Exploration and Innovation: Cultural Marketing for Jewelry Brands Research on Model Innovation ()
1. Introduction
In today’s global market economy, the jewelry industry, as a combination of luxury goods and culture and art, not only carries the role of decoration and beautification, but also is a symbol of identity, taste and emotional transmission. With the diversified and personal development of consumer demand, the competition among jewelry brands has shifted from pure product quality to the exploration of brand culture and innovative marketing mode. Chow Tai Fook, a long-established jewelry brand, redefined its market positioning through rebranding to appeal to a new generation of consumers. They have launched more design-oriented jewelry collections, adopted a new marketing language, and invested more in digital channels, including e-commerce and social media. Jewelry brands such as these are adapting to changing market conditions and consumer preferences by innovating through cultural marketing models. This innovative research helps brands find new growth areas while maintaining their core values, strengthening their connection with consumers, and ultimately achieving sustainable business success. In this context, “research on cultural marketing model innovation of jewelry brands” has become a topic that needs to be discussed in depth, aiming to reveal how to enhance the core competitiveness of the brand and achieve sustainable development through cultural empowerment and innovative marketing strategies.
Through the comprehensive use of marketing theory, cultural theory and case study method, this study systematically researches how jewelry brands can effectively convey brand value and enhance market influence through the innovation of cultural marketing mode, so as to provide theoretical guidance and practical reference for the transformation and upgrading of the jewelry industry. At the same time, this study is expected to provide reference for the brand marketing strategies of other luxury or cultural creative industries, and promote the innovative development of the whole cultural industry.
2. Literature Review
Cultural marketing is different from traditional marketing, which pays more attention to the sense of cultural identity with consumers, so as to create a distinctive brand image and consolidate the competitive position in the market. Zhang and Xi (Zhang & Xi, 2008) show that cultural marketing targets specific consumer groups, explores the cultural value of products and enterprises, meets the material and spiritual needs of consumers, enhances the brand experience with the help of cultural resonance, and achieves a deep-level market connection. At the same time, He (He, 2000) mentioned that cultural elements cover values, behavioral habits, language communication and physical manifestations, which are the bridges connecting culture and marketing activities and influence the interaction between marketers and consumers. The importance of the cultural marketing model lies in understanding the cultural characteristics of the target market in order to design a more effective marketing strategy. The model proposed by Gong (Gong, 2013) consists of three key stages: market segmentation, target market selection and market positioning, segmentation is based on the classification of consumer differences, target market selection involves picking a target group within these classifications, and positioning aims to establish and communicate product features and benefits to a selected group of consumers. Based on the jewelry industry, Hua (Hua, 2022) said that in recent years, as the purchasing power of the Chinese people has increased, the purchase of gold jewelry has become a daily consumption activity not only limited to important moments, and people often buy jewelry to add auspicious symbols to their daily lives. Gao and others (Gao et al, 2014) have mentioned: exquisite interpretation of each piece of jewelry, in-depth interpretation of the story behind the jewelry, so that consumers perceive the brand culture and product connotation through the story, to achieve story-driven brand awareness and acceptance enhancement. At the same time, Yang (Yang, 2023) also mentioned that Louis Vuitton is good at conveying the essence of the brand through narrative advertising strategies, and through emotionally resonant marketing methods, it has demonstrated the high-end and profound art of market communication. Talking about the young generation born in the millennium, Guo (Guo, 2023) believes that they respect profound thoughts and high-quality content, and their cultural self-confidence has increased significantly, which is reflected in their high level of trust and support for national brands in their consumption choices. These scholars’ studies have enriched our understanding of jewelry brands’ cultural marketing models from different perspectives, emphasis the central role of cultural factors in shaping consumer preferences, brand identity and market strategies. Together, this literature builds a diverse and in-depth perspective that provides a rich theoretical foundation and practical guidance for subsequent research on innovative models.
3. The Concept of Cultural Marketing
Cultural marketing is a marketing strategy that utilizes cultural elements and values as a key tool to attract customers and build brand identity. This marketing approach emphasizes the integration of culture into a company’s marketing mix as a way to create a unique brand image and market positioning. Here are a few key points of the cultural marketing concept.
