From Harrods to Jo Malone, the best of British luxury brands know that finding creative ways to market their Britishness to China can help them thrive
For decades now, an appreciation for quintessentially British culture has fuelled the popularity of British brands in the Chinese market. Chinese consumers appreciate the history and heritage of British brands like Burberry and Jaguar Land Rover, and associate this heritage with quality and craftsmanship.
The smartest British brands have understood and leveraged this appreciation, finding ways to infuse their heritage into marketing campaigns that appeal to the buying habits and social media usage of modern Chinese consumers.
Earlier in 2024, Jo Malone promoted its limited-edition Orange Marmalade fragrance, inspired by Paddington Bear’s love of marmalade sandwiches, through a combination of social media marketing (where customers could create a custom Paddington digital postcard) with major offline installations, including a large-scale display on the Bund and a subway takeover on Shanghai Metro Line 2.
As Sadie Bargeron noted in a recent article for Jing Daily, China’s struggling consumer market means that brands can’t just rely on being British. Recent sales figures from both luxury groups and independent brands indicate that Chinese shoppers are reining in their spending amid economic uncertainty. Two of the world’s largest luxury groups, Kering and LVMH, reported falling revenue in the first half of 2024, with LVMH’s sales in the Asian market falling by 14% in Q2 2024. Earlier in July 2024, Burberry ousted CEO Jonathan Akeroyd after its financial figures reported sales in China falling 20%.
To survive – and even thrive – in this turbulent market, the key for British brands will be finding ways to tell their story in an engaging and enduring way.
“Ensuring that local consumers have an in-depth understanding of the cultural nuances present within a British brand can establish a crucial connection,” writes Bargeron. Nevertheless, this must be done carefully to ensure that it comes across authentically and doesn’t just look like a brand is play-acting Britishness.
British brands certainly shouldn’t shy away from educating Chinese consumers about aspects of British history and culture – in fact, Chinese consumers are happy to be educated by brands or influencers, especially when buying products with a luxury price point.
For example, Jo Dancey, Jo Malone London’s senior vice president and global general manager, told Bargeron that “We still use British idioms. We’ve got some really funny ones, but we always give a nice little translation to explain the meaning behind it and the British etiquette that it is linked with.”
As Bargeron concludes in her Jing Daily article, Chinese luxury consumers respond well to brand history, manufacturing and reputation. “And these are all touch points that can feed into how foreign heritage brands tell their stories well there.”
