Despite Trump’s 75-day extension, TikTok’s position as the go-to vertical video app has never looked more unstable. So, it should come as no surprise that many “TikTok refugees” are becoming RedNote creators.
The Chinese lifestyle app, which is also known as Xiaohonghshu, became the most popular app in the App Store as TikTok’s future hung in the balance last week.
But while many US creators have been singing RedNote’s praises, a new Wired investigation has made it apparent that not all of this hype was for free.
How Did RedNote Recruit Creators?
The outlet gained access to a campaign brief by Solare Global. In the pitch, the marketing agency pitched creators on making sponsored videos on RedNote. The brief asked creators to discuss RedNote’s sudden popularity in the US along with its “user-friendly design and international appeal.”
Moreover, the brief also requested that creators emphasize “how fun and engaging the app is.” It also told them to share their own RedNote accounts and appeal to followers to join them.
According to the brief, the videos had a 24-hour turnaround time to ensure that they were released on Jan. 17. The brief states that creators were also required to keep their videos live on their account for a minimum of six months.
Ultimately, this revelation makes it hard to tell where the engineered hype for RedNote ended and the real hype began. Especially since few, if any, creators acknowledging their endorsement of the app was paid.
