The Social Edition is our weekly series which deep dives into luxury initiatives in China’s social media landscape. Every week, we highlight brand campaigns distributed on Chinese digital platforms — WeChat, Weibo, Tmall, Douyin, and beyond.
Our coverage spotlights global luxury brands, global beauty brands, and local Chinese brands. The latter gives insight into some of China’s most successful campaigns, which often come from local players, and are outside of the beauty and fashion space.
In this week’s roundup, we look at three campaigns, including Florasis latest campaign celebrating Dai Ethnicity, Alexander McQueen's newly appointed China brand ambassador, and the collaboration between Marimekko and the Chinese coffee shop Seesaw.
Florasis Celebrates Dai Ethnicity in Latest Campaign#
BRAND#
Florasis
CATEGORY
Beauty
PLATFORMS
Weibo, WeChat, Tmall
MEDIUM#
Image, Short film
FEATURED TALENTS#
Austin Li (29.5M) | Du Juan (no social accounts)
OVERVIEW#
C-beauty brand Florasis will officially launch its “Dai Impression” series, which spotlights the Dai ethnic minority group in China, on October 20. To promote the debut, Florasis invited top Chinese film director Zhang Yimou and his production team to shoot a short campaign film starring supermodel Du Juan and livestreamer Austin Li. The campaign drew inspiration from a peacock totem — an ancient Dai symbol — to express the uniqueness of this traditional culture.
NETIZEN REACTION#
This two-minute campaign film received positive feedback from local netizens since its launch on October 13, garnering over 192,000 views. Many commented that the appearance and personality of Du Juan perfectly matched the collection and the creative direction. Thanks to the brand’s collaboration with local fashion media outlet Harper’s Bazaar China, which profiled the Dai collection, the campaign drove significant social traffic on Weibo.
VERDICT#
Florasis is well known for its marketing tactics that leverage Chinese cultural elements. In a previous initiative, the brand featured the Miao ethnic group in China by highlighting its craftsmanship in silver engraving, which resonated greatly with local beauty shoppers. Now, this latest initiative continues to showcase the brand’s consistent commitment to cultural pride.
Alexander McQueen Announces Actor Turbo Liu as New China Ambassador#
BRAND#
Alexander McQueen
CATEGORY
Luxury
PLATFORMS
Weibo, WeChat, Tmall
MEDIUM#
Image, Short-video
FEATURED TALENTS#
Turbo Liu (32.2M Weibo Followers)
OVERVIEW#
On October 10, Alexander McQueen, the Kering-owned British luxury fashion house, announced Chinese actor Turbo Liu as its Chinese brand ambassador, casting the male star in its Fall/Winter 2021 Menswear campaign. In addition to the announcement posted on social media, the brand launched a Weibo hashtag #WatchtheShowWithTurboLiu on October 11 to create some social buzz for its upcoming Spring/Summer 2022 Womenswear show.
NETIZEN REACTION#
The announcement hashtag #AlexanderMcQueenAmbassadorTurboLiu garnered over 110 million views within two days. With over 32 million social followers, the Gen Z actor has a loyal fanbase in China due to his intense performances. His endorsement also helped the brand to lure more viewers to its SS2022 presentation.
VERDICT#
Alexander McQueen has been relying on its hero products, such as sneakers, in China, as its ready-to-wear and handbag lines are less competitive compared to its sister houses under the Kering umbrella. Moreover, the collaboration with a popular new face in China not only stirs up the brand’s social media engagement, but also allows the house to strengthen its brand image among local shoppers.
Marimekko and Local Coffee Chain Seesaw Create Limited-Edition Collection#
BRAND#
Marimekko
CATEGORY
Lifestyle
PLATFORMS
Weibo, WeChat
MEDIUM#
Image, Offline Pop-up
OVERVIEW#
Finnish designer brand Marimekko has teamed up with the Chinese coffee shop Seesaw to launch a series of co-branded products. With the theme of “splendid autumn limited,” the crossover draws inspiration from the fashion brand’s signature Kukkatori floral pattern. The collaboration features two exclusive coffee drinks, coffee cups, coffee hanging ear gift boxes, portable bottles, and handbags.
NETIZEN REACTION#
Chinese coffee lovers have shown a strong interest in this project, asking where they can purchase the products. According to snapshots at Seesaw pop-up coffee shops posted on Xiaohongshu, the adorable coffee cups with special floral prints and the complimentary handy packet are two major reasons that local shoppers have been drawn to this collaboration.
VERDICT#
Although crossovers between fashion and consumer goods are nothing new to sophisticated Chinese shoppers, this tactic can be an effective way to rebrand and engage a broader customer reach — as long as it’s the right match. Indeed, this is not the first time that Seesaw has partnered with a fashion brand. Last year, the coffee shop collaborated with Maison Margiela Fragrance, which helped bring Shanghai’s younger consumers to the brand’s fragrance line.