Phase 1
Interviews
To gather the thick data about the final major project's topic, I did 7 interviews with 7 different interviewees from different financial status and characteristics but same cultural backgrounds as chinese.
Empathy map
Target group
Chinese customers who can or potentially can afford luxury brands
What do they see?
The beauty advisors and shop assistants in the west have better patient and attitude towards customers
The shop assistant will judge you from what you wear and how you look like
They see other people around them having luxury products
They’ve seen some luxury brands adverts that are teasing certain group of people, being racist or impolite
During COVID the traffic in the store is controlled
They will follow and watch the branding adverts
Better discount online
They will view the bad comments from Taobao weather they buy it on taobao or not
The branding story on zhihu sounds fake
What do they hear?
They shops can sell fake products as well
They feel different luxury brands have different specialities, for example Giorgio Armani for clothing, channel for cosmetics, Dior for bags and shoes
They heard their friends going into the fashion career or start to do fashion live stream in social media
They heard same brands but in different countries have completely different prices
They want to hear more voice and opinions from women
They treasure the recommendation from professional friends working inside the industry
What do they think and feel?
They want to stand out from the crowd by buying luxury products
They feel the luxury products can be the social currency on specific occasions
They feel the style they have built from the luxury products for the day affects their way of speaking and even way of thinking
They want luxury brands to be more sincere instead of money focused
They need the passion the make the purchase decision
They don’t like the design to be too complicated
The sustainability of the product matters
They like to be taken care by the assistant
They care if the products suit their age
They hate other ppl forgetting the brands that insulted us before
What do they say and do?
They will dress differently depending on different situation, for example wearing different height of heels
They will mix Chinese style luxury products with western style ones together
They will compare different websites and shops to find the best price
Sometimes they trust their friend’s recommendations and make the purchase decision quick
They will try to go to the store to try the product, or gathering enough information from the internet before buying it
They go outside the shopping because they got tired of online shopping because of COVID
They go to different to platform the compare the best price or deal
Fear
They are afraid the shop assistants will look down on them, for example that they don’t look like they can afford the brand
They are afraid of the huge logo on the luxury products showing they are trying too hard instead
They are afraid of wasting the money on a brand that everybody hates
They are afraid to be looked down as a Chinese person
If they don’t want the product anymore and they want to sell it second handed, they are afraid of the value of the product will not be there anymore
They’re afraid the plastic surgery will fail
Hope
They hope they can be valued more by buying luxury products
They want to look different, have their own style
They hope the international luxury brands can make them appear more international
They are willing to pay the price for not only the product and also the culture of the brand and the other added value
Phase 2
Workshop
I found 4 creative young professionals in advertising and related industry to gather together. After the ice break game, they discussed how to make a better version of the advert for dolce & gabbana. The aim for them is to NOT make a advert like dolce & gabbana did before which insulted chinese market and chinese culture.
Ice break game
The script
Opening the scene with a close up shot of a Chinese girl getting ready with her earrings, bracelet, and necklace - dressed in her glamorous Chinese traditional outfit. We see her grab her big luxurious travel bags by Dolce & Gabbana on to her private jet.
She flies all over the world, bringing her culture with her sipping French wine, eating italian pasta, walk around Time Square, and taking picture in front of London Eye.
The video closed with a SUPER : bring your culture with you.
