Research and Other Investigations from China

China Cultural Corporatism: CK1 Touts Far East Movement

An urbane crowd packs into Tango for a ck1 branded concert and party in Beijing

Beijing is chock-full of branded events these days. Whether it’s Diane von Furstenberg at Pace Gallery or Louis Vuitton at the National Museum of China, many fashion houses and luxury brands are trying to wedge themselves into the lucrative Chinese consumer market by pairing up with “legitimate” cultural institutions. Calvin Klein was no different when they rolled into Beijing and threw a party at Club Tango featuring performances by New Pants/新裤子 from Beijing and Far East Movement from Los Angeles. New Pants played a very short set including my current favorite “Sex, Drugs, Internet” while the Far East Movement rocked the energetic crowd with their “Like a G6” hit – see videos below. Otherwise, one corner of the dance floor was dominated by a specially constructed mini-studio where people could be videotaped dancing around a white room in the same manner as recent Calvin Klein advertisements. The only caveat was that anyone entering the box signed away their rights to the video in hopes of being selected for a future Calvin Klein campaign or web feature. People around the mini-studio could also watch live feeds of the antics occurring inside via flatscreens built into the siding. Overall it was a rather ingenious ploy to get people to freely relinquish rights to their personal images for commercial purposes. Events like this occur every few days in Beijing as international corporations continue to drum up a consumer frenzy throughout China.

CK1 party attendees dance in a specially built studio intended to resemble CK1 advertisements at Club Tango in BeijingCK1 party attendees dance in a specially built studio intended to resemble CK1 advertisements at Club Tango in Beijing

CK1 party attendees dance in a specially built studio intended to resemble CK1 advertisements at Club Tango in BeijingCK1 party attendees dance in a specially built studio intended to resemble CK1 advertisements at Club Tango in Beijing

Air & Style Beijing: Shawn White Visits Beijing

The big kicker gets lit up at night at the Air & Style snowboarding competition in Beijing

A forty-meter high kicker was built in the Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Beijing for the Air & Style snowboard competition presented by Shaun White and Oakley. Probably the largest alternative/extreme sports competition ever to be held in China, it broadcasted live to an estimated fifty million people even though the stadium was less than full. Apparently the Public Security Bureau clamped down hard before the event and there was little to no promotion in terms of ticket sales. Those with VIP status were also supposed to maintain their seats the entire event even during the live performances by New Pants and China’s largest pop superstar Wang Lee Hom. Oakley and many other sports brands see Air & Style as the beachhead from which the entire snowboarding industry can enter China. With the widespread construction of new skiing and snowboarding resorts across eastern China there is a lot of hope for snowboarding to catch fire amongst China’s youth. Letting China’s top snowboarders appear with some of the best in the world on national Chinese television is a good start.

The big kicker at the Air & Style snowboarding competition in BeijingThe contests for the 2010 Beijing Air & Style competitionThe big kicker at the Air & Style snowboarding competition in Beijing

Advertisements surround the contestants at the Air & Style press conferenceLocal Chinese snowboarders get interviewed at the Air & Style press conferenceShawn White poses with a fan who gave him a bottle of baijiu at the Air & Style press conference

Shawn White at the Air & Style press conference in Beijing