From Xi’an to Newcastle, and Everything In Between.

Why I Founded Bridge East Marketing.

A Journey That Begins at the Heart of China

I was born in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province, a city celebrated for its ancient walls, rich food culture, and of course, the Terracotta Warriors. It’s not only one of China’s oldest cities but also sits right at the geographic centre of the country, making it quite literally “the heart of China.”

Interestingly, while the UK and Shaanxi are thousands of miles apart, their map outlines are surprisingly similar. More than that, they share something intangible: a strong sense of identity, proud local traditions, and deeply hospitable people.

I felt this immediately when I arrived in Newcastle in September 2023 to begin my MA in Media and Public Relations at Newcastle University. I was prepared to feel like a foreigner—but I didn’t. From the smiles of strangers on the street to the sincere kindness of university staff and classmates, Newcastle reminded me of home. It welcomed me gently, just like my hometown did.

Bridging Cultural Gaps Through Red Notes

During my time in the UK, one recurring pattern became unmistakably clear: Chinese students and immigrants rarely rely on Western platforms like Instagram or TripAdvisor for information. Instead, we turn to Red Notes (小红书)—China’s visually-driven lifestyle and recommendation platform—for everything from travel routes, restaurant reviews, shopping tips, and study hacks, to day-to-day decisions.

This reliance goes far beyond language barriers. It’s rooted in cultural trust, habitual user behaviour, and the platform’s unique social dynamics. RED Notes offers visually rich, first-person reviews that feel personal and authentic. What makes the platform especially powerful is its community-driven nature—users not only share their real experiences, but also actively interact with brands.

Brands on RED Notes often maintain high-frequency, two-way engagement with their audiences: they reply to comments, initiate private conversations, and even create group chats to build deeper loyalty and trust. Through this process, brands can refine their messaging in real time, adapt based on feedback, and cultivate a more human, responsive presence. Many businesses even launch official storefronts directly on RED Notes, turning the platform into a seamless ecosystem for storytelling, relationship-building, and direct conversion.

As of 2024, Red Notes boasts over 200 million monthly active users, with approximately 80% being female and 77% under the age of 35. This user demographic closely mirrors the Chinese student and young professional population in the UK, underscoring the platform's massive influence in how Chinese-speaking communities explore, consume, and decide.

Personally, I found myself completely dependent on Red Notes, especially during my first semester. Every trip I took, every restaurant I visited, even where to get bubble tea or print documents—I searched it on Red Notes first. Not only because the language was more accessible, but because English platforms didn’t give me what I needed: real photos, peer-backed recommendations, exact public transport routes, or honest opinions on what’s worth visiting.

There are also subtle but important lifestyle gaps: for example, in China, most menus include photos of every dish—making visual ordering intuitive. In the UK, menus are often entirely text-based. For newcomers unfamiliar with dish names or ingredients, this adds stress and uncertainty. It’s common to end up ordering something totally different from what you expected—sometimes even missing out on the restaurant’s best dishes.

This cultural disconnect, repeated over and over in everyday moments, made one thing very clear to me: there’s a significant gap between what local UK businesses offer, and what Chinese-speaking audiences can access or understand. And that’s exactly the gap I set out to bridge.

Bridge East Marketing Was Born

After graduating, I joined a startup as a PR director, then moved to a mid-sized marketing agency, sharpening my skills in content, branding, and audience insights. But in the back of my mind, the same idea kept growing:

What if I could help UK businesses tell their stories in a way that Chinese consumers truly understand and respond to?

Not just translation—but localisation, with cultural empathy. Not just pushing messages—but building real community resonance.

That was the seed of Bridge East Marketing.

Why Our Work Matters—and Why It’s Irreplaceable

At Bridge East Marketing, we don’t just translate—we interpret. We help small UK businesses connect meaningfully with Chinese-speaking audiences, because we understand the nuances that really matter:

• What gets censored on Chinese platforms

• What visuals and language build trust versus what causes discomfort

• How Chinese social media logic differs from the Western world

• When a message feels like a friend’s suggestion versus an aggressive ad

These are not things AI tools can figure out.These are not things Google Translate can protect you from.

In today’s world, cultural fluency is a strategic asset—not just a soft skill.Whether you’re a family run restaurant in Edinburgh or a skincare brand in London, if you want to be seen, heard, and loved by Chinese customers, you need more than language.You need context. Caution. Creativity. Connection.

A Bridge Between Two Worlds

Without my Geordie boyfriend taking me to hidden gems around the Northeast, I wouldn’t have discovered how much more there is to the UK than what Red Notes shows. And that’s exactly why I built this business—to help local businesses be found, and Chinese audiences feel welcomed.

At Bridge East, we’re not just connecting words.We’re connecting people.