Baidu seeks to play catch up in mobile app race with bet on world's most-watched TV show

Baidu is looking to attract more users to its flagship mobile app by partnering with the world’s most-watched TV show through the coming Lunar New Year holiday, as the Chinese search engine operator seeks to catch up to its competitors Tencent and Alibaba Group.

Baidu will be the exclusive “red packet” partner of state broadcaster China Central Television’s (CCTV) Spring Festival Gala, the Beijing-based company said on Thursday. Since 1983, viewing at least part of the Gala has been a national tradition. Last year’s show drew more than one billion viewers and the programme is recognised by the Guinness World Records as the world's most watched TV programme.

Giving “red packets” or hongbao, is a traditional practice of giving cash in red paper envelopes (red because Chinese consider the colour to be auspicious) that has increasingly moved online with the ease of smartphone-based mobile payments. Many companies in China routinely hold “red packet” promotions, giving out cash or rebates that consumers can then “snatch” through mobile apps.

Baidu is stepping up its efforts to become an everyday app by powering its flagship search app with artificial intelligence. The goal is to make it smarter in terms of coming up with better search results and delivering news tailored to the individual’s interests.

The Baidu App has lagged behind Tencent’s WeChat with its 1 billion daily active users, and Alibaba Group’s ecosystem of mobile apps led by Taobao and Tmall. AI-powered recommendations are also being employed by companies such as Bytedance’s Toutiao, whose AI-driven news feed has helped make it China’s most popular news app.