Topshop Nods To China With “The Lanterns” Mini-Movie

Topshop’s First Chinese New Year Campaign

Though Topshop won’t have a physical store in China until its first flagship in Hong Kong opens this May, the British brand has been hard at work making overtures to what it hopes will be one of its most promising new markets. In preparation for the flagship opening, Topshop has made several recent pop-up appearances in Shanghai in recent months, following previous cooperations with Beijing’s FEI Space and Shenzhen’s King Glory Plaza. Aside from pop-ups and at multi-brand boutiques, to date Topshop’s presence in China has mainly been digital, with shoppers able to ship to the country via the brand’s e-commerce enabled website.

Most recently, Topshop has remained on-trend in China by following other brands in creating a mini-movie just in time for Chinese New Year. The short film, “The Lanterns,” features two models releasing traditional Chinese paper lanterns over London to the tune of “This Little Light of Mine” by Berend Dubbe and Gwen Thomas, ending with new year’s wishes in English and Chinese. Clocking in at 58 seconds — the two numbers are considered the most auspicious in Chinese, representing fortune and luck — the film is Topshop’s first-ever campaign for the Lunar New Year.

Supported by specially designed red “Lucky Money” gift cards and envelopes (available at Topshop flagships), Topshop is confident that its new campaign will appeal to Chinese consumers worldwide. As Topshop CMO Justin Cooke told Britain’s Marketing Week:

“[Chinese communities] will appreciate the opportunity to give something to their nearest and dearest from our brand but with that personalised touch. The red envelopes and special gift cards will be very successful as it gives customers a choice that doesn’t have to be product. This is about giving our customers what they want, when they want.”