In “Chinese Whispers,” we share the biggest news stories about the luxury industry in China that haven’t yet made it into the English language.
In this week’s edition, we discuss:
- The best-performing moments ads placed by luxury brands in Q3,
- The end of Ermenegildo Zegna’s trademark dispute, and
- The first Louis Vuitton pop-up store by Virgil Abhol.
1. Tiffany, Cartier, and Maserati’s WeChat Moments Ads Highly Rated by Consumers in Q3 – Tencent
In a quarterly ranking released by WeChat that rates brands’ ad performance on the moments page (“朋友圈”), luxury brands Tiffany, Cartier, and Maserati were selected among the app users’ favorites. The ranking was purely based on WeChat users’ interactions, including likes, comments, and shares, with ads, revealing Chinese consumers’ content preference when it comes to engaging with luxury brands.
For example, Cartier’s ad, liked by 914 users, was about its limited edition Juste Un Clou collection for Chinese Valentine’s Day. The ads ultimately directed viewers to Cartier’s mini-program store that allowed them to make purchases.
Photo: Shutterstock
2. China ruled in favor of Ermenegildo Zegna in trademark dispute – Jiemian
The Italian luxury fashion powerhouse Ermenegildo Zegna has just won a landmark trademark dispute in China. On October 24, the Supreme People’s Court, the country’s highest judicial entity, ruled against a local Chinese brand named “Yves Zegnoa” that sells accessories and apparel. The court decided the highly similar logo of this Chinese entity violated Ermenegildo Zegna’s intellectual property rights. According to the report, it was the first time in the legal history of the People’s Republic of China that it ruled in favor of the IP rights of a non-Chinese company.
3. Inside the first Louis Vuitton pop-up store by new menswear designer Virgil Abloh – Sohu fashion
Following the debut of Virgil Abloh’s first collection as the menswear creative director of Louis Vuitton this summer, the French high fashion brand recently opened a pop-up store in Shanghai. The three-day showcase, from October 19 to 22, has attracted hundreds of thousands of Chinese sneaker-lovers.
