Haikou and Kanye: 3 Lessons for Brands

In a bold and unexpected move, American musician ye, formerly known as Kanye West, recently announced that his new album Vultures I was to be promoted via a concert in Haikou, which went ahead last month in the lesser known (for foreign audiences at least)? capital city of China’s Hainan Island. The concert was a huge success, with a follow up event already planned for Golden Week this year. A far cry from the Bei-Shang-Guang-Shen megacities, the choice of Haikou reflects a broader opportunity to localise in regional parts of China. While it may not be the most obvious choice for a major album launch, Kanye and the local government of Haikou’s decision represented a major mutual success, both for brand Kanye as well as Hainan itself.

?In this blog we reflect on the three key factors that make Haikou an ideal venue for this highly anticipated release, and for each we provide a takeaway lesson for? brands looking to learn from this significant event in Chinese pop culture.??

1. Haikou’s Rising Entertainment and Music Scene

Although Haikou is traditionally known for its tropical climate and luxurious resorts, the city has rapidly built a reputation as an emerging entertainment hotspot. In recent years, Haikou has invested heavily in its cultural infrastructure, attracting music festivals, international performances, and even large-scale concerts. Building for the Wuyuan River Sports Stadium (the venue for the Vultures listening party) began in 2017, and there have been other construction projects in the city to add to its appeal. The city’s growth as a cultural destination meant it was a strange but understandable venue selection.?

Lesson for brands: China is a country of varying subcultures, whereby different regions and cities have idiosyncrasies that might make it an untapped cultural destination for you and your brand’s positioning. In Kanye’s case, Haikou made sense from an entertainment perspective, but in previous blogs the YASO team have discussed the importance of interesting subculture associations with different cities in China. Beauty brands would do well to take note of this and keep them in mind when selecting locations for their activations.??

2. Support from the Local Government to Boost Tourism

Another key reason behind Kanye’s choice is the active role Haikou’s local government has played in turning the city into a global tourism and cultural hub. Haikou is a centerpiece in Hainan Province's ambitious plans to become an international free trade zone and a premier tourist destination. In pursuit of this goal, the local government has welcomed high-profile events with open arms, including major music and cultural spectacles. This forward-thinking agenda aligns perfectly with Kanye's promotional strategy for Vultures I.

By hosting Kanye’s concert, Haikou stood to benefit from a surge in international attention, tourism revenue, and global media coverage. In return, Kanye gains a supportive local administration eager to help his event succeed, while providing an exotic and luxurious backdrop for his album launch. Indeed, according to Jing Daily local tourism boosts were valued at $53 million, and local engagement online with Haikou related posts amassed hundreds of thousands of impacts. Everything Kanye did in Haikou was obsessively covered by fans, from eating in restaurants to his choice of accommodation. All of this boosted the PR of Haikou enormously and was clearly calculated as a reason for the local government hosting him.?

Lesson for brands: Engaging with city-level stakeholders might not always be possible, especially when budget is restricted, but some city authorities are highly conscious of the PR value that events and branded activations can bring their patch, which can often be supercharged by social commerce tactics through local tastemakers and KOLs.? Keep this in mind, and always be conscious to engage stakeholders with value (for them) in mind, and how can add to that value.???

3. Kanye’s Controversies Don’t Hold the Same Weight in China

In the U.S. and other Western markets, Kanye West has been a polarizing figure due to his far-right and antisemitic remarks on race in recent years.? He has been dropped by many of his endorsement partners and has effectively been blacklisted by a number of his record labels, which make album promotion tricky when conducted stateside.? However, primarily due to exposure and minimal PR, these controversies have not had the same cultural impact in China as they have had in the US, which does have some irony given the sensitivities foreign stars need to be aware of when it comes to domestic Chinese issues.? While Chinese audiences are well aware of Kanye’s fame and musical genius, they are relatively less familiar with the complex socio-political issues that surround him in the West. In China, his reputation is largely centered on his artistry, and Vultures I is more likely to be appreciated for its music, rather than Kanye’s divisive public persona. This is not to say that Chinese consumers and entertainment fans are not aware of these issues, and that brands need not care about selection of partners (in this case the city of Haikou and Kanye) when it comes to avoiding such issues. It is still of the utmost importance that these decisions are deliberative and avoid controversy where possible.?

For Kanye, Haikou presents an opportunity to connect with fans who are interested in his creative output without the baggage of his controversies. This fresh audience allows him to focus on the music and artistic themes of Vultures I without the intense scrutiny he faces elsewhere. China’s entertainment industry is often more focused on the cultural product than the personal politics of the artist, making it a fertile ground for Kanye to rebuild his image and expand his fanbase.

Lesson for brands: The lesson here is not to assume that Chinese audiences are not cognisant of controversies surrounding brands, but rather to ensure that due diligence is conducted when it comes to how appropriate and relevant your chosen brand partnership is to that particular region or city in China.?

Conclusion

Kanye West and Haikou's decision to debut Vultures I? was a mutually beneficial strategic one that reflects both the city’s growing status as a cultural and entertainment hub and a desire to attract and boost the appeal of foreign musical talent in China as a new growth avenue. Haikou’s rising music scene, the local government’s eagerness to boost tourism, and the more neutral reception of Kanye’s controversies all made it the perfect location for the launch of Vultures I. Brands can certainly learn from this important moment, namely the importance of location selection for offline events, and aligning this selection with known city subcultures and associations, the importance of framing brand benefits as city benefits, as well as keeping controversy in check when it comes to brand partnerships.?

To discuss a distinctive strategy for your brand in social commerce and offline experience, get in touch with the YASO team today.