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From family reunions to moon-watching, the Mid-Autumn Festival holds a significant place in Chinese culture, with the roundness of the moon symbolising a time of fullness, bounty, and togetherness. As part of its localisation efforts in China, single malt Scotch whisky brand The Singleton unveiled its “Reunite with True Richness” campaign to mark the festive season.
The full spectrum of autumnal experiences kicked off with a spectacular banquet on 30–31 August, under the grandest supermoon of the year. Hosted in one of Fujian province’s famed Tulou — centuries-old earthen structures unique to local Hakka settlers — the banquet was a lavish celebration of southeast Chinese culture, with a massive drone light show and fireworks illuminating the night sky. Designed to be a once-in-a-lifetime cultural feast and seamless integration of Chinese reunion culture with the Scotch whisky experience, the event attracted whisky and Cognac enthusiasts from all over China and generated significant buzz on social media.
According to a report from IWSR, all major imported spirits categories — with the exception of whisky — recorded a decline in China in 2022. The continuous and strong growth of whisky has fortified its status as a top consumer choice, and consumer demand has identified The Singleton as the top-selling single malt Scotch brand. According to IWSR analyses, consumer price sensitivity and growing sentiment around drinking post-pandemic are key drivers of positive momentum within the market; meanwhile, BCG’s 2021 China Resident Consumer Trends Report highlighted that 59% of consumers consider their connection to Chinese culture to be crucial.
Fittingly, festival reunion culture has provided international brands with a valuable entry point into the Chinese market. As a globally renowned brand founded almost 200 years ago, The Singleton has identified the Chinese market as one of the most crucial battlegrounds for its continued longevity, and has invested deeply in establishing emotional connections with local consumers.
While the Mid-Autumn Festival holds undeniable significance in Chinese culture, nowadays, traditional customs are less commonly practiced, while the number of familial reunions have waned in recent years. As a result, festival marketing must go beyond surface-level sentiments in order to achieve a deeper cultural resonance and emotional connection with consumers. Inspired by the local culture of Fujian, The Singleton’s “Reunite with True Richness” campaign initiates a sensory journey back home and invites everyone to savour the richness of connections, traditions, and shared moments.
Staying authentic to the brand’s heritage values, The Singleton paid homage to Fujian culture by integrating whisky experiences with the historical Tulou and local traditions. Inspired by the local Hakka bazaar, the event resurrected customs like Four Fruit Soup, ancient tea art ceremonies, and bay laurel wishing trees to rekindle visitors’ nostalgia. As night descended, 400 drone lights inscribed Mid-Autumn wishes in the sky above the circular Tulou, meeting the supermoon in a moment of precisely orchestrated harmony.
In its mission to transform Scotch whisky into a reunion essential for Chinese consumers in the contemporary era, The Singleton has tapped into an integrated marketing strategy comprising online-to-offline communication, phygital experience curation, and multi-touchpoint ad placements, covering all spirits consumption occasions and touchpoints.
Following the grand campaign launch in Fujian, The Singleton has launched a collaborative pop-up event across four key cities to further strengthen its connection with target consumers, and placed large outdoor advertising screens and pre-movie advertisements in top cities nationwide. Furthermore, The Singleton has ventured into the OTT industry through a partnership with Xiaomi and launched the industry’s first customised brand channel content, presenting brand visuals such as a thematic TVC with its core media partner, Sanlian Lifeweek. Outside of traditional media channels, the brand has also engaged leading KOLs in multi-dimensional content campaigns.
The Singleton’s efforts to deepen its emotional connection with Chinese whisky consumers come at an opportune time. According to the IWSR, the proportion of Chinese whisky consumers drinking single malt several times a week has jumped from 8% in September 2022 to 22% in February 2023. To further its brand association with festive occasions — especially reunions — The Singleton has launched a number of special festival editions with premium offerings. This year, The Singleton’s limited-edition Mid-Autumn gift box ties into the overall “Reunite with True Richness” theme and draws visual inspiration from the full moon and other traditional motifs, which are seamlessly integrated with the brand’s signature blue-green colour and contour elements.
As The Singleton’s Mid-Autumn campaign unfolds, the brand continues to deepen its cultural marketing and localisation strategies, solidifying its position as a leader in the spirits industry. Following the success of The Singleton Richness Discovery Tour in Fujian, the brand will continue incorporating similar sensory experiences into its future strategies as part of its goal to deliver more enriching experiences to Chinese consumers.
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