With the Year of the Snake just around the corner, most brands have already launched their Chinese New Year (CNY) campaigns, which have become an annual tradition. This is especially true for luxury brands. Luxury brands typically spend more budget on cultural localization during the CNY period.
But this year is especially difficult. Because in China, snakes have similar negative connotations in the everyday sense as in the West, due to their creeping and sometimes poisonous nature. This has led brands to delve deeper into traditional symbolism and relegate the snake aspect to the background, shifting focus to Chinese New Year celebrations. Interestingly, this is a reversal from last year, when the cultural importance of dragons in the Chinese community offered marketers almost too many angles to choose from.
Brands delve deeper into traditional symbolism and focus on Chinese New Year celebrations
How Loewe tamed snakes
Spanish luxury brand LOEWE continues to release collections inspired by Chinese culture, particularly traditional crafts, in collaboration with local artisans. From 2023’s monochrome ceramic-themed handbags to last year’s jade collection, the brand collaborates with local experts and master artisans to discuss the cultural heritage of selected forms of craft each year . This type of partnership is a perfect fit for LOEWE as we value our unique craft and artisanal traditions.
This year, LOEWE tackles the snake element head-on with a two-pronged campaign, like a snake’s forked tongue. Meanwhile, we continue to work with craftsmen to pay homage to traditional Chinese arts and crafts, and this time we’re introducing Chinese art, known in China as “Jing Tai Ling” (Jing Tai Lian) for its vibrant colors and vibrancy. We use cloisonné ceramics and metalwork. “Kyotai” mark. LOEWE has partnered with third-generation master enameler Xiong Songtao to launch an exclusive jewelry collection with Jingtai Blue pendants featuring artwork of snakes, monkeys, or auspicious clouds. The same motif appears on other items in the CNY capsule collection.
At the same time, the brand created a short promotional video that mainly featured Snake and combined the art of shadow puppetry, kite making and contemporary dance. Dancer Xie Xin and her company use shadow puppets and kite-based snake-shaped props (by artist Shen Xintong and Weifang kite intangible cultural heritage heir Zhang Xiaodong, respectively) to create both shadow and light. , and performs a movement inspired by a snake.
Other brands that have delved into snake symbolism in China include Versace and Bulgari. Versace has released a short animated video that introduces a folk tale about how the snake was included in the Chinese zodiac. The animation style is similar to traditional Chinese ink painting. Meanwhile, Bvlgari held an exhibition at Zhangyuan in Shanghai from January 9th to 16th in honor of the Year of the Snake, as well as its iconic Serpenti collection.
Do I need Chinese zodiac signs?
On the other hand, some brands have managed to shift focus away from snakes and focus on New Year’s lore and customs in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar.
Some are even postponing their festivals and instead using the occasion to pay homage to Chinese culture in general. For example, Kering, the group that owns brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga, collaborated with contemporary Chinese artist Jiang Miao to create a special installation project that incorporates Taoist philosophy and auspicious signs. was carried out.
Prada’s sister brand Miu Miu released its 2025 RMB campaign video on January 7th. The video features Miu Miu brand ambassadors actresses Liu Haochun and Qiao Jingmai, as well as music by singer-songwriter Lexi Liu, who is also a brand ambassador. . The video is set in a nostalgic Cantonese/Hong Kong-style club called “Chinatown,” where the two actresses sit with drinks while a band plays soft R&B music. The band then disappears along with the other guests, allowing Liu Haochun and Qiao to explore as they please, from mixing their own drinks to playing their instruments. The campaign, titled “Encounter,” includes events in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, as well as a listening and autograph session with Lexi Liu in Shanghai on January 10th. On Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, the Chinese version of the topic “Encounter with Miu Miu” (#MiuMiu Ruiji Jiang #) received an astonishing 25.99 million views.
German luxury brand Montblanc launched the Meisterstück fountain pen during the Lunar New Year, paying homage to traditional Chinese culture and celebrating materials such as bamboo, gold and jade. However, it was not well-received by Chinese netizens on Weibo, as many felt the product’s theme was ambiguous and combined with oriental motifs.
In fact, if Loewe hadn’t included a second dance video in its campaign, the Jingtai Blue-inspired collection, a capsule collection that pays homage to traditional Chinese crafts and culture, would have already become a popular choice for other luxury brands. It would have worked as a proper RMB campaign. This, on the contrary, shows that the Spanish brand has taken a further step to include the Chinese zodiac as part of its concept.
Meanwhile, brands such as Ami and Tiffany & Co. simply used snake motifs in the design of their CNY exclusive collections as minimalist special editions. Such an effortless attempt to associate the snake with some symbol of goodwill can be a safe way to avoid unexpected backlash. For example, Prada’s CNY campaign video is considered a flop by some due to its unclear message of celebrity ambassadors standing in silhouette in winding lines.
In some cases, simple methods of drawing attention away from the animal may be the safest approach.
In a year with difficult zodiac signs such as the Rat and the Snake, a deep dive into traditional Chinese culture and symbolism like Loewe and Versace will show local consumers respect for luxury brands during the Chinese Yuan period. Needless to say, this is the best method. However, as Miu Miu demonstrated with its festive campaign, sometimes a simpler method of drawing attention away from the animal is the safest approach.
