The 2019 Lunar New Year was meant to be a lucrative opportunity for Burberry, a British luxury brand with significant aspirations in the burgeoning Chinese market. Instead, the brand's carefully crafted Chinese New Year advertising campaign backfired spectacularly, resulting in a public relations disaster and a noticeable dip in its stock price. This incident serves as a cautionary tale for global brands attempting to navigate the complexities of cultural sensitivity and effective marketing in a diverse market like China. The campaign, intended to resonate with Chinese consumers during their most important holiday, ultimately alienated them, highlighting the critical importance of nuanced understanding and genuine cultural respect in international marketing.
The campaign, featuring prominent Chinese actresses Zhao Wei and Zhou Dongyu, aimed to portray a "modern and auspicious" (摩登新禧) celebration of the New Year. However, the execution fell far short of its ambitious goal. Instead of conveying the warmth, joy, and familial harmony typically associated with the Lunar New Year, the imagery evoked feelings of unease and discomfort among many Chinese viewers. The photographs, which were initially released on social media and subsequently featured in broader campaigns, were criticized for a variety of reasons, all contributing to the overall negative reception.
One of the primary criticisms centered around a specific image that became the focal point of the controversy. While the entire campaign was met with mixed reactions, this particular photograph, often described as "creepy" or "zombie-like," was singled out for its unsettling aesthetic. The picture depicted a group of individuals, dressed in Burberry attire, arranged in a somewhat unnatural and stilted manner. The overall effect, according to many viewers, was far from the festive and celebratory atmosphere expected during the Lunar New Year. The expressions on the faces of the models, the unnatural posing, and the overall composition contributed to a sense of unease and discomfort, rather than the intended feeling of joy and togetherness.
The internet exploded with negative commentary. Social media platforms, including Weibo, WeChat, and other online forums, were flooded with critical posts, memes, and discussions dissecting the campaign's failures. Hashtags related to the Burberry campaign quickly trended, with many users expressing their disappointment, frustration, and even anger at the brand's misstep. The speed and scale of this negative online reaction underscore the power of social media in shaping public opinion and the potential consequences for brands that fail to connect with their target audience.
Several news outlets, including the South Korean *Central Daily News*, reported on the negative fallout, highlighting the significant impact the campaign had on Burberry's image in China. The articles described the public reaction as "filled with disgust" and characterized the images as jarring and unsettling. The widespread negative sentiment translated into tangible consequences for the brand, with reports suggesting a noticeable decrease in Burberry's stock price following the release of the campaign. This demonstrated the immediate and significant financial repercussions of a poorly executed marketing strategy, particularly in a crucial market like China.
The incident raised several important questions about the process of creating culturally sensitive marketing campaigns for international audiences. The campaign's failure can be attributed to several factors:
nordstrom warranty on michael kors jackets cheap gucci shoes made in china