As American consumers embrace stylish yet affordable swimwear, a Chinese brand called Cupshe has quietly dominated their closets. With individual items selling over 2,000 units monthly on Amazon and more than 6 million monthly active visitors to its website, Cupshe has emerged as the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer swimwear brand in North America. Its success represents not just another triumph of "Made in China," but a masterclass in strategic brand marketing.
From General Store to Swimwear Leader
Like fellow Nanjing-based fast-fashion giant Shein, Cupshe's success builds on China's robust manufacturing infrastructure. However, the company didn't initially focus on swimwear. Founded in 2015, it began as a general merchandise store selling whatever products promised profitability. While this scattershot approach generated short-term revenue, it created product confusion and prevented the company from establishing a clear brand identity.
The pivotal shift came in 2016 when Cupshe strategically narrowed its focus to swimwear. Recognizing market trends, the company positioned itself around three key selling points: affordability, trend-forward designs, and quality craftsmanship—with the U.S. as its primary target. This repositioning laid the foundation for its subsequent international expansion.
Early PR Experiments: Limited Impact
Cupshe's first documented overseas public relations efforts date to 2019, when the brand placed an article on Bustle, a women's website with over 10 million monthly active users. The piece incorporated buzzwords like "Instagram influencers," "affordable prices," and "trendy styles" to leverage social media's influence.
However, this initial attempt fell short. Limited media placements on lower-authority platforms restricted the article's reach. Google Trends data confirmed minimal search volume increases post-publication, suggesting the strategy failed to meaningfully engage target audiences.
The 2022 PR Breakthrough
Cupshe significantly amplified its PR investments in 2022, placing multiple articles across May, June, and October in prestigious outlets including People magazine, InStyle, and Who What Wear. This upgraded media strategy produced immediate results.
Google Trends showed search interest for "Cupshe" climbing steadily from May 1 through June 4, peaking at 100—directly correlating with feature placements in People (205 million monthly users) and InStyle (18 million monthly users). While search interest gradually declined without sustained PR support, this campaign demonstrated the power of strategic media placements and reinforced Cupshe's commitment to public relations.
2024: Institutionalizing PR Success
As of June 2024, Cupshe maintains an active PR strategy featuring regular monthly placements. The brand continues its "premium general media + fashion verticals" approach but now publishes more frequently and consistently.
Through years of refinement, Cupshe developed distinct content strategies for different platforms. General interest publications highlight celebrity endorsements to build brand legitimacy, while fashion sites emphasize promotional deals to drive conversions. Google Trends confirms the approach's effectiveness, showing sustained high search volumes without the previous seasonal dips.
Decoding the PR Playbook
Cupshe's success stems from several strategic choices:
Celebrity Collaborations: Partnering with influencers and celebrities generates media buzz and social proof. The brand has launched collections with prominent figures and secured organic social media exposure through celebrity posts.
Audience Precision: Targeting young, style-conscious women seeking value, Cupshe prioritizes media channels that reach this demographic directly—fashion magazines, women's websites, and social platforms.
Content Strategy: Beyond press releases, Cupshe produces styling guides and swimwear care content to foster community engagement while participating actively in social media conversations.
Data-Driven Optimization: The company analyzes user behavior to refine messaging, adjusting content types and frequency based on measurable engagement metrics.
Lessons for Global Brand Building
Cupshe's decade-long journey from obscurity to becoming a celebrity-approved brand with millions of loyal customers offers valuable insights for Chinese companies expanding globally:
Public relations represents a critical component of international brand building that extends beyond product quality and pricing. Strategic media placements, sustained over time with content tailored to specific audiences and platforms, can dramatically accelerate market penetration and brand recognition.
As Cupshe's experience demonstrates, the most effective PR strategies combine celebrity credibility with precise audience targeting, compelling content, and rigorous performance measurement—all executed with consistent investment over the long term.