During the twentieth century, American companies were a symbol of entrepreneurship, industrialism, hard work and trust. But the situation changed in the early 2000s when corporate scandals stained the global vision of American capitalism. Fraudulent accounting methods, unethical behaviour from executives, corruption, moral violations by employees, business ethics abuses, and managerial errors were all uncovered. Accordingly, the global audience stopped seeing American companies as beacons of success and leadership. And just as the world turned away from America, some European powers began promoting Eurocentrism.

It will be interesting to see how two proud cultures – France and the US – can come together and promote an intercultural dialogue. The Harvard Business Review has previously highlighted how cultural incompatibility is a big reason why mergers fail. And although Tiffany & Co. and LVMH might seem like a match made in heaven at first sight – both belong to the “Old Guard” of luxury, have people-centric approaches, and understand how to listen to their customers – the reality is far more complex.

But one thing that both sides of this merger have in common is an interest in expanding their businesses in China. Tiffany & Co. has an impressive market share in Mainland China, and a recent UBS survey showed that Chinese buyers see Tiffany “as a go-to jewellery brand, second only to Cartier.” Furthermore, Tiffany’s operating earnings for August and September 2020 show that the new Tiffany T1 line has performed well in China, and CEO Alessandro Bogliolo’s ambitious China growth strategy has been a success so far.

With its “Vision & Virtuosity” exhibition in Shanghai, Tiffany pulled a page from LVMH’s playbook, as the French conglomerate is a pioneer in supporting artists, regularly engaging in partnerships with museums and art foundations.

Additionally, both players moved further from the traditional luxury buyer by chasing the new luxury demographics of affluent millennials and Gen Zers. In an interview with CNN Business, Bogliolo said that “80 per cent of consumers of luxury in China are millennials.” As such, his recent efforts are concentrated on attracting a demographic that values brand recognition, in-store technology and personalised designs.

Since taking the helm of the company, Bogliolo has further embraced technology with the launch of the brand’s Chinese e-commerce platforms, which are focused on brand design (with the debut of the T1 collection) and have expanded Tiffany’s market share in Asia-Pacific.

So what should Chinese customers expect from the merger? With an infusion of capital and savoir faire coming from LVMH, we anticipate that Tiffany will invest in the expansion of its physical retail footprint. Tiffany won’t be present everywhere, but strategic store openings in lower-tier cities are likely to happen. “If this acquisition can speed Tiffany’s entry into the massive China market, everyone wins,” Cathy Hotka & Associates’ eponymous principle told RetailWire.

Also, it is expected that Tiffany will continue to pursue a marketing strategy focused on emotional experiences and on exhibitions. Blurring the boundaries between art and luxury is a tactical move that will help the American brand communicate its heritage and legacy to a new generation of consumers.

Lastly, a possible brand relaunch might be in the cards. When LVMH acquired a majority stake in Rimowa, the French conglomerate came up with a new visual identity and voice for the German luggage manufacturer.

This article originally appeared on Jing Daily.

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