First is the adaptation and utilization of environmental culture, where a company identifies and adapts to a specific cultural environment, which may include local customs, traditions, language, religious beliefs, art, history, and popular trends. Marketing campaigns are designed with these cultural contexts in mind to ensure that messages and products are relevant and appealing to the target audience. Secondly, there is the penetration of cultural factors. Cultural marketing requires companies to incorporate cultural factors into all aspects of their products, services, advertising, packaging, promotions and distribution channels. In this way, companies can convey their understanding of and respect for a particular culture, thereby enhancing brand affinity. Next comes customer satisfaction and values resonance, where cultural marketing seeks not just to sell products, but to create resonance with consumers and increase customer satisfaction through shared values and beliefs. Consumers are more likely to become loyal customers when they believe the brand represents the cultural values they identify with. At the same time, being contemporary and innovative is also certainly important. Cultural marketing needs to reflect the characteristics and spirit of the times, keep up with the times, and constantly adapt to new social and cultural trends. The last is personalization and differentiation, giving products, enterprises and brands rich personalized cultural connotations to make them stand out in the market. Emphasize the uniqueness of the brand to meet the consumers’ pursuit of cultural differences and personalization.
4. Analyze the Current Development Environment of the Jewel Lery Industry: Opportunities and Threats at the Same Time
4.1. Opportunities
1) Expansion of the jewelry market
In today’s diversified wave of global economy, the jewelry industry, as the shining star of the luxury market, is experiencing both opportunities and challenges. In recent years, thanks to the sustained and steady development of the domestic economy and the rising income level of the public, the market demand for jewelry products has shown a continuous rise, which has strongly driven the expansion of the market scale of the entire industry. According to statistics, the scale of China’s jewelry market reached RMB 820 billion in FY2023, representing a year-on-year growth of 14% (Figure 1).
2) Solid growth in the jewelry market
According to a joint research report by the Gems and Jewelry Trade Association of China (2024) and Frost & Sullivan, a renowned market research firm, the market size of China’s jewelry industry has reached a massive volume of approximately RMB 719 billion by the end of 2022. This figure not only highlights the continued growth in domestic consumer demand for high-end accessories and luxury goods, but also reflects the jewelry market’s solid position in the overall trend of consumer upgrading. Looking ahead, the report forecasts that between 2022 and 2027, the Chinese jewelry industry is expected to have a
Data source: Gems and Jewelry Trade Association of China (2024), “2023 China Jewelry Industry Development Report”.
Figure 1. China Jewelry Industry Market Size, 2019-2023 (in billions of Yuan).
CAGR of up to 4.8%, and will expand steadily at a CAGR of approximately 4.8% per annum, with the market size projected to further climb to a new height of approximately RMB 909.4 billion by 2027.
3) Tax rate policy support
The Proposal on Adjusting the Tax Rate of Gold Jewelry was put forward during the 2024 Session, which advocated setting a stepped consumption tax rate based on the retail price of jewelry, with the aim of reducing the pressure on the tax burden of enterprises and enhancing their profit margins, so that they can have more resources to spend on product research and development and innovation activities, and support the sustainable development of the industry.
4.2. Threats
1) High industry concentration
According to the authoritative data released by Euromonitor International, the market concentration of China’s jewelry industry in FY2022 has demonstrated significant growth. Specifically, the industry’s CR4 has reached 26.4%, an increase compared to the past, clearly indicating that market resources and consumer preferences are gradually converging towards the head enterprises. And the indicator of CR8 has further increased to 32.9 per cent, revealing that the market share of the dominant group of enterprises in the market is expanding at an accelerated pace. However, higher market concentration leads to a lack of innovation drive and a sense of urgency to improve service quality among jewelry enterprises. Due to their relatively solid market share, leading enterprises may be satisfied with the status quo, reduce R&D investment and slow down product upgrades, which in turn affects technological advancement and consumer welfare of the entire industry (Figure 2).
