Say Goodbye to User-Acquisition Burnout, Rebuild Brand Growth: GTC2026 Shanghai DTC Brand Going Global Track Invites You

If 2021-2023 was the era of "picking up money" overseas and 2024-2026 the era of "surviving the rat race," then by 2027, brands going global will step fully into the deep-water zone of "brand localization + AI intelligence + user assetization."

In this new phase, traffic dividends have long peaked and customer-acquisition costs remain stubbornly high. The core engine of brand growth is shifting fundamentally: from simply "acquiring traffic" to "winning awareness, building trust and accumulating long-term value." Facing this new competitive logic, how can going-global brands use AI to improve marketing efficiency? How can they truly understand local consumers and build differentiated awareness? And how can they move from one-off conversions to long-term user management?

To answer these make-or-break questions, GTC2026 Global Traffic Conference (Shanghai) will be held on November 4-5, 2026 at Hall H3 of the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. As the sub-forum with the most "brand depth" and "practical value" at this year's expo, the "DTC Brand Going Global Track" on the morning of November 4 will bring together hands-on smart-hardware veterans, AI-native marketing platforms, top ad-tech experts and frontline DTC brand operators. Focused on "mindset reset + deep localization," the track will look ahead from trends, tools to practice at the new variables and growth paths for brand going global in 2027.

Key highlights: from AI on-device hardware to "zero paid acquisition" private domains, hands-on practitioners share everything

This track rejects hollow theory. Five themed sessions approach growth from products, tools, strategy, users and growth respectively, assembling a complete long-term brand survival playbook for going-global brands.

Highlight 1: AI moves to the edge — a new round of opportunity for smart hardware going global

As AI large models move into PCs and terminals, smart-hardware going global is entering a new reshuffling phase. Zhang Ming, General Manager of Shenzhen Lanjin Technology, will present "When AI Goes On-Device: A New Round of Opportunity for Smart Hardware Going Global." As a product veteran with 13 years of cross-border experience, he will deconstruct, drawing on his BOSGAME brand's hands-on experience in AI PCs, how AI on-device is reshaping the competitive landscape.

How can going-global companies build highly competitive differentiated products from real overseas demand? Zhang Ming will share how to open up core markets such as North America, Europe, Japan and South Korea with hardcore product strength.

Highlight 2: AI takes over influencer marketing — making brands and creators a "two-way match"

Traditional overseas influencer marketing often suffers from long communication chains, low execution efficiency and hard-to-measure ROI. Susan Peng, co-founder of AhaCreator, will present "An AI-Native Platform: Making Brands and Influencers a Two-Way Match."

In this session, she will deeply unpack how to use AI to take over the entire influencer-marketing workflow, achieving a double win in efficiency and growth, and share how AI can rebuild the two-sided market of overseas influencer marketing so social marketing truly becomes a growth engine.

Highlight 3: Performance goes big-screen — AI-native ads reshape the CTV growth logic

As mobile acquisition costs peak, CTV (connected TV) is becoming the new battleground for DTC brands. Sharon Kong, Director of New-Business at Moloco Greater China, will present "Performance Goes Big-Screen: How AI-Native Ads Reshape the CTV Growth Logic."

She will reveal how the AI-native system driving billions of ad decisions on Moloco's mobile side extends seamlessly to CTV big screens. From "reach breadth" to "user value," how can going-global brands use AI to achieve brand-and-performance synergy in this new scenario, upgrading big-screen exposure into visible conversions?

Highlight 4: From selling products to building a brand — winning global user trust

Traffic tools can bring short-term sales, but only a brand delivers long-term premium. Terry Tong, Marketing Director at K&F CONCEPT, will present "From Selling Products to Building a Brand: How Going-Global Brands Win Global User Trust."

He will explore in depth: how can users move from "buying a product" to "choosing a brand"? How can social-media influencers upgrade from pure traffic tools to a brand's "content assets"? And how can a one-time purchase be turned into long-term brand preference and high-value trust?

Highlight 5: Refusing acquisition burnout — how DTC brands cross cultural barriers with "zero paid acquisition"

Who says building a brand has to mean burning money on paid acquisition? Tian Wanqing, founder and brand owner of BeadGala, will present "AI-Driven: How DTC Brands Cross US-European Cultural Barriers with 'Zero Paid Acquisition'."

She will share how, powered by a multimodal AI workflow, she unlocked 10+ million monthly organic impressions on Pinterest and built a 200,000-strong native high-engagement community of US-European users. More importantly, she will teach you how to leap from an "export catalog" to "local mindshare," using emotional resonance to break through cultural gaps, shake off low-price competition entirely and achieve profit autonomy.

Why this expo is worth attending in person

The DTC Brand Going Global Track is just the tip of the iceberg of the GTC2026 Shanghai ecosystem. On November 4-5, Hall H3 of the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center is expected to welcome 1,800+ corporate executives, nearly 100 quality exhibitors and 15,000+ industry practitioners.

Besides the DTC track focused on long-term brand growth, the event also features the Opening Summit, Game Going Global Summit, AI + Going Global Summit, Short Drama Going Global Summit, as well as sub-events including the AI Technology Development Forum, the AI Manga Drama Salon & Short Drama Resource Matching Session and the Global Game Matching Session. We showcase not only cutting-edge technology but also real, tangible matchmaking opportunities. The much-anticipated 8th Jingming Awards ceremony will also be held on day one, inviting you to witness the birth of the year's going-global benchmarks.

Rather than burning profits on low-price competition and ineffective paid acquisition, come hear frontline operators explain how to rebuild the brand growth logic.

November 4-5, 2026, Hall H3, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. General admission tickets are currently free for a limited time — scan the QR code to claim yours and enjoy two full days of the expo and sub-forum agendas; upgrading to an all-access pass unlocks everything including the four main summits. Booth recruitment and business cooperation are also open.

Scan to register and secure your seat. In November, we'll be in Shanghai — crossing the rat race together to build truly global brands!