Depreciation or Valorisation? The Formation and Effects of the Commercial Use of Yangshao Culture for Branding and Product Development

Using the past in branding has gained considerable popularity, although it remains a topic of limited discussion. Branding is particularly intriguing because it can capture public interest by referencing the past, thereby significantly influencing public non-discursive awareness of heritage. This thesis examines case studies of brands that reference the Yangshao Culture, a prehistoric civilisation and archaeological heritage in China, to investigate how the commercial use of the ‘Yangshao Culture’ is created and articulated. Attention is given to the branding and to how this, in turn, impacts ideas of the past. Diverging from existing concepts, the study introduces the concept of heritage-referenced branding (HRB) to call attention to branding that references external heritage or not the project itself and its history. The case studies cover three groups: two big companies specialising in reproductions and souvenirs of Yangshao Culture pottery, a leading liquor company with a broad regional market, and two local tourism destinations collaborating with local village committees. Data collection involved online data mining, interviews, and field observations. The analysis aims to explore three aspects: i) the specific aspects of the Yangshao Culture selected through commercial use of branding; ii) how commercial branding and governmental presentation of heritage co-exist, reinforce each other, or generate tensions around meanings and claims; iii) the valorisation of the Yangshao Culture emerging through its commercial use, and in particular through branding. The findings reveal that individual heritage-referenced branding exhibits unique selection criteria and changes over time. The interplay between commercial and governmental narratives of Yangshao Culture reflects a complex yet currently harmonious relationship. Consequently, workers, local residents, and consumers develop varied selective understandings of the Yangshao Culture influenced by branding. This study contributes to the understanding of brands with reference to heritage, exploring the relationship between the commercial use of heritage and governmental use through the lens of China. This advances discussions of processes of heritage presentation and collective heritage awareness.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Lin, Shiting

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Sørensen, Marie Louise Stig

• Heritage studies
• Branding
• China
• Heritage presentation

Licence

• https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/1da39c06-cb29-4bd5-8bcb-9d4636cf4d91/download
• http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved

DOI dc:identifier.doi

https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.120517

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/387925