducts an in-depth analysis of

Xiaomi SU7's marketing strategy using the SICAS theoretical model. It explores the strategy and cases from

five perspectives: Sense, Interest & Interaction, Connect & Communication, Action and Share. The paper also

examines the advantages of Xiaomi SU7's marketing channels and methods, aiming to provide insights for

the new energy vehicle industry, enabling it to innovate and improve its marketing strategies by learning from

Xiaomi SU7's approach.

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Development of the Internet

and Short Video Platforms and

Their Characteristics

With the rapid development of the internet and the

widespread popularity of short video platforms,

traditional automobile marketing models are facing

significant challenges. According to the 55th

“Statistical Report on the Development of the Internet

in China” by the China Internet Network Information

Center (CNNIC), by 2024, the number of internet

users in China has grown from 620,000 in 1997 to

1.108 billion in 2024 (China Internet Network

Information Center, 2025). Douyin, as the leading

short video platform in China, has a massive user

base, with its monthly active users reaching 852

million by December 2024. As a representative of

China’s short video social platforms, Douyin has

provided a new marketing platform for promoting

various products.

Douyin’s low entry barriers and fast-paced

entertainment features have greatly fulfilled people’s

demand for entertainment in their daily lives.

Different types of marketing videos can showcase the

values of businesses or brands, enhance consumer

https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7082-600X

impressions of the brand, reduce promotional costs,

and increase corporate competitiveness and

credibility. Additionally, its unique big data

recommendation system and comprehensive social

features ensure that consumers’ personalized needs

are fully met (Shen & Wang, 2024).

1.2 The New Energy Vehicle Market

and the Current Situation of

Xiaomi SU7

There is a growing demand for green travel in society,

making new energy vehicles a promising

development direction in the automotive industry.

Xiaomi Automobile, with its customer-centered

philosophy, has implemented the strategy of “what

others do not have, we have; what others have, we

excel at” (Liu, 2024).Through differentiated

marketing, Xiaomi has segmented its target market

into young consumers, tech enthusiasts, and cost-

conscious family users. By conducting market

research to gather precise data and create clear user

profiles, the company has laid a solid foundation for

future product development. At the same time,

Xiaomi has built unique market competitiveness

through technological innovation, brand

322

Wang, R.

An Analysis of the Marketing Strategy for Xiaomi SU7 Short Videos Based on SICAS Theory.

DOI: 10.5220/0013843600004719

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on E-commerce and Modern Logistics (ICEML 2025), pages 322-327

ISBN: 978-989-758-775-7

communication, channel optimization, and high-

quality service (Hu, 2025).

Xiaomi Automobile also pays attention to the

diversified needs of consumers, pursuing the concept

of “man and car as one.” Leveraging its technological

strength, Xiaomi has made the car more intelligent

and personalized, offering consumers a higher-

quality and smarter travel experience. Moreover, the

Xiaomi SU7 stands out among numerous new energy

vehicle brands with its excellent battery range, smart

driving capabilities, comfort, and design (Sun, 2025).

The successful launch of the Xiaomi SU7 in March

2024 marked an important step for Xiaomi in the new

energy vehicle industry. As Xiaomi’s first car model,

the SU7 has shown strong market performance,

becoming a key sales driver. As of March 18, 2025,

official data shows that the cumulative order volume

for the Xiaomi SU7 has surpassed 360,000 units, with

actual deliveries exceeding 186,000 units. On the

marketing front, Xiaomi SU7 has pioneered the use

of short video marketing as a unique automotive

marketing strategy.

This paper will analyze Xiaomi SU7’s marketing

strategy on the Douyin platform using the SICAS

model, providing insights and references for other

automotive brands.

2 THEORETIACAL

FOUNDATION

The SICAS model is a consumer behavior model for

the digital age. Proposed in 2011 by the China

Internet Data Center (DCCI), the SICAS model is a

comprehensive improvement based on the AIDMA

and AISAS models.

The SICAS model is a new marketing framework

that emerged in the context of new media. It includes

five stages: Sense, Interest & Interaction , Connect &

Communication , Action , and Share (Liu & Zhang,

2024).

