Chinese retailers boost U.S. marketing—behind the rise of Temu, AliExpress and others

Amid the slew of celebrity-driven Super Bowl advertisers this year, one brand stood out for its orange-hued value proposition. Temu, a new Boston-based online marketplace owned by China-based PDD Holdings, spent big money on the Big Game—an estimated $14 million on two 30-second ad buys—to announce its U.S. arrival. And it worked, as curious consumers flocked to Temu’s site to peruse its $1.18 sewing kits and $25 baby carriers. Temu, which is pronounced “tee-moo,” became the most downloaded app in the U.S. within weeks, according to consumer intelligence firm GWS, which found that daily users surged 79% from 5.9 million Dec. 1, 2022 to 10.5 million as of Feb. 25.