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Data source: Gems and Jewelry Trade Association of China (2024), China Jewelry Industry Development Report 2023.
Figure 2. A-share Jewelry Listed Companies’ Operating Income (RMB billion) in the First Three Quarters of 2023 and Comparison.
2) Increased competition in the market
With emerging brands entering the jewelry sector with innovative design concepts and flexible marketing strategies, as well as fast fashion brands leveraging their ability to respond quickly to market changes to enter the jewelry business, the jewelry market has become more competitive than ever before. For example, fashion accessories, including but not limited to all kinds of creatively designed alloy jewelry, simulated jewelry and handicrafts made of novel materials, have successfully attracted a large number of young and mid-range consumers by virtue of their versatile design styles, affordable pricing and rapid trend updating. These newcomers not only offer a wider range of choices in terms of price, attracting customers at different levels of consumption, but also make bold attempts to follow or even lead the fashion trend in product design, meeting the needs of modern consumers for personality and instant gratification. As a result, the jewelry industry is facing a huge challenge.
3) Shift in consumer attitudes
With rapid socio-economic development and increasingly frequent global cultural exchanges, today’s consumers are experiencing profound changes in their consumer attitudes. In the past, the value of jewelry as a symbol of wealth and status was often directly linked to the rarity and preciousness of the material. However, today, with the rise of the middle class and the emergence of Millennials and Generation Z as the main consumer force, the trend towards personality and emotional consumption has increased significantly. When choosing jewelry, consumers pay more attention to the emotional value carried by the product, the uniqueness of the design and the personality and attitude towards life it expresses, rather than simply pursuing the luxury of the material (Figure 3).
Data source: Ali Consumer Insights, TMIC September questionnaire survey (N = 897).
Figure 3. Preferred style of jewelry gold jewelry worn.
5. Analysis of Existing Cultural Marketing Strategies for Jewelry Brands
1) Storytelling Marketing Model
In today’s competitive market environment, brand storytelling has become a brilliant marketing art, which is not only limited to simply stating the origin and growth history of a brand, but also digging deeper into those elements that can touch people’s hearts. For example, DR Jewelry has carefully woven the brand story of “Love only one person in a lifetime”, which not only tells the romantic intention behind its establishment, but also cleverly integrates this promise into each product design, letting consumers feel not only a piece of jewelry, but also a vow of fidelity to love. In addition, the brand will also make use of its related legendary figures or historical events, such as the concept of well-known designers, the heritage of ancient craftsmanship, to enrich its narrative level, to further enhance the attractiveness of the story and persuasive. For example, Cartier has built a brand image of luxury and nobility with its long history and stories of the favor of royalty. Another example, Chow Tai Fook through the story of its growth from a small gold shop to an internationally renowned brand development process, conveying the brand for the quality and integrity of the firm, which not only enriches the cultural connotation of the brand, but also deepen the consumer’s awareness of the brand and trust.
Through these emotionally rich narratives, jewelry brands are able to implant deep memory points in the minds of consumers, making the brand not just a provider of goods, but part of the consumer’s personal story. Especially at important moments in life such as marriage proposals, weddings, anniversaries, etc., the combination of the brand’s story and the individual’s emotional experience can greatly enhance the motivation to buy. In addition, this emotional connection promotes word-of-mouth communication, as people tend to share brand stories that touch their hearts, further expanding the brand’s influence. Increased brand loyalty, not only in terms of repeat purchase behavior, but also in terms of consumers’ willingness to pay a brand premium, is particularly important in the high-end jewelry market, where consumers often seek value recognition and emotional satisfaction beyond the product itself. In the digital age, this strategy is also widely disseminated through social media, brand websites and content marketing, enabling brand stories to reach potential consumers across the globe and across geographical boundaries.
2) Personalization and customized service marketing model
In this era of pursuing uniqueness and self-expression, providing personality design and customary services has become one of the key strategies for many brands to stand out. Taking I Do Jewelry as an example, its customized wedding ring service not only meets consumers’ expectations for high-quality jewelry, but more importantly, it allows every customer to participate in the design process of their own love tokens, from choosing the material, designing the style, to engraving their love vows, with every detail carefully crafted according to their personal preferences. This highly personality service makes each final product presented not only jewelry itself, but also a unique carrier of emotions and deep memories, reinforcing the emotional value and commemorative significance of the product.
