The study aimed to investigate why some Chinese online ads for imported organic and natural cream are successful from the ELM’s (Elaboration likelihood model) perspective, by studying how the ads used messages to persuade the customers. 4 Chinese ads for bestselling products are selected from the 2 biggest Chinese E-Commerce platforms, and their effectiveness is then tested by the sales of the products and 4 questionnaires for each ad which answered by some potential Chinese customers, who are willing to buy imported cream. Later, after analyzing the message characteristics, it is found that the selected ads contained almost equivalent central arguments and peripheral cues, sometimes more cues than arguments, and such ads are effective under a somewhat high elaboration level. As it is confirmed that the 4 ads are effective, the used of messages are then analyzed in detail by the help of using thematic analysis, in order to find out what qualities of the messages make the ads successful. The messages were first coded piece by piece and then codes are grouped into themes according to the topic of the messages and the ELM theory. At last, the themes were analyzed one by one to answer how the ads used messages in advertising persuasion. It is found that argument-relevant information in the ads focuses on the attribute information of the product. By introducing some skin care knowledge, the contained organic and natural ingredients, the way the ingredients and the product work on skin, the ads proved the product’s effects. On the other hand, simple cues contribute also very much on the success of the ads, especially source credibility, consensus information and visual impacts play a great role in the persuasion. It is therefore concluded that arguments and simple cues are both important for generating positive attitude in the Chinese ads.