The beauty brand has limited the pig year. Is there any misunderstanding of the Chinese style this year?

The limited-edition beauty products that are sold in limited editions on specific festivals seem to have been put on a halo, so that female consumers can't help but loose their hands on the wallet.

However, there are always some zodiac models and limited-edition beauty themes of the annual theme, which break people's illusions with the Chinese elements. People can't help but want to vomit: What misunderstandings do these foreign designers have about the Chinese style?

The Chinese flavor in the eyes of international brands is nothing more than typical elements such as “big red”, “blessing characters”, “Zodiac” and “Chinese knots”, but when brands neglect more elaborate designs, they simply integrate these elements into a simple and rude manner. On the product packaging, it is no wonder that Chinese consumers do not buy it.

Armani Beauty has been on the list of Chinese Zodiac highlights for the past few years, and almost all of them have been listed on the list. The red powder cake shell is printed with the Chinese word "Fu" without design sense. The netizens ridicule that different years only upgrade the font "from Chinese fine black to more difficult Chinese language!" and the Chinese zodiac animals engraved on the powder cake. The pattern is also considered not enough to be creative.

In 2019, Armani Beauty finally gave up the "Zodiac custom", began to try the younger design style, printed the hot stamping art on the packaging, and explored the correct opening method of the Chinese style.

The Estee Lauder New Year limited edition with diamonds is also full of local winds. In 2016, the golden monkey zodiac custom-made powder cake with diamonds was called “ugly” by many netizens. The 2019 old pink pig like “pomegranate” came with more diamonds.

Chinese elements can't be used too realistically. YSL Beauty's New Year's Eve in 2017 is a blush that has moved the "Chinese knot" element and has been dubbed by the netizens as "a farmhouse aesthetic." In 2019, MAC became the new "farm aesthetic" spokesperson, using paper-cut art elements as a breakthrough, but the ubiquitous "fu" word on the packaging is a bit earthy. "If there is no such blessing, the festive red brush is still good." Some netizens said with emotion.

As an important way of brand marketing, “limited edition” usually means rare quantity, unique design and commemorative meaning. It not only reflects the unique characteristics of the brand, but also the link between the brand and the consumer through specific products.

Therefore, when conducting “limited marketing” with local cultural characteristics for regional markets, brands should pay attention to how to present ideas and designs in a way that target consumers prefer.

Especially in the Chinese market, emerging consumers in the post-90s are becoming the mainstay of beauty consumption. They are full of affection for the traditional elements of the local culture - from the use of the palace style of the Forbidden City tape to transform the big-name makeup can be seen, but also has a more international vision and aesthetic preferences. It is necessary for brands to invest more energy in the topic marketing related to Chinese culture, to think about how to more strategically attract this group and enhance their brand image and cognition among young audiences.

In 2019, many beauty brands got rid of the clichés in the exploration of “Chinese flavor” and began to try more creative design forms to enrich the product experience.

One of the most popular brands in the Year of the Pig is the Maybelline. It is creative around the “Mahjong” that the Chinese are most familiar with, and has launched the “made in China” New Year limited mahjong gift box. The mahjong gifts in the gift box echoed the red and black color matching products, and the lipstick was also named as firecracker red, fireworks red, spring couplet red and so on. This beauty and entertainment around the creative brings a different experience to consumers.

NARS's New Year series subtly blends the window texture of Suzhou gardens. This limited edition is dominated by red, with a stylish metallic feel, and the leaky window texture on the top is more impressive.

The Korean Etude House has a cross-border joint with the cartoon "pig". The 2019 Year of the Pig limited series, which the brand has partnered with Disney, combines the Winnie the Pooh, the Piggy Pig and the Tigger in Winnie the Pooh. Although there is no Chinese element, the combination of a cartoon image with popularity and fan effect is also an attractive “year of the pig” marketing method.

Combining with more personalized Chinese elements, presenting ideas in modern design language, trying out peripheral development and IP co-branding are all tools that beauty brands can use in the development of the New Year limited series.