Project Case Study: Overseas Campaign — Hangzhou House in LA

Market: North America (United States)

Project Duration September 2018 – March 2019

Campaign Goals

To reshape international perceptions of China by showcasing Hangzhou’s elegant lifestyle and traditional aesthetics through immersive overseas experiences and interactive digital storytelling.

Challenge

US audiences often associate China with rapid development and industrialization, but have limited understanding of its refined cultural and lifestyle offerings. The challenge was to go beyond conventional advertising and create real-world engagement that reflected “Elegant Hangzhou” — a poetic, sophisticated, and authentic Chinese lifestyle — in a way that resonates with global audiences.

A comprehensive O2O (online-to-offline) event marketing strategy centered around cultural immersion, global co-creation, and experiential living. The campaign revolved around the idea of bringing an authentic “Hangzhou Lifestyle House” to Los Angeles, complete with Chinese aesthetics, cuisine, tea culture, and creative experiences.

Solution

Key Modules & Activities

1. Global Co-Creation: The Hangzhou Design Challenge

• Partnered with top design schools from the U.S., UK, Australia, and Hong Kong.

• Selected 5 student designers to visit Hangzhou for a 7-day cultural immersion trip.

• Each designer submitted a concept for a “Hangzhou Lifestyle House.”

• Public online voting selected the winning design to be brought to life in Los Angeles.

2. Immersive Experience: Hangzhou Lifestyle House in LA

• Transformed a real house in Los Angeles into a “Hangzhou Lifestyle House.”

• Decor featured: bamboo weaving, calligraphy tools, traditional fans, silk bedding, and classic furnishings.

• Included themed rooms (tea room, study, kitchen) to simulate the poetic charm of Hangzhou living.

• Hosted 14 selected American guests for a 14-day stay with guided cultural experiences.

3. Social Amplification & Digital Storytelling

• Built a dedicated campaign microsite and social presence (#HangzhouLifestyle).

• Weekly content published across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

• Guests created short-form content during their stay, including vlogs, live Q&As, and lifestyle posts.

• Professional filming team documented each guest’s 24-hour journey inside the lifestyle house.

Experience Highlights

• Wear: Silk cheongsams and robes

• Taste: West Lake Vinegar Fish, Longjing Shrimp

• Write: Calligraphy with Lake Pens

• Sing: Traditional Chinese opera (e.g., The Legend of White Snake)

• See: VR tours of West Lake, Grand Canal, and Hangzhou skyline

• Connect: American guests shared their culture while immersed in Chinese tradition

Results

• Over 3M+ global impressions on Facebook and Instagram.

• 14,000+ votes during the design competition.

• 100+ UGC videos across platforms.

• Featured by multiple U.S.-based travel and lifestyle media outlets.

• Deepened cultural awareness of Hangzhou as an elegant destination beyond mainstream tourism.

• Press Release:https://en.prnasia.com/releases/global/hangzhou-culture-and-tourism-promotion-hangzhou-house-in-la--248687.shtml

• Campaign strategy & global branding

• Design competition coordination

• Overseas influencer recruitment

• Microsite design and content management

• Social media operations (FB/IG/Twitter)

• Experience curation & scriptwriting

• Localization of marketing materials

• Full-cycle content production (photo + video)

Services Provided

Campaign Highlights Video

Key Takeaways

• Cultural storytelling can thrive when paired with immersive real-world activations.

• Combining global creativity, digital voting, and on-ground content creation maximized cross-border engagement.

• O2O marketing bridges online interaction and real-world cultural resonance.