How Baidu Revamped Its Gaokao Campaign: From Youthful Visuals to AI‑Powered Design

Introduction

The Gaokao exam is a pivotal moment in China’s education system. Baidu, as an intelligent information platform, continuously refines its product experience to help candidates prepare for the exam.

This article outlines three stages of Baidu’s Gaokao campaign over the past three years—"Youthful" (2021), "Intelligent" (2022), and "Collaborative Efficiency" (2023)—and explains how design strategies were adjusted to enhance brand perception and user awareness of "Using Baidu for Gaokao".

2021 – Youthful Visual Branding

In 2021, Baidu aimed to stand out among many platforms promoting the Gaokao. The team created an independent IP, reinforced the Baidu Gaokao brand, and used vibrant colors and distinctive visual styles to create a youthful atmosphere both inside and outside the app.

The visual approach differentiated Baidu’s Gaokao campaign from the prevailing "story‑scene" trend, earning positive user feedback.

2022 – Intelligent Perception

As Gaokao user needs deepened, Baidu integrated intelligent, convenient services—AI‑based major selection, big‑data insights, and Q&A—into the product. The visual design employed perspective composition for impact, combined with digital human elements, and used semi‑transparent matte textures to convey a modern, tech‑savvy feel.

This visual upgrade further enhanced the campaign’s reputation.

2023 – Collaborative Efficiency and Scale

With market growth plateauing, Baidu increased marketing material volume to attract users while keeping the design team’s headcount stable. To balance demand and resources, three measures were introduced:

Large‑Event Collaboration Mechanism : Activities were tiered by investment, sharing visual assets across core, vertical, and matrix teams to ensure consistency and efficiency.

Visual Simplification : The main key visual was broken into multiple scene‑specific graphics, using comic‑style panels to narrate exam‑related memories, allowing parallel design work and flexible deployment.

AI‑Generated Images : AI tools were employed to mass‑produce common exam‑related graphics (e.g., stationery), enabling rapid, differentiated material creation.

Across the years, Baidu maintained a consistent brand color and continuously enriched the visual experience, reinforcing brand awareness among students.

Conclusion

Over the past few years, Baidu’s Gaokao services have supported over 40 million candidates. Committed to social responsibility, Baidu will keep expanding and innovating its services to accompany students through this crucial stage of their lives.