Performing Authenticity Across Cultures: A Comparative Study of Influencer Marketing on TikTok and Douyin

Abstract

This paper examines how cultural values shape the construction of authenticity in influencer marketing on TikTok in the United States and Douyin in China. While both platforms have grown into global centers of entertainment and commerce, existing research often treats them as equivalent or studies them in isolation. Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions of individualism versus collectivism and power distance, as well as broader literature on online authenticity and influencer marketing, this study analyzes how authenticity is embodied through influencer practices in two culturally distinct contexts. Case studies of TikTok’s “Get Ready With Me” (GRWM) content and Douyin’s beauty tutorials highlight divergent logics of authenticity: U.S. influencers emphasize relatability, imperfection, and transparency, while Chinese influencers foreground professionalism, credibility, and alignment with collective norms. The analysis demonstrates that authenticity in influencer marketing is not a fixed trait but a culturally contingent performance. These findings contribute to cross-cultural media and marketing scholarship and offer practical guidance for global brands, underscoring the necessity of adapting strategies of authenticity to distinct cultural environments.