Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Luxury Business
Abstract
This dissertation examines how Western heritage luxury brands adapt their core narratives to deliver emotional value in the Chinese market. Focusing on emotional localisation, the study introduces the Cultural–Semiotic Narrative Adaptation (CSNA) framework, which analyses three dimensions: emotional translation, symbolic adaptation, and narrative tone. Through a sequential mixed-methods design, the research investigates how heritage values such as craftsmanship and exclusivity are reframed to resonate with collectivist emotional logics emphasizing harmony, relational continuity, and understated elegance. Findings reveal that effective emotional localisation requires aligning narrative tone and symbolic motifs with culturally embedded affective expectations, fostering consumer trust, attachment, and purchase intention. The study contributes a systematic methodological tool for analysing cross-cultural brand storytelling and offers practical guidance for luxury marketers seeking culturally sensitive engagement strategies.
Recommended Citation
Chen, Yuchen, "Emotional Localisation in Luxury Branding: Cultural Adaptation of Western Heritage Narratives for Chinese Consumers" (2026). MA in Luxury Business Dissertations. 1.
https://digitalcommons.sia.edu/ma_lux_bus/1