The Year of the Snake is just around the corner.
Accurately interpreting the cultural symbol of the Chinese zodiac snake — and using it as inspiration for design and creativity — have emerged as central themes in luxury marketing during the weeks leading up to Chinese New Year on 29 January. However, while the marketing landscape around Chinese New Year has always been a competitive arena for brands, crafting an engaging narrative around the Year of the Snake has presented unique challenges.
The snake serves as the primary prototype of the Chinese mythical dragon and reflects the ancient reverence of the Chinese people, symbolising the force of life and the perpetual laws of nature. But in contemporary society, Chinese people often perceive snakes as cold-blooded, cunning and dangerous creatures. In the numerous cultural and artistic expressions of recent decades, snakes frequently appear as unfavourable symbols.
Narrating a culturally significant tale of the Year of the Snake has therefore posed challenges in China, especially against a backdrop of difficult trading conditions. China’s luxury market declined by 18 to 20 per cent in 2024 and is expected to remain flat this year, according to management consultancy Bain Co’s latest report, released 21 January. It’s hoped that, after a slow start, sales will improve in the latter half of 2025 — but in the meantime, the market is bracing for turbulence.
This makes it all the more important to get marketing moves right. Italian heritage brand Bvlgari stands as a prime example: the brand has managed to seamlessly integrate with traditional zodiac snake culture thanks to its iconic Serpenti series, which it first launched in 1948 and has remained one of its top sellers since.
On 8 January, Bvlgari opened its ‘Serpenti Infinito’ exhibition in Zhangyuan, Shanghai. The exhibition, which runs until 16 February, showcases the Serpenti series of watches and jewellery, along with several exclusive high-end jewellery pieces. The brand invited 19 artists from China and elsewhere, including Xu Bing, Luo Ming, Qiu Anxiong, Cate Mercier and Refik Anadol, to create 28 artworks for display alongside the jewellery.
“Our special exhibition enhances the Chinese people’s understanding of snakes, thanks to Bvlgari’s profound cultural foundation in this area, while also delving into the inspirations the brand has drawn and how it encourages artists to create new works of art,” says Bvlgari’s global CEO Jean-Christophe Babin. “These new works may also inspire our jewellery designers and encourage them to craft innovative pieces.”
Luxury brands that lack this overt link to the snake have instead opted to collaborate with local creatives and tap into the cultural themes.
Bottega Veneta coupled up with celebrated filmmaker and photographer Wing Shya to produce a short film featuring brand ambassadors Shu Qi and Tony Yang, as well as actor Fan Wei. The filming took place in Liuyang, Hunan Province, known as the birthplace of fireworks. The night sky served as a backdrop, with fireworks illuminating the scene, symbolising the joyous occasion of embracing new hope together. The production highlights a curated collection of ready-to-wear and accessories for the Year of the Snake, featuring elements like bionic scale-like knitting (a way to produce materials that look like snakeskin), sequins, earth-tone patterns, curved lines and snake-shaped handles.
Another widely discussed campaign is Prada’s. The brand introduced a podcast series in Mandarin, collaboratively designed and presented by curator and writer Wang Ruhui. The image of the snake is analysed through discussions with cultural leaders, exploring its significance across various contexts and artistic expressions. Simultaneously, Prada revealed a dedicated logo for the Year of the Snake: the lines are elegantly winding and subtly elongated, transforming the classic knot logo into a head and a tail.
Chinese brands tend to have less emphasis on dedicated Chinese New Year campaigns and branding compared to their Western counterparts, instead focusing on discounts, new products and straightforward advertising. One of a few Chinese brands to make an effort to connect with snake culture this year is To Summer, a fragrance line that has investment from L’Oréal Group. In December, To Summer unveiled its Chinese New Year campaign as well as a limited-edition collection of four fragrances, inspired by traditional folklore.
While several luxury brands have launched Year of the Snake-inspired offerings, the conversation surrounding these products is significantly diminished compared to prior years, when luxury consumption was surging. On Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu (aka Red Note), the hashtag for the coming year has so far garnered 560 million views. In contrast, the hashtag for the Year of the Dragon has reached 1.27 billion (albeit over a longer period of time).
In some ways, Chinese New Year marketing has become a way to gauge consumer confidence as we enter the new year. Despite the overall downturn in the luxury market and the apprehension among Chinese consumers, Babin asserts that 2025 will be “a year of restored confidence”. He predicts that, as the economy improves and individuals regain their confidence, they will gradually begin to spend some of their savings. As a result, he concludes: “I believe this year will serve as a period of transition.”
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