In the Sense stage, the brand must establish a

perception with consumers. The company needs to

connect with users, understand their preferences, and

build awareness and trust in the brand. During this

phase, it is crucial for the company to increase its

visibility and enhance brand exposure.

In the Interest & Interaction stage, the focus

should shift to the content, methods, and relationships

of interactions with consumers. By adjusting product

promotion content in ways that align with consumer

preferences, the brand can resonate with the audience.

This strengthens consumer engagement through

interactive platforms, boosts brand loyalty, and

enhances both brand recognition and consumer

interest, ultimately deepening customer loyalty to the

brand.

In the Connect & Communication stage, the focus

is on optimizing the consumer’s self-directed search,

increasing their level of engagement. Consumers

obtain more comprehensive product information

through methods such as proactive searches,

recommendations within communities, and direct

communication with businesses. This strengthens

their purchase motivation and forms the intention to

buy.

The Action stage primarily involves optimizing

the product purchase process and stimulating

purchase intentions. At this stage, businesses need to

simplify the decision-making process and implement

promotional measures to reduce any obstacles

consumers might encounter during the purchasing

process. Additionally, various promotional activities

should be launched to stimulate consumer desire to

purchase.

The Share stage holds significant importance

within the SICAS model. Consumers sharing their

purchase experiences and product evaluations can

significantly increase brand visibility and social

recognition. Many companies also establish

dedicated communities or social media groups to

encourage users to share their experiences, provide

product feedback, and offer personalized content.

This increases consumer engagement with the brand,

strengthens their connection with the company, and

enhances their sense of involvement in product

promotions. Through word-of-mouth and mutual

recommendations among consumers, a broader

market awareness is formed. At the same time,

consumer feedback, whether positive or negative,

provides valuable insights for improving the quality

of products and services.

A review of recent studies reveals that many

empirical research efforts have used the SICAS

model for marketing analysis. For instance, Gan

Congzheng and Fu Xiaojing conducted a marketing

analysis of book products from the perspective of the

SICAS model. Through their analysis, they identified

several issues with short video marketing for sports

and health books, such as poor interactivity,

monotonous filming techniques, high content

repetition, lack of depth in content, inadequate video

editing skills, and the absence of feedback

mechanisms. Based on their findings, the article

suggested several short video marketing strategies,

including clear user positioning, innovative content

formats, enhanced interactive relationships, fostering

An Analysis of the Marketing Strategy for Xiaomi SU7 Short Videos Based on SICAS Theory

323

multi-party cooperation, and increasing community

feedback (Gan & Fu, 2024).

Gu Hanjue and others applied the SICAS model

to analyze the revitalization of the Wa ethnic group’s

weaving craftsmanship. The article pointed out that

although the Wa weaving craft has been effectively

inherited through forms such as “Intangible Cultural

Heritage + Tourism” and “Intangible Cultural

Heritage + Cultural Creativity,”there is still the issue

of slow development in related cultural products. To

address this, the article proposed using the SICAS

model to create a marketing model for revitalizing

intangible cultural heritage via a mobile app. The

model centers on the cultural connotations of

intangible heritage, building five stages for the

marketing strategy: shaping the image of intangible

heritage culture, designing intangible heritage

experience processes, establishing communication

networks between “consumers— intangible heritage

culture” and “consumers — consumers,” intangible

heritage DIY stores, and intangible heritage brand

marketing (Gu & Wang, 2023).

Liang Hualin and others used the SICAS model to

analyze the development strategy of cultural products

in museums. Their research concluded that cultural

product development should better align with

consumer needs. Based on the SICAS model, the

article proposed a five-stage museum cultural product

marketing strategy: focusing on the core cultural

content of museums, creating museum cultural IP

images, marketing museum cultural content, building

museum cultural product-consumer relationships,

fostering interactions between cultural product stores

and consumers, and developing cultural product

brands (Liang & Ding, 2022).

