Cultural spending gains momentum

With China's growing appetite for culture-driven consumption creating new opportunities for renowned foreign brands, Swiss watchmaker Swatch will deepen its engagement in China by expanding collaboration with local artists and bringing artistic aesthetics into more retail, tourism and cultural spheres, said a company executive.

The push comes as the Swatch Art Peace Hotel on Shanghai's Bund — a residency where artists can apply to live and work — celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. Since its establishment in 2011, the program has hosted more than 650 artists from 61 countries and regions, with Chinese artists accounting for roughly one-third of the total, said Carlo Giordanetti, CEO of the hotel and a member of Swatch's management team.

"We have always believed that the work of an artist is something that can bring beauty and meaning to people's daily lives," said Giordanetti, adding that the residency gives artists the time, space and freedom to develop their work without commercial pressure and share their aesthetic visions.

To mark the anniversary, Swatch launched a six-watch collection created with half-a-dozen Chinese artists who previously participated in the residency. Drawing on fields ranging from digital art and ceramic painting to traditional ink works, graffiti and street art, the collection made its global debut in China on Sept 15, nine days before its rollout in other markets.

Giordanetti said the exclusive launch in China — along with the fact that all the artists involved in creating the collection are Chinese — reflects China's importance to the Swiss watchmaker and its commitment to building stronger connections with local consumers.

The company also works with Chinese artists on products specifically associated with local culture, including its annual Chinese New Year watches.

"Such initiatives can also strengthen links between art, retail and tourism. Located where Nanjing Road's pedestrian zone meets the Bund, the Swatch Art Peace Hotel sits in one of Shanghai's busiest areas for both domestic and international visitors, giving the residency and its artists significant public exposure," he added.

For Swatch, Giordanetti said, working with artists reflects a long-term commitment to creativity and cultural exchange rather than a short-term marketing campaign. Younger consumers in particular increasingly value authenticity and expect cultural collaborations to reflect a brand's long-term beliefs rather than short-lived initiatives.

That approach also gives Chinese artists a platform to reach audiences well beyond the residency itself. Swatch said its 15th-anniversary program includes exhibitions and creative collaborations across China and Europe, thereby extending the Shanghai-based program's international reach.

Giordanetti said Swatch will continue to deepen its collaboration with Chinese artists, adding that he hopes they will "continue to surprise" and wow with their creativity.

Guan Lixin, a researcher specializing in marketing and consumption at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing, said Chinese consumers are increasingly looking beyond products themselves, placing greater value on distinctive experiences, cultural relevance and the stories associated with brands.

Shanghai is accelerating efforts to become a world-class consumption destination, with its latest development plan setting targets for retail sales, the debut economy and inbound consumption.

The integration of culture, tourism, commerce and major events is also creating new consumption scenarios.

Spurred by the government's "Shopping in China" initiative and other consumption-friendly measures, Shanghai Customs processed 346,000 departure tax-refund applications from foreign visitors in the first eight months, surging 260 percent year-on-year, with the value of tax-refunded goods rising 47.9 percent to 3.04 billion yuan ($454 million).

zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn