Roger Vivier Bets Big on New Brand Ambassador

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 Roger Vivier's new brand ambassador, Peacebird's metaverse play, and Converse's crossover into furniture. Roger Vivier Announced Chinese Actor as Brand Ambassador BRAND Roger Vivier CATEGORY Luxury PLATFORMS WeChat, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Tmall MEDIUM Image, Short Video FEATURED TALENTS Allen Ren (24.3M Weibo Followers) OVERVIEW On July 5, French luxury designer label Roger Vivier announced homegrown actor and singer Allen Ren as brand ambassador for its fall/winter 2022 collection. The campaign video, in which the star is shown preparing for a first date, explores how different situations affect our mentality — and even identity. In a statement, the brand noted how Ren’s bold commitment to art and aesthetics aligns with its DNA. NETIZEN REACTION The campaign hashtags #RogerVivierBrandAmbassador and #Exciting (扣任心弦) received a combined viewership of 70 million within 6 hours. The 70-second campaign video starring the actor hit over 10 million views on his own Weibo account thanks to his 24.3 million followers. This significant online engagement has converted to sales, with the products styled by Ren becoming bestsellers at the group’s Tmall flagship stores and offline boutiques. VERDICT Since the luxury shoemaker appointed Chinese Gen Z musician Ouyang Nana as brand ambassador in 2019, the business has successfully reached young local shoppers and reinvigorated its brand image in the domestic market. And now this partnership with the actor can help the house reach a wider demographic. Not only does Ren have a solid fanbase of women and girls, but he will also give Roger Vivier's men’s products a stronger presence with his endorsement. Peacebird Unlocks the Metaverse in Collaboration With Brand Ambassador BRAND Peacebird CATEGORY Fashion PLATFORMS WeChat, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Tmall MEDIUM Image, Short Video FEATURED TALENTS Ouyang Nana (21M Weibo Followers) OVERVIEW On June 29, Peacebird released its fall 2022 campaign, the metaverse project Peaceverse, in collaboration with global ambassador Ouyang Nana and digital artist Liu Di. In the campaign video, Nana is the first citizen of the virtual world, leading audiences to explore the mysteries of the universe. The project aims to create an innovative community at the heart of the technological zeitgeist, while consolidating the label’s connection with local creatives. NETIZEN REACTION Peacebird’s foray into the metaverse received positive feedback from Chinese netizens. The campaign hashtag #Peaceverse and video racked up 26 million views and 200,000 views within one week, respectively. Weibo users adored Ouyang Nana’s futuristic looks, commenting that the ambassador was a perfect match with the campaign’s Web3 concept. VERDICT As the metaverse sees growing recognition in China, homegrown fashion brands have been mapping their plans for the virtual world. Although Peacebird's kickoff campaign addressed this agenda in a purely conceptual way — and really had nothing to do with digital fashion — it garnered considerable online buzz due to the brand ambassador’s endorsement. This, then, lays the foundation for future expansion into Web3. Converse Collaborates With Local Furniture Boutique Cabana BRAND Converse, Cabana CATEGORY Fashion, Lifestyle PLATFORMS WeChat, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Tmall MEDIUM Image, Offline Pop-up OVERVIEW Converse teamed up with homegrown furniture retailer Cabana to launch a pop-up exhibition between July 1 and 17. Inspired by the dynamic colors in nature, the sportswear brand released four new colorways of its signature Chuck 70 – a timeless and classic sneaker in street fashion. Cabana then drew inspiration from the four new colors for its home decoration, curating four installations at its boutique on Anfu Road, Shanghai. NETIZEN REACTION Thanks to the photo-worthy installations and the location of Cabana’s boutique on Anfu Road (one of the hippest neighborhoods in Shanghai), the pop up drove substantial offline traffic. Meanwhile, both brands offered complimentary collaboration shoes for online users who joined Cabana’s membership program or left comments below Converse's campaign post, which effectively spiked online engagement. VERDICT Converse is a collaboration veteran that can always find the right partner, no matter the industry. Though Cabana focuses on designer furniture and home decor, its unique merchandising offers Converse an alternative retail space. Distinct from typical retail stores, Cabana’s Anfu Road boutique acts as a neighborhood store, which aims to generate a sense of community among its buyers. As such, the partnership can help Converse solidify the community culture rooted in its brand DNA.

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Roger Vivier Bets Big on New Brand Ambassador