Not A Lot Of Love For 520: Brands Rethink Local Campaigns Amid China Uncertainty
With uncertainty around the Chinese appetite for luxury goods and a possible global recession, brands are cutting back on marketing spent, and 520, or the Chinese Valentine's Day that lands on Tuesday, is the first one to go.
Past active participants such as Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga have slashed local campaigns this year, while other luxury players opted for a simple curated list of gifting items, some of which were heart-adorned.
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'Due to the dominance of e-commerce in China, this year's 520 Festival is poised to take a back seat as major platforms have chosen to launch the 618 shopping festival as early as the first half of May,' said Jacques Roizen, managing director of consulting at Digital Luxury Group.
'Very few brands can afford to not participate in 618, and therefore are losing the historical 520 full price revenue peak, which until recently was an important moment of their commercial calendar,' said Roizen.
Last week, Tmall and Douyin, arguably two of the biggest 618 players, officially launched this year's 618 with a simplified playbook focused on direct discounts as opposed to a complicated coupon system. This year's 618 runs for over a month from early May to late June.
However, those companies actively participating in the May gifting moment continue to experiment with new narratives with a local-friendly product mix.
In late April, Dior began releasing a series of campaigns featuring global ambassador Xin Liu, China ambassadors Henry Liu and Yu Shi, and Chinese actor Ai Mi holding court at Dior's 'customer service,' as they answer hotline calls from customers looking for date night looks.
The collection highlights exclusive 520 products that include womenswear, menswear, accessories, leather goods, and jewelry.
For Prada, the 520 occasion was reserved for its newly opened restaurant in Shanghai, Mi Shang. The café and restaurant project, which was designed by film director Wong Kar Wai, is serving up a feast with a special tasting menu, and in the confectionery section, there will be two limited-edition cream puff desserts adorned with heart-shaped motifs, alongside boxed pralines filled with soft raspberry.
Moynat, the LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned handbag-maker, is banking on China's pet-obsessed generation by casting celebrity pets — C-pop idol Tan Jianci's pet dogs Dai and Ball ball — in its 520 campaign. The collection, featuring pet collars, leashes, charms, and a monogrammed Hobo shoulder bag, is available in all Moynat boutiques worldwide.
At Ferragamo, its signature Hug bag was the star of its 520 campaign. Themed 'Hug Bag, Hug Love,' the campaign featured brand ambassador Gao Yuanyuan and Chinese actor Lin Gengxin as bearers of the statement piece in various shapes and sizes. In the most recent first quarter, handbags have helped drive performance, and the family-owned business is banking on it to become its best-performing category going forward.
Balenciaga's 2025 High Summer campaign was recast as this year's 520 campaign, with a new tagline that read 'love is sometimes relaxed and always enjoyable.'
The lineup features over 150 products from the collection and includes 520-exclusive3XL sneakers and Le City bags — both styles come in light grey and feature a '520' tag in the style of checked baggage slips.
Similarly, Gucci's 520 campaign also embodied the ease of summer vacation. Photographed against the backdrop of Italy's coastline during golden hours, the editorial features global brand ambassador Ni Ni and Chinese model Jin Dachuan dressed in heavily-monogrammed attire with matching handbags.
Miu Miu's 520 was drenched in summer glow too. Featuring a set of still life photography highlighting beach-friendly attire, the collection also includes a fringed suede tote in red that's launching first in China. The collection was part of an offline activation under the Miu Miu Select banner. The event was headlined by the Chinese model Ju Xiaowen at Miu Miu's Chengdu Taikoo Li store.
Valentino, celebrating self-love, set up an intimate bedroom setting where the Chinese model Hua Yilan gets dressed up for a romantic date. Pieces came from the brand's fall 2025 collection, which included dreamy 'cherrifyfic' pattern and the whimsical 'Le Chat de la Maison' motif, 1980s-inspired slingback pumps, the low-top Upvillage sneaker, and the Viva Superstar bag that took center stage.
Launch Gallery: Chinese 520 Valentine's Day Campaigns: Pets, Work-Life Balance And Self-Care
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