The personalized service strategy has had a positive impact on a number of levels. Firstly, it significantly enhances the consumer’s sense of engagement and belonging. When customers are personally involved in the creation of a product, this work becomes part of their personal story, an emotional link that goes far beyond the depths that traditional purchasing behavior can achieve. Secondly, highly personalized service directly enhances customer satisfaction as consumers’ needs and expectations are met beyond the norm. Satisfied customers tend to share their positive experiences through word-of-mouth, which is an extremely effective form of natural marketing for brands, helping to attract more potential customers, especially in today’s highly developed social media world, where a great personalized experience is likely to quickly create a buzz on the web, generating widespread exposure and acclaim for the brand.
3) A marketing model for immersive experiences
Immersive experiential marketing strategies focus on creating unique and unforgettable brand touchpoints, allowing customers to experience the brand’s story in a holistic and multi-sensory way through a deep fusion of technological innovation and cultural connotation. For example, brand-exclusive experience shops are not only limited to the careful arrangement of physical space, but also introduce augmented reality (AR) technology, allowing customers to try different jewelry styles in a virtual environment, such as Van Cleef & Arpels (Van Cleef & Arpels) using AR technology, so that consumers can experience the glittering glamour of fine jewelry at home. Brick-and-mortar shops have become the physical manifestation of the brand’s story, through the provision of customized services, cultural exhibitions related to the brand’s history, and interactive design workshops, such as gemstone appraisal courses set up in Bulgari boutiques, which allow customers to gain an in-depth understanding of the brand’s craftsmanship and legacy through participation, thus establishing a deeper connection with the brand on a psychological level.
At the heart of what makes this type of immersive experience marketing such an effective tool for shaping a brand’s impact is the dual mechanism of deep engagement and emotional resonance. This emotional resonance encourages customers to become brand ambassadors and share these unforgettable experiences in their social circles. Whether it is through the social media to show the photos taken during the experience, or through word of mouth among friends and family, customers’ spontaneous sharing is the most authentic and convincing publicity for the brand. Word of mouth plays a huge role in this process. When customers feel that they are an integral part of a brand’s story and have established a deep emotional bond with the brand, they are more inclined to continue choosing the brand in the future, or even become lifelong customers. This loyalty is not only reflected in repeat purchase behavior, but also in the anticipation of new products from the brand, active participation in brand activities, and active maintenance in the face of negative external evaluations, forming a virtuous circle that continues to consolidate and expand the brand’s loyal fan base.
4) Marketing models for digital media and content output
In the field of digital media, brands have built an all-encompassing content ecosystem using a variety of content formats and communication channels. This includes regular interviews with designers, behind-the-scenes production reveals and wearable displays on social media. For example, Piaget publishes inspiration and design sketches for its fine jewelry on its brand blog, so that customers can understand the craftsmanship behind each piece. Meanwhile, key opinion leaders and brand ambassadors, such as CHANEL, have joined forces with opinion leaders in the fashion world to promote their classic jewelry collections and develop storytelling around their signature elements, such as the camellia motif, to reinforce brand identity.
Digital content marketing strategies greatly broaden a brand’s reach, enabling it to reach potential customers on a global scale. Through carefully crafted storytelling content and visual feasts, brands effectively create an emotional connection with their target audience, piquing their interest and curiosity and driving them from admirers to consumers. In addition, combined with the seamless linking of e-commerce platforms, content marketing directly contributes to the growth of online sales, while at the same time generating traffic to offline shops, realize the effect of linking online and offline marketing. This strategy not only deepens the brand image, but also significantly improves market competitiveness and business efficiency.
