emlyon business school presented its Makers Night on Branding together with CCI France Chine(CCIFC) on October 25, 2019 to exchange and explore the new ecology of brand strategies and value propositions.

Key speakers, including emlyon business school star professors Michel Phan and Klaus Heine, and Rodney Cao, founder of BrandVista and emlyon business school EDP participant, expounded on the way of brand innovation from academic and industrial perspectives respectively. They joined Cheryl Chong, brand director of Louis XIII Greater China and Benoit Pellequer, founder of Atlier Fusari, entrepreneur and fashion designer, in the round table discussion and contributed their insights on brand activism in the brand-new business context.

New Trend and New Proposition -- Brand Activism

Under the influence of many factors such as technology and culture, the world has entered the era that advocates personalized consumption. At the same time, with the rapid development of big data and new marketing channels, brand management has also witnessed a new growth stage. The marketing innovation based on new technology and social platforms has become the consensus of the guests at the event.

▲ Michel Phan, Professor of Luxury Marketing, Director of MSc in Luxury Management and Marketing Program, emlyon business school, delivering a key speech

In his speech "Innovative Development of Luxury Retail Management", Michel Phan, emlyon business school professor of luxury marketing, director of MSc in luxury management and marketing program, focused on the latest trends in luxury retail and how brands can step up their actions and contribution to environmental and social issues through their retail and service strategies. Brand activism might lead to negative effects, according to Professor Michel Phan, if it superficial and blind.

▲ Klaus Heine, Associate Professor of High-end Brand Management, Co-Director of the High-end Brand Management Program, emlyon business school, delivering a key speech

"By standing up for environmental and social issues, luxury brands are moving from Brand Purpose to Brand Activism," said Klaus Heine，emlyon business school associate professor of high-end brand management and co-director of the high-end brand management program. Klaus Heine derived from two of his recently published studies that brand activism can only work when specific constraints and requirements are taken into account. He drew 10 lessons and advised luxury brands on how (not) to engage in brand activism.

▲ Rodney CAO, Founder of BrandVista, emlyon business school EDP participant, delivering a key speech

Rodney Cao, founder of BrandVista, emlyon business school EDP participant, discussed how to tell a brand story on social media by combining his rich experience in innovation. By analyzing the successful cases of famous brands joining hands with social media for promotion, Mr. Cao focused on how to find the key to successful stories." The branding principle is universal but the domestic flavor is coming from the deep cultural insights with specific characteristics of the market. The persona, behavioral trends and touch points working together comes out the good story. Great stories are coming from solid foundation and creative while systematic thinking." The critical point in telling a story well and the only way to be a good story teller, of course, is to be the protagonist of the story.

As we all know, brands have grown beyond the realm of business. To a certain extent, consumers choose brands, partly to business considerations and partly to seek suitable ways of life or values. During the round table discussion, the guests shared their respective practices and thoughts on brand value extension.

▲ Moderator: Michel Phan，Benoit Pellequer , Klaus Heine，Cheryl Chong , Rodney Cao

Pooling Top Global Resources, emlyon Branding Club Is to be Launched

The topic of brand led to extensive discussion and thinking at the event, which shows that brand building is an all-time important area for enterprises. At present, the wide use of new technologies in marketing, along with the change of global political and economic atmosphere and the consumption characteristics of new consumers, poses new challenges to brand management. Enterprises across the world are all searching for ways of brand innovation.

As a well-known business school in France and a unique player in the field of brand management, emlyon business school has been committed to cultivating “early makers” and has focused on innovation in brand management. Led by alumni Sophie Yuan and Rodney Cao, the leader of core preparatory team of branding club made their debut on the evening of the event. The pre-launch of emlyon branding club marks the arrival of yet another blessing for emlyon alumni in Asia. The new theme club will pool the high-quality resources of emlyon business school, alumni and businesses as well as the global business wisdom to jointly promote further development of brand innovation-related industry, academics and research in all dimensions.

▲ Core preparatory members of emlyon business school Sophie Yuan and Dr. Rodney Cao introducing the preparation for the launch of emlyon brand club

Sophie Yuan introduced the core tenets and strategic goals of emlyon branding club to the guests present. The branding club will focus on brand innovation and advance cooperation with other prestigious universities at home and abroad to create regional influence. To better serve student alumni, emlyon branding club will come up with various academic forums, resource sharing and club activities for student alumni and their enterprises in the field of brand management innovation. During the preparation period, the ideas of alumni who are interested in and experienced in the brand will also be widely adopted to further improve the construction of the club system.

Alumni Gathering Joyfully for Cooperation and Friendship

The event atmosphere continued to warm up after the theme activities. Fabienne Clerot, director of emlyon business school alumni network, was invited to participate in the event and to share the latest development of global alumni network. Alumni network in Asia, as a vital part of the global alumni network of emlyon business school, continues to thrive and bring vitality to many Asian alumni.

▲ Fabienne Clerot, director of emlyon business school alumni network, and Jessica Li, senior manager of marketing and communications of emlyon business school, delivering speeches

Jessica Li, senior manager of marketing and communications of emlyon business school, introduced the emlyon Asia Lifelong Learning Program to the guests and said that emlyon Asia would continue to collaborate with global campuses in the future, and that guided by the strategic development of globalization, emlyon Asia would continue to optimize and improve the service to student alumni in Asia.

Nearly 100 emlyon students and alumni, joined by people from all walks of life, shared their business wisdom, partnership and friendship in a pleasant and open atmosphere.