Overview#
Prada is betting on its next "It" bag: the Prada Galleria. Conceived in 2007 and continuously reinvented ever since, the handbag draws inspiration from medicine-style bags of the 1950s and is a hallmark of the brand's 21st century identity.
From May 17 to June 15, a campaign focused on the Prada Galleria will be featured on 13 outdoor billboards in seven Chinese cities: Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing, Wuhan, Shenzhen, and Sanya. Local celebrities including Zhang Nan, Li Chun, Chen Duling, and Liu Wen have also shared photos of the handbag on their Weibo accounts.
Netizens’ Reaction#
Since Prada kicked off the campaign on social media on May 18, the hashtag “Prada Galleria Handbag” has garnered over 160 million views on Weibo. On Douyin, the campaign video has racked up over 900,000 views as of June 7. More importantly, the hashtag on Xiaohongshu, with 22.9 million views, has collected thousands of organic posts from consumers and fashion KOLs.
Verdict
The Prada Galleria became known as the "Killer Bag" in China after it was featured in the 2011 film Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. However, before Prada started promoting the model this year, younger Chinese consumers had largely perceived it as old-fashioned.
A veteran at transforming heritage pieces into trendy hero products, the brand struck a balance between tradition and modernity to resonate with both young and mature consumers. In addition to honing the product's design, extensive communication and distribution have been essential in Prada’s approach to creating hot items. From mounting huge outdoor advertisements to partnering with Chinese celebrities, the Italian house has mastered its omni-channel strategy in China.
According to The Lyst Index — a quarterly ranking of fashion’s top brands and products based on online searches, product views, sales, and social media engagement — Prada was the “hottest” brand in the world in Q1 2023, with searches up 22 percent. After launching the Prada Galleria campaign in China, the powerhouse looks set to elevate its product desirability and dominate rankings in the coming quarters.