A marketing campaign by Prada has drawn rave reviews among Gen Z consumers in Shanghai as fashion-loving youngsters rushed to get a taste of the Italian brand’s design savvy in their local wet market.
At the Wuzhong wet market on Wulumuqi Road M on Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of consumers – most of whom were in their 20s and 30s – rummaged their way through vegetable, meat and flower stalls to buy produce wrapped up in the luxury brand’s purple and yellow wrapping paper, emblazoned with the slogan “Feels like Prada”.
All items sold to shoppers were packaged in Prada paper at no extra cost. About 2,000 shopping bags with three different patterns are expected to be handed out to customers on each day of the event.
Almost everyone came for the bags. Customers swarm into the market, in high-heels and makeup, picking up grapes, pineapples, ginger and even eggs clothed in Prada branding for photos, and pose the way influencers do to get the perfect grocery-chic shot.
"I hope it can come to an end sooner rather than later," a vegetable vendor complained. "The sales haven't grown much. More people come for pictures but few people buy them. They love to toss the vegetables and throw them away," he said.
The vendor's comments were echoed by netizens who found that some people tossed the vegetables into the trash after taking pictures with them. "What a waste, we should say no to it!"