Luxury brands soar into the Year of the Dragon with winning strategies

Chinese New Year, China’s most celebrated festival, has become an annual battleground for global luxury brands. As the country becomes increasingly critical for the luxury goods industry, brands face the challenge of standing out amid fierce competition and establishing profound connections with local consumers.

Below, we examine the strategies leading brands are employing to get ahead this festival season, from product development to digital marketing.

Hyperlocalization through parades, films, and partnerships
In the wake of global upheavals, there has been a notable shift in consumer priorities from basic needs to spiritual and emotional fulfillment. This is especially true in China, where consumers exhibit increased cultural confidence, as evidenced by the guochao trend.

Given this shift, brands must go beyond incorporating red colors and zodiac signs in their Chinese New Year campaigns to truly resonate with local consumers.

Kering-owned jewelry brand Qeelin, for instance, organized the “Thousand-Meter Golden Dragon Parade” along the Yu Long River in Yangshuo, Guangxi province, to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. The event, featuring the brand’s global ambassador Liu Shishi in a lantern-lit parade, sparked significant discussion and engagement online, showcasing a successful fusion of traditional folklore and luxury.

Other players have taken a more cinematic approach. Rimowa tugs at heartstrings with a film about a family’s journey west, titled The Dragon Roams Far and Wide, But It Never Leaves Our Minds, set in China’s Sichuan region. Cartier, in the film Cartier Epic, artfully blends its iconic panther with the auspicious dragon. Meanwhile, Valentino explores three Chinese cities under the theme of “red,” intertwining the brand’s iconic Rosso red hue with regional craftsmanship.

At the same time, Bulgari recognizes the importance of cultural authenticity through its collaboration with Chinese artist Pan Hu. Pan draws inspiration from the snake spirit totem to create an auspicious dragon painting, with his process documented in a short film. This move not only reflects Bulgari’s desire to support local creatives but also to promote them on a global stage.