Editor’s Note
This article explores how luxury brands like Audemars Piguet and Hermès are cultivating deeper emotional bonds with Chinese consumers. Moving beyond traditional marketing, they are deploying immersive experiences, cultural storytelling, and exclusive events to engage a clientele that increasingly values meaning and personal connection over mere products.
Free WeChat reservations and film screenings attracted large crowds, enhancing the appeal of Hermès’ emotional luxury in China.
In China, luxury brands are doubling down on creativity to forge powerful emotional connections with a clientele seeking meaning, immersive experiences, and tailored cultural narratives. Between 520 activations, sensory pop-ups, and tributes to heritage, the houses are deploying refined strategies blending legacy, technology, and local engagement. An overview of the most notable campaigns of Spring 2025 by Alexis Bonhomme and Trinity Asia.
Audemars Piguet unveiled its global exhibition “The House of Wonders” at the Shanghai Exhibition Center to mark its 150th anniversary. The immersive journey featured approximately 200 watches and explored the brand’s heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation. Over 750 guests attended, including top celebrities and brand ambassadors.
The launch in Shanghai highlighted Audemars Piguet’s commitment to China, with a facade replicating its Brassus headquarters to connect Swiss heritage with Chinese appreciation.
The opening event featured performances by renowned artists such as Mark Ronson, Jane Zhang, Lexie Liu, and David Tao. The presence of international celebrities and influencers amplified media coverage and social media buzz, enhancing brand visibility.
The “Innovation Laboratory” highlighted Audemars Piguet’s advancements in technology, materials, and watch design. Interactive exhibits allowed visitors to explore the brand’s commitment to innovation while honoring traditional craftsmanship.
Tiffany & Co. launched its “Every Love Has a Language” campaign to celebrate the Chinese Valentine’s Day 520. The campaign featured a curated selection of iconic collections: Tiffany HardWear, Knot, Lock, and Jean Schlumberger’s Sixteen Stone, each symbolizing various expressions of love. By intertwining heritage craftsmanship with contemporary design, Tiffany offered a poetic tribute to the multifaceted nature of love.
The Tiffany HardWear collection, inspired by a 1962 design, features bold chain links representing the transformative power of love. The Knot collection draws inspiration from an 1889 motif, with interwoven lines symbolizing unbreakable bonds, highlighted by a new necklace adorned with pink sapphires. Jean Schlumberger’s Sixteen Stone ring, introduced in 1959, features interlocking “X” motifs, reflecting eternal love.
By aligning the campaign with 520, a day symbolizing love in Chinese culture, Tiffany deepens its engagement with the Chinese market, blending Western heritage with local traditions.
Valentino released a poetic and intimate campaign photographed by Liv Liberg for the Chinese Valentine’s Day 520, featuring a young woman in the intimacy of her home, preparing for a romantic moment. Centered on emotional resonance rather than romantic clichés, the campaign highlighted ready-to-wear from the Autumn 2025 collection and key accessories like the Viva Superstar bag and Bowow pumps.
Rather than overt romantic symbolism, the campaign emphasized thoughtful self-styling and anticipation, presenting fashion as an emotional and expressive ritual.
Valentino created a “Romantic Pink House” in-store, a pastel, dreamlike environment built for real-world immersion and social media content, connecting the physical space and digital buzz.
The visual tone focused on quiet moments of vulnerability, aligning with Gen Z’s preference for introspection and realism over traditional Valentine’s tropes.
To celebrate the 520 romantic season, Dior Beauty unveiled the Miss Dior “Love Atelier” pop-up in Shanghai. Running until May 19, 2025, the activation blended nostalgic storytelling, haute couture-inspired design, and personalized gifting experiences. Rooted in emotional memory and sensory immersion, this pop-up reconnected generations of consumers with the iconic Miss Dior fragrance through sight, smell, and feeling.
