Why is this work relevant for Integrated?

This work is relevant for Integrated because it is using creative online and offline approaches to promote Intangible Cultural Heritage in an integrated way. VIP Love Workshop leveraged The Big4 Fashion Week (London Fashion Week & Paris Fashion Week) and domestic music festival (Strawberry Music Festival) to enhance the international fashion endorsement and strength of the fashion style of ICH*, also initiated conversation and consumer engagement on multiple media platforms to drive ICH awareness and fashion item sales.

Background

Situation:  China‘s traditional handicrafts are facing a crisis of inheritance. Most are concentrated far from urban areas and many of the young embroiderers who have ICH skills have to leave their hometowns to make a livelihood because these traditional skills do not provide a living income. VIP.com is a leading e-commerce site in China, and a leader in the clothing industry. In 2017, the VIP Love Workshop initiative was established as a public good platform to activate and preserve these craft skills, in addition to improving the quality of life of cultural heritage craftswomen and their families. Brief & Objective： • Promote the inheritance and activation of ICH • Arouse consumer interest in buying handicraft products • Provide a market space for fashion products with ICH elements to attract more brands to participate in its protection and inheritance. • Enhance awareness of the importance of ICH to China’s government

Describe the creative idea

VIP Love Workshop leveraged two international fashion stage (London Fashion Week & Paris Fashion Week) and a domestic music festival (Strawberry Music Festival) to spread the unique ancient beauty of ICH, in order to tag ICH with fashion and approach to younger generation consumers.

Describe the strategy

Target audience of the campaign including：  Embroiderers who have intangible cultural heritage manual skills  Fashion and shopping enthusiasts  Relevant brands that follow fashion and traditional culture  China’s government Integration and approach  Cooperate with domestic and foreign designers, and different brands, to develop multiple intangible cultural fashion products  Demonstrate the beauty of Chinese intangible culture on the world stage through London Fashion Week, Strawberry Music Festival and Paris Fashion Week  Leverage multiple media to drive traffic and sales of the Good Purpose Sale event themed “Awakening Ancient Beauty of Intangible Cultural Heritage”.

Describe the execution

Jun,2018-London Fashion Week  Invited international fashion models to wear ICH apparel and be photographed at famous London attractions.  ICH fashion products unveiled at the Women Sustainable Development and Handicrafts Innovation Exhibition Sep,2018-Stawberry Music Festival  Launched ICH pop-up store to show fashion products and set up an interactive area for visitors to experience and dress in ICH products.  Electronic rock band dressed in ICH costumes and performed. Oct,2018-Paris Fashion Week  Invited young idols and fashionistas dressed in ICH apparel to experience the runway and take fashion photos. Initiate conversation and consumer engagement on multiple social platforms  ICH shown on multiple social platforms including Weibo, WeChat and Tik Tok with contents such as long figures, posters, short videos and interactive games.  Initiate conversation about “Awakening Ancient Beauty of Intangible Cultural Heritage” on Weibo to drive attention and traffic to the Good Purpose Sales Event.

List the results

Reach & Engagement  Generated over 300 media articles，highlighting key messages of protection and inheritance of ICH with brand name.  Total gained 21m impressions and 18m engagement on social media platform. Impact:  Achievement：  Total sales of the VIP Love Workshop increased 14.8 times compared to the first year2.  As of November 2018, more than 200 ICH fashion items have been produced.  The income of embroiderers increased by 74.5% compared to the first year.  As of November 2018, more than 20 brands,10 fashion designers and a number of professional institutions have joined the ICH activation and protection campaign with VIP Love Workshop.  Social Impact：  Embroiderers can gain income for themselves and the local area through their manual skills, and the phenomenon of left-behind children and empty nesters will be gradually improved.  ICH gaining more acceptance and popularity among the younger generation.