6. Perspective on the Current Jewelry Brand Culture Marketing Problems
1) The proliferation of cultural elements without refinement
In today’s jewelry market, many brands have attempted to integrate cultural elements into product design and marketing activities, with a view to standing out and attracting consumers’ attention in a market with serious homogeneity. However, this common practice is often simply attaching cultural symbols to products, lacking in-depth exploration and insight into cultural connotations, resulting in the final marketing content appears empty and lack of novelty. For example, the frequent use of common totems such as dragons, phoenixes and lotus flowers, without elaborating on the deeper cultural significance behind them or organically integrating them with the brand’s own story, makes the application of these cultural elements programmed and lack of vitality, making it difficult to touch consumers’ emotions, let alone leave a deep brand impression.
2) Consumer engagement overlooked
In the practice of cultural marketing of jewelry brands, a common misunderstanding is that the output of brand information is regarded as a one-way broadcast, ignoring the growing demand for consumer participation in the age of information explosion. This strategy of ignoring the active participation of consumers, although it can achieve a certain degree of exposure in the short term, but it is difficult to plant the seeds of lasting brand identity and loyalty in the minds of consumers. If the brand culture is only a monologue of the enterprise, lacking two-way communication with consumers, it is like a one-man show without audience response, wonderful but lonely.
3) Underutilized digital marketing
In the current market environment, the Internet has become an important battlefield for jewelry brands to spread their culture, especially for young consumers who are in pursuit of fresh experiences, digital marketing is not only a necessary way for brands to reach them, but also the key to shaping the brand image and delivering brand values. However, some brands have failed to keep pace with the digital wave and still rely on traditional marketing methods, resulting in a significant loss of influence and attraction in the young market. This phenomenon reflects a clear lack of digital marketing application, missing the opportunity to establish a deep connection with young consumers through efficient interaction and creative content.
4) Disconnect between brand culture and product
In the complex game of jewelry brand building and marketing, one of the often overlooked but crucial issues is the harmony between brand culture and its product experience. When the jewelry brand culture propaganda presents an ideal vision of beauty, while consumers in actual contact with the product or service but found that there is a significant difference between the two, this disconnect will not only trigger consumer disappointment, more likely to lead to brand credibility of the slippery slope, a significant reduction in the degree of trust. After experiencing the discrepancy between expectations and reality, consumers tend to spread their dissatisfaction through word-of-mouth, posing a serious threat to the long-term development of the brand.
7. Suggestions for Jewelry Brands’ Cultural Marketing Development Strategies
1) Connotation empowers the marketing model
When jewelry brands carry out cultural marketing, they should first conduct in-depth research on the cultural background and preferences of their target markets, which includes but is not limited to regional culture, ethnic customs, historical stories, artistic styles and other dimensions. Through detailed market research, brands can more accurately grasp the interests and cultural sensitivity of consumers, so as to select cultural symbols that are widely recognition and rich in deep stories and symbolism among many cultural materials. For example, for a specific region, local folklore, historical figures or art genres can be explored as a source of design inspiration.
The key lies in how to transform these selected cultural elements into the soul of a jewelry piece through careful design and creative interpretation. Designers need to step out of the traditional framework and use modern aesthetic and technological means to reinterpret ancient cultures and make them compatible with the values and aesthetic trends of contemporary consumers. For example, elements from ancient myths can be combined with minimalist design styles, or high-tech technology can be used to reproduce the details of ancient artworks, so that jewelry is not only a piece of decoration, but also a masterpiece of art that carries a rich cultural story.
2) Interactive symbiotic marketing model
Jewelry brands should actively explore and implement a range of strategies to promote active consumer engagement. The first step is to make full use of the power of social media. Social media platforms such as Weibo, WeChat and Jitterbug are not only channels for information dissemination, but also valuable windows for real-time interaction with consumers and collecting feedback. Brands can encourage user-generated content by organizing topic challenges, online quizzes, live streaming interactions, etc., so that consumers’ voices become an integral part of the brand narrative. Such participation not only enhances the user’s sense of belonging, but also enables the brand story to be more diverse and vivid, effectively enhancing the brand’s social influence.
