Not A Lot Of Love For 520: Brands Rethink Local Campaigns Amidst China Uncertainty [Video]

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.

“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,” Roizen said.

Last week, Tmall …