Advertising in the luxury sector in China: standardisation or adaptation? A comparison between China and Italy

Abstract:

In the general framework of internationalisation, this chapter focusses on the advertising strategies adopted by top companies in the luxury sector. The chapter reports some of the findings of a study to determine the importance of local culture in advertising content by comparing Chinese and Italian ads. In particular, after an overview of the advertising market in China and in Italy, the content of ads from Vogue, one of the most popular and influential fashion and beauty magazines in both China and Italy, are analysed. The focus is on three industries: clothing, cosmetics and jewellery. This chapter contributes to the standardisation–adaptation discussion and shows that strategies are affected by both country and product category.