Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall Group bags win for top innovative campaign at Retail Asia Awards 2025

Alibaba’s “Taobao Uglies Award “demonstrated a strong marketing campaign that speaks to the heart of young Chinese consumers.

For the e-commerce platforms, the Taobao Uglies Award was not just a contest – it was a celebration of creativity, individuality, and the vibrant spirit of young consumers and entrepreneurs.

Taobao and Tmall Group, China e-commerce platforms under technology giant Alibaba, won the Marketing Initiative of the Year - China category in the highly sought-after Retail Asia Awards 2025 for its campaign, “Taobao Uglies Award.” The campaign allowed entrepreneurs to showcase their non-conventional-looking creations on Taobao whilst advocating for a more inclusive definition of beauty, sparking conversations amongst young consumers in China.

The “Taobao Uglies Award” fostered notable social conversations and engagement amongst consumers, especially young Chinese audiences. It also included a pitch contest inviting consumers to vote for the “ugliest” or most unconventional product on Taobao.

The Taobao uglies campaign significantly improved the visibility and sales of these small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who have created unique products. The campaign resulted in their viral reach through the campaign on social media. Collectively, these products garnered over 40 million views through official channels, with over 100 million impressions across multiple platforms, including youth-focused online communities. It also generated millions of dollars in sales for the merchants who participated in the event. At the same time, it addressed resource limitations of SMEs in marketing their products to potential customers.

The awards consisted of three phases. The first phase invited the public to nominate the “ugliest” products. Then, 40 finalists were announced, with the process culminating in a high-profile awards ceremony where the top five “ugliest” products were awarded as winners. This unique approach generated a compelling visual impact and created significant buzz online

“By redefining beauty standards, Taobao successfully created a platform and campaign that resonates with the values and preferences of young Chinese consumers, ultimately fostering a more inclusive marketplace,” noted the Retail Asia Awards judging committee.

“The campaign has cultivated a burgeoning ‘ugly-cute’ consumption trend in China, where young consumers embrace non-traditional aesthetics to express individualism. The platform also addresses a significant challenge small businesses face: limited resources to market their unique, creative products to potential customers,” said a Taobao and Tmall Group spokesperson.

Retail Asia Awards recognises outstanding achievements, innovations, and excellence within the retail industry across the Asia-Pacific region.

The Retail Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the Retail industry, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].