Yahoo Movies Prada Dresses Chinese Olympics Athletes for Douyin Campaign
Few brands localize their communication strategy like Prada for China.
After receiving backlashes last January as former brand ambassador Zheng Shuang was caught in a highly publicized child dispute storm, the brand has recalibrated its approach to celebrity endorsement in the Chinese market by working with top athletes alongside leading entertainers.
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Just weeks after announcing Chinese table tennis player and Olympic champion Ma Long as a brand ambassador ahead of its men’s fall 2022 show, the Milanese fashion brand revealed its fashion spring 2022 campaign — appearing on the social media platform Douyin, TikTok’s China version — featuring four acclaimed Olympics athletes who altogether represent a wide range of beauty standard.
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Directed by former WWD columnist Hung Huang, the campaign features Tokyo Olympics shot put gold medalist Gong Lijiao, who wore a bespoke red ensemble from the new season; marathon runner Li Zhixuan; China women’s national water polo team member, Xiong Dunhan, and Tokyo Olympics basketball bronze medalist Yang Shuyu.
Huang said on Weibo that this project has been a dream come true moment for her. “I have never thought that now that my magazine [iLook] is gone, I would be able to participate in a project that I have always wanted to do, starring a group of Chinese female athletes and showcasing their most beautiful, moving and awesome traits.”
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Prada has also been doubling down its commitment to TikTok. Lyst moved Prada into the top three spot in its latest quarterly hottest brands ranking, citing its rise in popularity for the viral bucket hat challenge on TikTok.
Major TikTok stars Brent Rivera, Larray, Noah Beck, Blake Gray, Amelie Zilber and Lexi Rivera were given the best front row seats at the brand’s fall 2022 men’s wear show, right next to established journalists.
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