Companies talk a lot about culture, and for good reason. Culture significantly influences everything from consumer behavior to brand marketing and corporate operations.
When it comes to building bonds with customers, cultivating cultural understanding and relevance is key. This is particularly true in China, where national pride strongly influences consumer choices, particularly among young generations. But with culture becoming increasingly pluralistic and cultural marketing ever more prevalent, how can brands build a unique and authentic cultural presence in China?
This was the focus of a spotlight discussion during the Jing Daily China Luxury Summit held at The Peninsula Shanghai on May 22. Jing Daily’s China Managing Editor Wenzhuo Wu spoke with Katia Lan, Consumer Centricity Project Director of L’Oréal China, to explore how the century-old French company – which now accounts for the largest share of China’s beauty and personal care market – continues to innovate cultural marketing across its diverse brand portfolio.
This year sees the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-French diplomatic relations with the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism. L’Oréal China’s participation highlights its role as a cultural conduit during its 27 years in the country. It also shows L’Oréal’s commitment to China’s socioeconomic and Sino-French relationship development and innovation through initiatives like the collaboration of L’Oréal Paris with Jingdezhen, a city in Jiangxi province.
“Cultural diversity and change are accelerating … driven by grassroots creativity and digital culture,” said Lan. “This dynamic nature of culture means brands must constantly adapt to maintain relevance.”
To assert cultural leadership, Lan explained that L’Oréal studies how culture impacts markets and beauty, and local and global marketing teams collaborate closely to blend global brand values with local insights.
“The key is to figure out which cultural vehicle a brand will use to convey its message. This background provides a wealth of inspiration and insights for everyone,” she said.
As an example of this cultural linkage, Lan mentioned L’Oréal’s skincare, makeup, and fragrance brand Lancôme. “We think of Lancôme as an elegant, high-end French brand and the global team decided to combine this image with art, represented by a rose,” she said.
Among various art-related initiatives, Lancôme hosted a cross-border collaboration project with the Louvre Museum in Paris, which led to a series of new make-up products and color schemes. In China, where the brand’s skincare is more popular, they took Lancôme’s Absolue range as inspiration and invited 10 artists to interpret what a rose represents to them. The works were exhibited at a rose-themed art exhibition in Shanghai last year.
“This shows how a brand, once it determines its DNA and tone, can find areas where it can land both locally and internationally, maintaining consistency,” said Lan.
She also mentioned the cultural marketing opportunities around traditional Chinese festivals and customs, which have become very popular in recent years. “Chinese New Year is a crucial opportunity to engage, as luxury brands play a significant role during this time,” she said, suggesting that brands avoid cliches and study what Lunar New Year and other traditional festivals truly mean to local consumers.
“Is it just about the zodiac, red, or gold colors? Or does it have deeper meanings, like bringing people together, representing family, homesickness, or being with loved ones?” Lan added.
This nuanced approach resulted in recent New Year activations such as L’Oréal Paris’ pink papercut dragon raft parade in Yangshuo and an Armani Beauty pop-up in Sanya with an on-site fan embroidery service, enabling travelers to collect a personalized souvenir.
Localized cultural marketing should be incorporated in brand culture. “Brands need to explore and understand culture from various dimensions, aiming for leadership in cultural domains – this helps them secure a lasting position in consumers' hearts,” concluded the L’Oréal China rep.