As the Chinese Valentine's Day, Qixi, approaches, luxury brands are capitalizing on the cultural significance of the occasion. According to Pablo Mauron, partner and managing director of China at Digital Luxury Group, a Shanghai-based consulting agency, "Chinese consumers now benefit from price arbitrage when traveling abroad for self-purchases, gift-giving occasions create a sense of urgency to make them purchase locally for loved ones around the festival"¹. This sense of urgency is driving high levels of brand activity around Qixi, particularly for watches and jewelry brands, as the festival represents a significant revenue surge for these industries.
To capitalize on this opportunity, luxury brands are introducing targeted campaigns and activations. Van Cleef & Arpels, for instance, hosted a series of pop-ups to promote its Perlée collection... while Chanel reintroduced its fine jewelry collection, Coco Crush, with a star-studded pop-up in Beijing. Mauron notes that Chanel's approach to Qixi is notable for its consistency, citing the brand's use of the same celebrity couple, Liu Wen and Jin Boran, throughout the years to create an "indelible connection between its iconic product and this cultural milestone"¹. Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, is celebrating Qixi with a campaign that focuses on luxury workout gear and gifting-oriented retail strategy.
The brand has released a collection of luxury exercise equipment, including tennis rackets, dumbbells... and matching LV Trainer Maxi sneakers, alongside its popular leather goods, such as the monogram Keepall and Soft Trunk. The campaign features Chinese dancers Xie Xin and Liu Jia, alongside model Zhao Jiali, "modeling the collection in a lush city park." As Qixi celebrations unfold, luxury brands are recognizing the importance of embracing traditional Chinese culture and celebrating multifaceted love.
According to Mauron, "this urgency is why we continue to see high levels of brand activity around Chinese Valentine's Day. For watches and jewelry brands, "in particular," this festival represents one of the biggest revenue surges of the year"¹. As the festival continues to gain popularity, it will be interesting to see how luxury brands continue to adapt and innovate their campaigns to capture the attention of Chinese consumers.
Read more: See hereChinese Traditional Culture And Lovable Cartoons Dominate Qixi Narratives
• Luxury brands are capitalizing on the cultural significance of Qixi, Chinese Valentine's Day, to drive sales and create brand awareness. According to Pablo Mauron, partner and managing director of China at Digital Luxury Group, gift-giving occasions create a sense of urgency for Chinese consumers to purchase locally, leading to high levels of brand activity around the festival. ¹ (Source: Pablo Mauron) 2. Chanel's consistent approach to Qixi has helped the brand create a strong connection with Chinese consumers. Mauron notes that working with the same celebrity couple, Liu Wen and Jin Boran, throughout the years has contributed to an "indelible connection between its iconic product and this cultural milestone." ¹ (Source: Pablo Mauron) 3. Louis Vuitton is taking a different approach to Qixi, focusing on luxury workout gear and gifting-oriented retail strategy. The brand has released a collection of luxury exercise equipment, including tennis rackets, dumbbells, and matching sneakers, alongside its popular leather goods, and features Chinese dancers and models modeling the collection in a city park.
Pablo Mauron is a partner and managing director at Digital Luxury Group, a Shanghai-based consulting agency. He has extensive knowledge of the Chinese luxury market and has worked with various brands to help them succeed in the region. As a leading expert in the field, Mauron is often quoted in the media and provides valuable insights on the Chinese consumption habits and trends.
His understanding of the luxury market and its complexities has enabled him to help brands such as Chanel and Van Cleef & Arpels develop successful marketing campaigns. Mauron's expertise extends beyond market analysis and strategy. He is also well-versed in the cultural nuances of the Chinese market and the importance of incorporating cultural elements into marketing efforts.
His knowledge has been instrumental in helping brands such as Louis Vuitton adapt to the Chinese market and create successful campaigns. Mauron's expertise has made him a go-to expert for brands and media outlets seeking insights on the Chinese luxury market. His ability to understand the complexities of the market and provide actionable advice has earned him a reputation as one of the leading authorities in the field.
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The astute analyst might suggest that the confluence of cultural significance and promotional aptitude is driving the high levels of brand activity around Qixi:
As rebooted by Pablo Mauron¹. The expert's observations on the consistency of Chanel's approach to Qixi, leveraging the same celebrity couple, Liu Wen and Jin Boran, to create an "indelible connection between its iconic product and this cultural milestone"¹, are noteworthy.
As Qixi celebrations unfold, luxury brands are recognizing the importance of embracing traditional Chinese culture and celebrating multifaceted love, corroborating Mauron's findings¹. Research by Euromonitor International reveals that, in 2020, the Chinese luxury market witnessed a growth of 2. 5%, with jewelry and watches being among the top-performing categories². From a marketing perspective... the analyst might recommend that luxury brands continue to adapt and innovate their campaigns to capture the attention of Chinese consumers, as evident in Louis Vuitton's campaign focusing on luxury workout gear and gifting-oriented retail strategy.
The success of Vuitton's campaign, "featuring Chinese dancers Xie Xin and Liu Jia," "alongside model Zhao Jiali.".. suggests that incorporating cultural elements and local talent into marketing efforts can be an effective strategy³.
To celebrate Qixi , the Chinese Valentine's Day that falls on Saturday this year, brands continue to embrace traditional Chinese culture and celebrate multifaceted love. China Insight: China Is Studying Taylor Swift and Other Celebrities to Help Boost Flagging Luxury Consumption□□□ □□□
