PARIS, France - May 13, 2016 - PRLog -- In collaboration with the Paris-based digital leader Paris Chérie, which connects young Chinese mainlanders with luxury brands, 12 French brand leaders partnered to host a 'Once Upon a Time in Paris' visit to the French capital (April 25-29).
Reaching out to a digital audience in China of more than 12M on Weibo and upwards of 2.2M on WeChat, three Chinese KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) highlighted the importance of a digital strategy in China for French brands.
The guests, journalist Gu Chenxi (Echo Enjoys) and fashion and lifestyle influencers Wang Si (Colorblocker) and Chen Huixian (Zi Tong) touched down in Paris with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates.
The Chinese represent the biggest segment of buyers of French luxury goods. The majority of their purchasing decisions are informed by online research.
For young Chinese women, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) - those in-touch writers and bloggers - are major influencers and will drive the next wave of luxury growth, by relating their experiences in Paris to their millions of online followers.
Paris Chérie organised the five-day 'Once Upon a Time in Paris' visit in conjunction with the Paris Tourist Office, including partnerships with Paris Aéroport, Cultival, Paris-Trip and Les Balades de Magalie.
The visit showed the KOLs an insider's view of Paris luxury, highlighting two unique hotels, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice Paris, where the guests stayed.
Welcomed for breakfast at Christian Louboutin, they saw custom shoes made by hand, and later learned about artisanal craftsmanship at Cire Trudon, candle makers since 1643. They enjoyed a rare view of Chaumet - with a private tour of the jewellery house, took in an evening at the Lido, a visit to the Opéra Garnier, a day's fashion photo-shoot at Disneyland Paris and a morning of beauty treatments at La Prairie followed by lunch at Les Fables de la Fontaine.
The trip emphasised French gastronomy - they ate and drank at some of Paris's legendary restaurants, including the famed Baccarat Cristal Room, and meeting chef Guy Martin at Le Grand Véfour, as well as meeting chef Alain Ducasse at Le Meurice Paris. During a private lunch at the caviar house Restaurant Petrossian 'Le 144', Madame Petrossian and Madame Taittinger, of the Taittinger wine family, shared their knowledge on pairing different champagnes with a variety of caviars.
"Connecting to the Chinese in the digital sphere is critical," said Julien Pruvost, managing director of Cire Trudon. "We have no time to wait. We must seize the opportunity to speak to these discerning new consumers who reach a very large audience."
"One year ago, we confronted the issue of joining the social media conversation," said Vitalie Taittinger, director of marketing for the family-owned champagne house. "We recognise this is non-negotiable in terms of speaking to our Chinese consumers."
Susan Owens, the founder of www.parischerie.com, said, "This trip was our response to French brands who ask; 'How can we reach out to the new, independent Chinese travellers?' When shopping decisions are made long before arrival, and all information is digital, the only answer is to engage with them on the platforms they prefer and which influence their decisions through people they trust."
Key Facts:
· Chinese purchase 44% of all French luxury goods
· 70% say they prefer to shop in Paris for: 1. Price, 2. Authenticity, 3. Choice
· Women lead the trend for independent overseas travel, accounting for 62% of outbound travellers in 2015
· These independent travellers are younger than their European counterparts: 60% being within the consumer "sweet spot" of between 25 and 45.
· They spend 35% more on luxury goods than Americans of the same age (18-29)
· Known to insiders as the '7-pocket spenders' they often have money from two sets of grandparents, their parents - plus their own savings
· They are more educated, with 70% having at least a Bachelor's Degree
· Women now account for more than 50% of China's luxury spending
· They are more adventurous than men, preferring the pleasure of discovering iconic Paris fashion and beauty brands, splashing out on famed restaurants and seeking pretty museums off the beaten track.
About the Influencers
Chen Huixian - Beijing
She boasts 10M visits on her Sina blog. Her news of fashion and lifestyle is hosted on 14-plus diverse, digital accounts - including Sohu, Meilishuo, PCLady and Rayli. She has 605K fans on Weibo and 135K followers on WeChat.
Gu Chenxi - Shanghai
A brand connoisseur and seasoned journalist who writes on fashion, beauty and culture, Gu has been published in Chinese editions of Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire. She has 137K followers on Weibo and 11,540K on WeChat.
Wang Si - Shanghai
Known to her Chinese fans as Colorblocker, her personal style is an inspiration to her 350,000 followers. She has a Weibo site with 130K fans. An overnight streetstyle star, her rapid rise has garnered a loyal following and she is viewed as an expert on travelling independently. She writes in English and Chinese.
About Paris Chérie
Paris Cherie www.parischerie.com is a digital 'universe' connecting the world's youngest and fastest growing luxury consumers to the French brands they love, with original content written by Chinese journalists in Paris.
Founded in 2013, Paris Chérie was the pioneer website in Simplified Chinese (also in English) from Paris. It holds a publishing license in China.
Its followers across the major cities in China regularly credit their favourite website with introducing them to exciting French brands.
"I planned all my shopping for my Paris trip including a lunch in Le Meurice, thanks to the website," said Han Xiao, a Beijing university student.
Commenting on the trip, Gu Chenxi said, "I have been to Paris many times but never before have I truly understood l'art de vivre. Now I'm quite sure of what that means."
Contact
Susan Owens (Founder/Publisher)
Paris Cherie
***@parischerie.com
Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)
Read Full Story - Paris Chérie hosts Chinese Digital Influencers to Paris | More news from this source
Press release distribution by PRLog
