Overview#
From April 20 and May 21, Cartier is hosting an exhibition named “Into The Wild: Panthère de Cartier” at Guangzhou Postal Expo Hall, a century-old European-style building on the banks of the Pearl River. The exhibition spotlights the brand's timeless icon — the panther — which has appeared in Cartier’s jewelry pieces since 1914. Under the creative leadership of Jeanne Toussaint, who was appointed Director of Fine Jewelry in 1933, the Panthère de Cartier jewelry collection became one of the Maison’s most classic designs. Visitors can make reservations for the event via Cartier’s WeChat Mini Program.
Netizens’ Reaction#
Cartier's showcase has become one of the must-see exhibitions in Guangzhou this spring. The event hashtag, #Cartier Into The Wild#, received over 200 million views on Weibo within 10 days thanks to extensive celebrity endorsements from actor Li Xian, singer Tan Weiwei, and actress Song Jia. According to the reviews posted on Xiaohonghsu, the multisensory experiences and interactive designs distinguished it from typical jewelry exhibitions.
Verdict
Cartier is a veteran in delivering brand stories in a way that is culturally relevant and engaging. On April 19, the house hosted an opening party and livestreamed it on WeChat Channels, driving significant online buzz. Established singers including Tan Weiwei, Zheng Jun, and Tanya Chua presented live performances of songs that garnered huge popularity at the event. As the three stars are in their 40s and 50s, their performances evoked nostalgia among older viewers.
This approach indicates that the luxury house is consolidating its connection with Gen X and Gen Y (also known as millennials), in addition to Gen Z. Though “targeting Gen Z” has become a buzzy concept in the luxury sector, Cartier does not overlook Gen X and Gen Y, who are still powerful engines of consumption in China.
A Bain report titled "2023 Chinese Future Consumers" released earlier this month also pointed out that Gen X and Y consumers account for more than 60 percent of income in China, and that Gen Y is willing to spend money on products that can reflect their social status. Given this, doubling down on mature consumers with more disposable income is a savvy strategy in the Chinese market, especially when it comes to fine jewelry.