At the same time, other researchers have also used

different theoretical frameworks to study Xiaomi

Automobile’s marketing strategy. For example, Sun

Ruiying conducted a case analysis of Xiaomi

Automobile’s marketing based on the 4C theory. By

examining the four aspects of consumer, cost,

convenience, and communication, Sun identified

several issues with Xiaomi Automobile’s marketing

model, including an incomplete sales channel

construction, a lack of innovative marketing methods,

weak brand competitiveness, and inflexible pricing

strategies. The study concluded that Xiaomi

Automobile needs to further improve its offline sales

channels, reduce reliance on “hunger marketing”

strategies, emphasize the close connection between

Xiaomi Automobile and smart home products,

vigorously promote the brand image of youth,

technology, innovation, and intelligence, and adopt

more flexible pricing strategies (Sun, 2025).

It can be observed that most previous studies

based on the SICAS model have focused on the

marketing strategies for book products or cultural

creative products. Empirical research using the

SICAS model to analyze Xiaomi’s new energy

vehicle brand is relatively scarce. Against this

background, this paper will further contribute by

applying the SICAS model to the analysis of Xiaomi

Automobile’s brand marketing.

3 MARKETING ANALYSIS OF

XIAOMI AUTOMOBILE BASED

ON THE SICAS MODEL

3.1 Sense: Understanding User

Preferences and Enhancing User

Perception

To enhance user perception, Xiaomi SU7 primarily

employs a combination of news coverage and live

broadcasts. On one hand, it leverages authoritative

media reports to build credibility, while on the other,

it uses short video content from entrepreneurs to

establish a sense of approachability. For example, on

April 16, 2024, CCTV News released an exclusive

video on Douyin, where host Sa Beining visited the

Xiaomi Automobile factory, taking viewers on a tour

and providing an opportunity to experience the

Xiaomi SU7 firsthand. Additionally, during a private

enterprise forum on February 17, 2025, Lei Jun was

invited as one of six private business leaders to speak.

The promotion through Chinese official media has

significantly expanded the reach of Xiaomi SU7’s

marketing, allowing a broader audience of consumers

to become aware of and perceive the product.

Additionally, Xiaomi Automobile has adopted the

Internet Celebrities marketing model. Internet

Celebrities are individuals who gain fame through the

internet and have the ability to influence others,

typically possessing a substantial following.

Promoting products as an Internet Celebrities offers

real-time, personalized content with strong

information dissemination capabilities (Meng et al.,

2023). Consumers are more inclined to follow

influencers who provide high-quality opinions and

possess good personal qualities, being kind and

trustworthy (Andronie et al., 2021). Xiaomi has

leveraged this consumer psychology by bringing the

company’s founder, Lei Jun, to the forefront of the

internet stage. According to official data from

Douyin, Lei Jun’s account has garnered 40.12 million

followers, with his posts sharing a total of 12,000

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times. As an Internet Celebrities, Lei Jun has crafted

a more “down-to-earth” and “approachable” image

for the brand. Through his relatable and personable

content, he has effectively promoted the Xiaomi SU7,

making it easier for both fans and casual viewers to

engage with the short video content.

Moreover, Lei Jun has always been active in

charitable causes. For example, he received the “11th

China Charity Award” for his personal contributions.

During the pandemic, he donated over 80 million

yuan, contributed to his alma mater, and used hand

creams wrapped in artwork by children with autism

to raise awareness about the condition. Lei Jun’s

genuine focus on social needs and efforts to improve

the welfare of people have shaped his kind and

trustworthy image, attracting more consumers to

follow him.

3.2 Interest & Interaction: Video

Content Output to Enhance

Consumer Connection and Sense of

Belonging

To help consumers better understand the Xiaomi SU7,

Xiaomi’s official account not only released a

comprehensive introductory video on Douyin but also

responded to consumer inquiries in the video

comment section. Both the Xiaomi Automobile and

Lei Jun's official Douyin accounts posted various

videos introducing different aspects of the Xiaomi

SU7, such as its color options, vehicle performance,

driving speed, and health index. On Douyin,

consumers can interact with the brand by liking,

commenting, sharing, and following their favorite

creators, thereby increasing their participation during

the product promotion phase. Such actions by

consumers provide the business account with richer

social interactions and more video traffic (Xiao &

Zhang, 2023).

Xiaomi Automobile’s official account and Lei Jun

personally engage with consumers by replying to

their comments in the comment section, fostering

interaction between the company and consumers.