In addition, combining online and offline activities to create an immersive cultural experience is also an effective way to enhance consumer engagement. For example, holding brand culture festivals, workshops, flash shops or product experience sessions allows consumers to experience the cultural values and craftsmanship behind jewelry brands. Customized service is another highly adhesive card. By allowing consumers to participate in the personalized design of the product, such as customized souvenir jewelry and exclusive packaging, it can greatly enhance the uniqueness of the product and the consumer’s emotional investment, making every purchase an unforgettable brand experience.
3) Digital Intelligence Fusion Marketing Model
Jewelry brands need to deeply understand and actively respond to the changing trends of digital marketing and strengthen their influence in the digital space such as the creative use of AR technology. Augmented reality (AR), as a cutting-edge technology, can provide an immersive experience, allowing young consumers to feel the unique charm of the brand in the blend of virtual and reality. For example, jewelry brands can use AR technology to allow customers to try on different styles online and feel the effect of wearing them; cultural attractions can be guided through AR, allowing users to appreciate the historical and cultural heritage of the attractions at home. This interactive and novel way of experience greatly enhances the efficiency and attractiveness of brand culture communication.
In addition, an intuitive and easy-to-use online design and interaction platform can be created with the help of digital tools to achieve personalization. Customers can participate in every detail of the jewelry design by freely choosing the type of gemstone, metal material, design style, and even uploading personalized patterns or symbolic elements through this platform. The platform should also provide a 3D preview function so that customers can view the effect of the customized product from all angles to ensure that the final product meets expectations.
4) Finished products in one marketing model
Jewelry brands need to take active measures to ensure that the kernel of brand culture can penetrate into every detail of product design, quality control, customer service, etc., to achieve a high degree of consistency between brand promise and actual experience. The first is the deep integration of product design. Brand culture should be regarded as the guiding principle at the early stage of product design, whether it is appearance modelling, function setting, or material selection, all should reflect the values and aesthetic orientation advocated by the brand. For example, brands that emphasis environmental protection should prioritizing sustainable materials and recyclability in their product design, rather than just talking about green ideas in advertisements.
Secondly, quality management needs to be consistent. Product quality is a direct reflection of the brand’s commitment, high-quality products are the cornerstone to support the brand culture. The brand needs to establish a strict quality control system to ensure that each jewelry product can meet the high standards advertised, so that consumers can feel the brand’s heart and commitment to deliver every time they use.
Finally, internal culture needs to be nurtured and disseminated. The internal and external consistency of brand culture firstly originates from the internal, enterprises need to create a working environment consistent with the brand culture, through internal training, team building and other activities, so that employees become true believers of the brand culture, to ensure that their words and deeds can reflect the brand values, so as to naturally flow in external interactions, and to enhance the consumer’s sense of identity with the brand culture.
8. Summaries
The cultural marketing model of jewelry brand is experiencing unprecedented innovation and change in the digital era. This paper discusses the development environment of today’s jewelry brand cultural marketing and the existing jewelry brand cultural marketing model, analyzes and finds that the existing model has some deficiencies, based on which it puts forward innovative jewelry brand cultural marketing model suggestions. In the future development path, jewelry brands should continue to explore the infinite potential of digital tools, and continue to integrate the boundaries of art, technology and culture to create more diversified marketing scenarios. At the same time, it should strengthen emotional communication with consumers, grasp social trends, integrate contemporary issues such as sustainable development and cultural diversity into the brand narrative, and shape a brand image with a sense of responsibility and temperature. The innovation of jewelry brand cultural marketing mode is essentially an accurate response and forward-looking foresight of the deep-rooted needs of consumers. In this process, maintaining a high degree of sensitivity to market changes, the courage to try and breakthroughs, while adhering to the core values and cultural heritage of the brand, will be the key to the jewelry brand in the wave of digitalization to ride the wave and lead the trend. In the future, jewelry brands that are able to skillfully integrate traditional craftsmanship and modern technology, tell a good brand story, and provide excellent personalized experiences will certainly shine brighter in China and even in the global market.
Fund Project
2024 College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program Project of Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology—“Research on the Construction of Jewelry Brand Cultural Marketing System” (Project No.: 106).