Global and local brands have to think of creative collaborations to build themselves a place in the cultural dimensions of the Asia–Pacific (APAC) region. Almost four out of five APAC consumers are expecting brands to do more to capture the essence of the actual lifestyle and culture of Asian people in their advertising. 48% are even attracted to brands that raise voices against the issues of the local societal interest, whereas 49% are more concerned about the MNCs lowering the chance of success for the local brands.

Here are the possible strategies to get the cross-industry collaboration correct.

Converging Cultural Capital with Niche Society

Brands should focus on a specific interest in the cultural aspects and niche markets that have shared love for it. This will help strengthen the connection between the brands and their customers, expanding the community, and conveying their focus toward authenticity.

Firstly, the brands have to analyze their target audience to identify potential collaborators who have an emotional connection with the audience. They have to focus on listening and collecting data with which they have segmented their customers through factors in psychographic aspects including culture, values, interests, and more. It is also ideal to encourage collaboration with local, small, and independent companies that have won the hearts of the customers.

The retail space has to act as a cultural and social facilitator in the long term. The brands have an opportunity here to promote their collaboration with experimental touchpoints and activations that will act as the specific hangout spot for the communities. As for community-based education, brands can bring in Key Opinion Leaders and Key Opinion Consumers.

Randomevent of China did the SS24 collection, Gathering, in collaboration with local brands All Club, LFRC, and Avenue & Son as an homage to the 90s. The label also partnered with indie record brand Fruityshop for a jazz-streetwear-themed physical activation in March 2024.

In May 2024, Indonesia’s Studio Tui collaborated with other domestic brands Camani Basic, Pvra, and Mooei to organize a Circle pop-up in Jakarta. Japan’s Gramicci and And Wander did a collaborative capsule collection in March 2024 which got the attention of the cohort The Functionalists. cheak from Singapore released activation, cheak Sweat Month, in partnership with local gyms, spas, and membership clubs.

Culturally-forward Contents

Enhancing one’s hyperlocal partnerships that push the boundaries of one’s identity is important here to create a personal interaction to get in contact with Asian customers. The brands have to build a strategy that narrates the memories of the customers in a modern way to inspire the viewers with a better vision of the future. However, global brands must work carefully with a sensitivity toward culture and be in touch with local minds to prevent any appropriation.

They have to join the celebrations of cultural events, creatives, and crafts from the centers of non-urban regions to work on the rural revival strategies. Prioritizing the preservation of culture and tradition by conveying the tangibility and authenticity of the collaboration that the local communities can relate to is another option.

Global and local labels have the chance to consider social entrepreneurship partnerships with local charities, and non-governmental organizations. Young brands need to work on establishing an independent space-giving initiative to build a community underground.

In May 2024, Aesop worked on the restoration of Qing Dynasty princes Pulun and Pudong’s residence to host its Beijing pop-up. Anita Dongre presented its collection in Jaipur’s City Palace for the fundraising event Rewild’23: Fashion For Good in partnership with UN Women, NGO Canopy as well as Princess Diya Kumari Foundation.

Zhou Liu Fu, a jewelry brand from China, did a campaign for the 520 capsule collection, teaming up with Summer Palace in Beijing, reimagining the imperial wedding of the Qing Dynasty with animations and modern upbeat music. Dior presented its Pre-Fall 2023 collection in Gateway of India in alliance with local communities such as Chanakya atelier. The brand also supported the Chanakya School of Crafts for several years.

The brands can also focus on the luxury sides of heritage to get a position as the regional fashion tastemakers through harnessing the cultural and traditional powers along with going above the over-saturated consumer market to reach the museum-like contents and facade.

They can provide a platform for budding talents and embrace more creative festivals such as Busan Film Festival, Tokyo and Bangkok Design Week, and Define: Seoul. The global players have to encourage cross-cultural and national-level flow by looping local communities into their exhibitions. These local and regional stars are cost-efficient in bringing the curation in cultural aspects with contents such as lo-fi and nu-indie. Those contents spotlight niche and hyper-local themes. Brands have to take inspiration from the zines designed by independent media houses, community leaders, and publishing houses.

Another choice is to showcase one’s store as a gallery to turn the touchpoints into museum-influenced spaces. Brands can get the nocturnal aspects of lifestyle in this part by repurposing their stores to be more apt spaces after the dark too. Having debates, workshops, and discussions in culture to check out the consumers’ taste on the night to know more about the emerging nightlife in APAC.

Brands have to allow their retail and merchandising groups to be more socially experimentative and creatively free to display cultural impact as a business metric with media impact value.
Chanel did a Now & Next video series based on the Korean artists of Frieze. Prada had Prada Mode Seoul with a series of screenings, talks, performances, and culinary workshops selected by Tate Research Centre’s Lee Sook-Kyung.

Charles & Keith has showcased its fluency in culture through collaborations with budding artists, and brands including Itzy, Short Sentence, ChetLo, and SHUSHU/TONG. Heineken introduced activations on ‘Enter the Maltiverse’ in Singapore, presenting the music show by Bongomann and Bottlesmoker, Chef’s Table by Stefan Kam, and art audio-video installations by Metamo Industries.

Cover image: Aesop's Beijing pop-up at Qing Dynasty princes Pulun and Pudong’s residence, courtesy Aesop official website.