Male Idols and Branding in Chinese Luxury: Fashion, Cosmetics, and Popular Culture

Description

Challenging the Western view of idols as objects of worship, this book explores the role that male idols play in fashion and cosmetics brand marketing in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau; including the role of the female gaze. It examines idols in the more modern, pan-Asian sense of the word – as objects of social devotion, worshipped by the adoring masses and, in China and Korea, as objects of social and moral uplift. The contemporary idol wields great power – the power to influence taste, and to sell – and Male Idols and Branding in Chinese Luxury focuses on their ability to arouse the consumer appetite to buy. In China, popular culture idols play a vital role in the luxury fashion and cosmetics industries as brand ambassadors and this volume fills a critical gap in the English-language literature on this key element of the marketing industry, bringing together authors from the United States and China, and featuring case studies on idols Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan. Through considering the subtleties of branding and marketing in China, Korea, and Japan, and the relationship of Chinese idols to fans and consumers in other Asian countries, the authors delve into brand-idol collaborations, particularly through lenses of brand image and toxic fan culture. Cover Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Contents Illustrations Contributors Some Notes on Pronunciation Acknowledgments Preface: “Are you that Unicorn?” 1 Introductions—Peacocks: Male Idols and Marketing in China Peacocks About this Book Places and Spaces of Luxury Capitalism in China A Fine Arts Perspective Some Notes About Language and Methodology Fans and Idols: Situating Idol Studies Roses Only: The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Xiao Zhan 2 Exploring the Relationship Between Fashion Brands, Culture Idols, and Fans: The Power of Naming as Market Strategy Introduction Male Idols as Brand Ambassadors in Marketing Skincare and Cosmetic Products The Practice of the Power to Name Case Study: Naming Practices in the Fashion Brand–Idol–Fan Relationship Conclusion 3 Idol Case Study—Wang Yibo, Aloof White Peony of Luoyang: Subverting Celebrity Styling Wang Yibo The Importance of Male Idols in the Marketing of Cosmetics: Xiao Xian Rou (Little Fresh Meat) Kid, you’re the Best 4 Capitalizing Yaoi/Danmei Fans: Fashion Brands and Male Popular Culture Idols as Brand Ambassadors in the Chinese Fashion Market Introduction BL/Yaoi/Danmei Theories AO3 Case Study Conclusion 5 A Comparative Perspective: The Culture of Korean K-Pop Idols as Brand Ambassadors Korean Brand Ambassadors in Global Markets The Korea Craze and the Hallyu Ban in China The Matter of Military Service Conclusion: Successful Idols, Successful Nation Epilogue: Xinjiang Cotton Postscript: China Bans Xiao Xian Rou Glossary Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #idolsbook Notes Bibliography Index