WINNING CO-BRANDING IN CHINA: FASHION, ART AND GUOCHAO
In recent years the fashion sector has seen a rise in major brand collaborations that have boosted sales and generated plenty of interaction among users.
Data from the Global Fashion Paper 2021 show that the number of collaborations rose 10% compared with 2019, and that related prices tripled compared with the same year. As for the year just ended, the fashion sector appears to have entered a stage of “emotional consumption” driven by Gen Z, who prefer products born from brand collaborations because they see them as more exclusive and unique.
Among the many collaborations launched in recent months, some have been more profitable and impactful than others, for example Louis Vuitton × Yayoi Kusama, Welly Merck × Dunhuang Art Institute and Li Ning × Bruce Lee.
Louis Vuitton × Yayoi Kusama
Louis Vuitton, the famous French brand, has always been popular worldwide for creations ranging from bags and shoes to jewellery and even books. The French brand has been present in China for 28 years and every year enjoys great success with young people and adults alike. At the end of 2022 it announced its collaboration with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, creating a unique line, a perfect union of fashion and art for both female and male customers. The collection will be available from January 2023.
To promote the new creations, Louis Vuitton used KOL marketing on the main Chinese social networks, launching the hashtag #lvxYayoiKusama, which immediately generated huge numbers of shares: in a single day the hashtag received 220 million views on Weibo, one of China’s main social platforms.
Welly Merck × Dunhuang Art Institute
Welly Merck is a Chinese brand making innovative watches whose designs incorporate cultural references to Chinese tradition, under the motto “Your own moment”. On 18 July 2022, Welly Merck and the Gansu-based Dunhuang Art Institute launched the Dunhuang watch series, inspired by the extraordinary culture of Dunhuang. The collaboration produced watches featuring Chinese cultural elements, including the Hexi Corridor and the typical landscape of the Dunhuang area, generating excitement among buyers. This collaboration is a perfect example of Guochao (the “national trend”), as it celebrates both a local brand and tradition.
Li Ning × Bruce Lee
Today’s consumers look beyond the brand of a product and also seek an emotional component in it, as the collaboration between Li Ning and the Bruce Lee family company clearly showed. Bruce Lee is regarded by the Chinese public as a true pillar of national athletics, so Li Ning decided to launch a new line of shoes dedicated to martial arts practitioners, sparking a big revival of interest in the late athlete. The words “BE WATER” were also added to the carbon plate under the sole of the right shoe, a tribute to Bruce Lee’s famous philosophical words that evokes memories for Chinese consumers and creates a great visual effect.
These collaboration product lines are a clear example of how well co-branding works as a marketing strategy in China. Combining brands with art, tradition and nostalgia is a path worth following for any brand that wants to make itself known in China and, above all, win the hearts of Chinese consumers.
>> READ ALSO: THE POP-UP STORE BOOM IN CHINA (in Italian)
