Brands turn to short films for Lunar New Year

Chinese New Year, one of China’s most significant shopping seasons, is high time for brands to impress local consumers with their creativity and cultural know-how. But with exclusive clothing and accessory capsules now standard for the festivities, capturing the attention of increasingly discerning Chinese spenders is a tall order. Cue the film-focused campaigns. The Year of the Snake has seen a wave of luxury power players turn to short films to drum up interest among cultured shoppers. Miu Miu teamed up with award-winning young director Wei Shujun to release The Encounter; Rimowa unveiled a three-part film series themed “The Chain Reaction of Coming Home”; Bottega Veneta cast Hong Kong-Taiwanese actress and brand ambassador Shu Qi in its firework-inspired feature film; Versace premiered an ink-wash style film exploring themes of spirituality and protection through the snake zodiac; and Qeelin delved into the tradition of Dong folk singers with singer-actor and ambassador Lay Zhang. Jing Daily reached out to the above brands for comment. Why now? Increased demand for storytelling and the virality factor of videos on Chinese social media are partly behind the trend’s surge, says Anaïs Bournonville, CEO of China retail development agency AB Advisory. “Video content drives more exposure and engagement than official campaign pictures,” Bournonville says. “Chinese New Year capsule collections won’t drive sufficient engagement if they don’t include a short film to promote them” Given that Chinese New Year is steeped in emotion and family ties, Arthur R. Hagopian, senior director of global strategy and digital at PR consultancy SPRG Beijing, notes that short films “allow brands to go beyond mere products and create narratives that evoke joy, hope, and renewal.” “This approach helps them forge a meaningful bond with consumers, showcasing that they understand and celebrate the values that matter most during this festive season,” he says. Age-old love affair Fashion’s love affair with film spans decades, though it has seen a notable resurgence in the past year. Jonathan Anderson’s role as costume designer for Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers and Queer brought ‘normcore’ to the silver screen, while Saint Laurent Productions, the house’s dedicated film arm, co-produced the critically acclaimed awards contender Emilia Pérez. Maison Margiela also reimagined its Artisanal collection as a horror docufiction last September, directed by New York-based artist Sasha Kasiuha. China’s infatuation with films, in particular, is a hotspot for luxury brands. Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales, a long-running initiative championing female filmmakers through screenings and pop-ups, has become a fixture across the mainland. Golden Goose will also back Chinese singer-actor Jackson Yee’s upcoming films Big World and The Moss Flower Covenant, the latter advocating for equal employment, educational, and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities. “This is not something new but a return to codes that anchor luxury in its true history, paying tribute to its core values than in ephemeral and frantic collaborations,” Bournonville says on the renewed focus of the film industry. According to Bournonville, 30% of luxury brands have planned a “small” increase in their budget for short videos this year, while 15% have set aside a larger sum. Emotional ties Luxury brands’ pivot to filmmaking arrives during a period of strained growth in China, with experts forecasting that spending across the country will remain flat over the next year. That said, Lunar New Year remains prime time for brands to pique shoppers’ attention. Online retail sales during the 2024 Online Chinese New Year’s Shopping Festival reached nearly 800 billion yuan ($112.4 billion), according to Global Times — an increase of nearly 9% compared to the 2023 period. “Short films are clearly a powerful medium for luxury brands to showcase their commitment to China as a market,” says Jas Tang, luxury consultant and founder of Certain People, an agency specializing in consumer insights across China and Japan. This year’s themes of familial love, homecoming, and tributes to Chinese heritage aren’t new, Tang says. However, during a season when consumers are most emotional and engaged, producing culturally thoughtful activations is more likely to resonate with shoppers. They’re also a cultural flex. “Gen Z and millennials are the early creators of what we call today the ‘experience economy,’ and luxury brands realized that short films could both promote their luxury positioning and seduce the younger generation,” says Bournonville. Breaking through the noise It’s a sign of the times, with brands pivoting to artistic content that entertains rather than just advertises. But half-baked ideas risk getting lost in an increasingly competitive landscape, says Tang. To stand out, Miu Miu has launched a series of offline activations throughout January to coincide with its short film release. These include a signing event with Chinese singer and brand ambassador Lexie Liu at a Shanghai-based vinyl store, traditional flower boating activities in Guangzhou, and a branded ice rink in Beijing. Others are connecting with themes that speak to Chinese consumers’ current interests. Versace, for example, delves into spirituality and wisdom in its film, aligning with China’s growing fascination with mystical divination. “Chinese consumers have a profound appreciation for cultural heritage and symbolism, especially during Chinese New Year when traditions take center stage,” says Hagopian. Citing Versace’s film, Hagopian believes that the “blend of nostalgia and modernity strikes a chord with today’s consumers, who crave both cultural authenticity and innovative expressions of luxury." Will short films help bump brands up the pecking order in terms of consumer choice this spending season? Bournonville thinks that combining narrative-driven flicks with offline activations, like those from Miu Miu, is the perfect formula. “Younger Chinese shoppers aren’t purchasing a product; they’re purchasing a story,” she says. “I think the combination of online-to-offline storytelling, slow pop-up stores, and immersive short movies stands as a sustainable strategy for luxury brands, and one that should stay in 2025.”

Brands turn to short films for Lunar New Year

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Published January 23, 2025

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Brands turn to short films for Lunar New Year