The cultural value of Italian design for Chinese consumers: The role of communication strategy

Italian design is a component of the Italian cultural heritage. The analysis of how an Italian furniture firm can leverage this cultural heritage to export into emerging markets (EMs) is the aim of the article. Exporting into EMs is a big challenge for companies specializing in a made in Italy' production, since they propose a cultural product' that is not fully understood by the target market. We examine the communication strategy adopted by an Italian company of luxury furniture to penetrate the Chinese market. The case study shows how an appropriate communication strategy of Italian design can facilitate the penetration of EMs if it activates an interactive communication channel with the most influential actors of the distribution network. The creation of a cultural movement' around the product can reduce the pre-existing cultural distance between the exporting firm and the target market, creating the premises for the commercial penetration of a made in Italy' product. The case study depicts a scenario where the Italian culture is at the same time a powerful heritage to be exploited and a living resource that can be continuously explored through an interactive relationship between the exporting firm and the actors of the distribution network in the target market.