Any consumer inquiries can be answered through

comment-based communication. This use of internet

social media to create a virtual interactive space

enables Xiaomi Automobile to provide consumers

with an immersive, personalized experience, helping

to build a deeper connection between the brand and

its audience, thus fostering a sense of belonging and

relationship with the consumers (Rane & Rane, 2023).

3.3 Connect & Communication:

Establishing Communities to

Enhance Communication and

Interaction

To facilitate easier communication between

consumers and Xiaomi Automobile sellers or fellow

car enthusiasts, Xiaomi has created a dedicated

community for the Xiaomi SU7 on the interactive

platform “Dong che Di”, which is designed for

sharing vehicle-related videos on Douyin. The

Xiaomi SU7 car enthusiasts’ community offers

consumers a comprehensive interactive platform

where they can independently seek advice from other

car owners, discuss prices, and provide quality

feedback.

Furthermore, within this community, consumers

can ask questions to both fellow car owners and

businesses. This effective communication and

interaction enable consumers to gain more detailed

information about the vehicle and receive valuable

purchase advice, which in turn increases their

purchase intention.

3.4 Purchase Action: Exclusive

Purchase Channels and Convenient

Reservations

To facilitate the purchase and reservation of the

Xiaomi SU7, Xiaomi Automobile has launched live-

streaming purchase sessions on Douyin, in

collaboration with offline sales locations across

various regions. These live sessions offer exclusive

car-buying benefits and reservation services.

Consumers can simply follow the instructions in the

live stream to schedule their car purchase and select

their preferred pickup time at a local dealership.

This streamlined and straightforward purchasing

process enhances convenience, making it easier for

consumers to make impulse purchases. Additionally,

offline stores integrate time-sensitive promotions and

discount offers within these live sessions, creating a

sense of urgency that encourages faster purchase

decisions (Chandrasekhar & Jena, 2024). Research

has shown that implementing time-sensitive

promotions and discounts can significantly boost

transaction volume. Moreover, the appeal of

exclusive and limited-time offers increases consumer

engagement and drives sales growth (Susiang et al.,

2024).

An Analysis of the Marketing Strategy for Xiaomi SU7 Short Videos Based on SICAS Theory

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3.5 Share: Exclusive Topics to

Encourage Sharing

Xiaomi SU7 has also fostered consumer sharing on

Douyin by creating exclusive topic tags. Xiaomi’s

official account and the Xiaomi SU7 car community

have created over 50 topic tags related to the Xiaomi

SU7 on the Douyin platform, with four of these tags

reaching a heat index of over 10,000, and the Xiaomi

SU7 topic tag reaching a heat index of 1.304 million.

Consumers share their experiences and photos of

purchasing the Xiaomi SU7, which helps strengthen

their sense of identification with the brand (Yang et

al., 2024). This sharing not only satisfies the

consumers’ desire to showcase the product but also

allows them to resonate with other like-minded car

enthusiasts.

4 CONCLUSIONS

This study, based on the SICAS model, analyzes how

Xiaomi leveraged the Douyin short video platform to

market the Xiaomi SU7. Xiaomi Automobile utilized

the advantages of Douyin's short video platform to

create personalized promotional strategies for

consumers, thereby expanding the visibility of the

Xiaomi SU7. The brand presented diverse short video

content to enhance consumer interaction with the

company on the platform; optimized interaction

channels to facilitate communication between

consumers and the brand; established convenient car

purchase channels to streamline the buying process;

and created trending topics on Douyin to encourage

consumers to share their purchase experiences and

details about the vehicle.

By utilizing Douyin’s sophisticated algorithmic

recommendations, Xiaomi SU7 effectively catered to

consumers’ personalized needs. Furthermore, the

comprehensive social features of the platform formed

a more convenient communication channel between

the company and its consumers, fostering multi-party

interactions. These strategies helped Xiaomi

Automobile precisely and efficiently tailor its sales

models for individual consumers, thereby

strengthening the brand's market competitiveness and

building a positive brand image. As a result, the sales

of the Xiaomi SU7 were boosted, allowing consumers

to discover, learn about, and purchase the vehicle.

The strategies employed by Xiaomi SU7 provide

automotive companies with valuable insights into

short video platform marketing, offering new

approaches and methods for future reference.

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