Estée Lauder captures the beauty of Shanghai on TV

Partnerships between brands and television series are a tried and tested formula, and when the product effectively aligns with the core values and style of the series, can be a huge win for everyone involved. Estée Lauder’s partnership with Dragon TV’s Blossoms Shanghai, the new smash-hit series from renowned filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, has set the industry abuzz in China.

The backdrop of the series pays homage to fashion trends and styles of 90s Shanghai and pays meticulous attention to the essence of the city’s culture. As one of the series’ official sponsors, Estée Lauder skillfully integrates its brand and products within the world created.

Here are a few examples we love:

1. The history of the Estée Lauder brand is visited in the series. Viewers watch its beginnings in Shanghai, with the opening of an Estée Lauder counter in the city in 1993. This moment and the upscale image of the brand seamlessly connect with subsequent plots in the series, such as a character showing off her Estée Lauder lipstick purchase.
2. Estée Lauder cleverly chose the series as its on-screen partner, due to the strong audience overlap. Blossoms Shanghai won the Mao Dun Literature Prize, and the series’ strong mix of art, culture, beauty and a refined lifestyle makes this a highly lucrative opportunity to attract potential customers and increase brand awareness.
3. From Re-Nutriv facial cream sold in boutiques to the lipstick worn by fashionable restaurant waitresses, Estée Lauder products are presented in ways which feel organic to the series.
4. To continue the partnership online, Estée Lauder uses moments from the series which showcase certain products and uses them in short-form advertising videos, accompanied by captions with memorable quotes from characters, creating a compelling promotional campaign which aligns with the storyline.
5. Estée Lauder is on the pulse of social media chatter, and recently they announced that renowned actress Ma Yili, who plays an important role in the series, has become their brand ambassador for skincare.

As one of the earliest beauty brands to enter the Chinese market, Estée Lauder’s products are still widely recognized as star products. This partnership as an official sponsor of Blossoms Shanghai marks Estée Lauder’s first sponsorship of a domestic TV series.

Launched in 1956, the Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Regenerating Youth Cream has a strong presence in the series, and in line with the series’ marketing campaign, the brand launched a new version, Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Cream.

While Estée Lauder Group’s revenue experienced a year-on-year decline, according to the fiscal year 2023 report, the recent launch of the Blossoms Shanghai-inspired new product has helped propel the brand’s Re-Nutriv line into the top-selling category among similar products.