While the Olympic Art Exhibition is in full swing, the associated cultural and creative (cultural-creative) products are equally hot. According to reports, since the exhibition’s opening, total sales of related products have exceeded 10 million yuan.
Cultural-creative items from Pudong’s museums and cultural landmarks are constantly being refreshed—some tap into the emotional resonance of art with modern audiences, while others spotlight urban culture and iconic landmarks, offering a new cultural consumption experience. These creative contents attract fans and generate strong sales across various scenarios, encouraging visitors to “take a piece of Shanghai memory home.”
Blending Emotional and Artistic Value: Museum Gift Shops Innovate with Style
Inside the 80-square-meter gift shop of the Pudong Art Museum, shoppers crowd in and staff rush to restock. “Since June, the Van Gogh plush dolls have been flying off the shelves. The limited-edition Olympic gift sets sell out daily,” said cashier Mr. Liu. Designer Chen Jieni shared the story behind the hit products: “The plush toy went through three iterations. We initially used short plush, but were inspired by Van Gogh’s struggles with mental illness, and how today’s youth often feel stressed out, so we changed it to curly plush to enhance emotional resonance and improve the tactile feel.” The matching plush chair is inspired by The Bedroom in Arles. “Instead of just printing paintings on products, we extract design elements from the artwork, allowing customers to interact and combine items creatively,” she explained.
According to the museum, over 200 cultural-creative items were launched for the Olympic Art Exhibition, generating over 10 million yuan in sales. Design teams brainstormed months in advance and collaborated with external creators and brands. Paris-based illustrator Mengmeng Sun illustrated everyday life in Paris, while “Cat’s Sky City” co-developed a color palette fridge magnet. A canvas tote bag inspired by The Bedroom in Arles and co-branded with Manner Café became a hit with online fans. To inject more creative ideas into their cultural-creative line, the museum also launched a “Curator Recommender” program this year, with over 20 individuals—including two offering original product design ideas—joining the initiative.
Visitors to museums often favor cultural-creative products that reflect unique artistic and cultural values. For instance, the “Cambridge University: Magical Nature” exhibition at the East Building of the Shanghai Library became a social media sensation for its British aesthetic. Co-curator Hao Li shared that some exclusive items aren’t even available at Cambridge itself—like the Turing Bear T-shirt. “Turing used to practice speeches with his bear, Porgy, so the bear represents companionship and courage.” Hao emphasized their aim is to use the exhibition as a springboard to tell emotional stories through products, creating a deep resonance with visitors.
Cultural Communication & City Memory: Landmarks Redefine Souvenirs
Unlike museums that draw inspiration from rich art exhibitions, some long-established cultural landmarks take a different approach. They fuse architecture, urban culture, and tourism experiences to develop highly distinctive products.
At the Oriental Pearl Tower souvenir shop, a 468ml “building height” bottled water and a matching tower-shaped ice cream top the sales chart. Assistant Manager Li Linyi explained: “We turned the 468-meter height of the tower into a symbolic volume of water, making it a ‘portable memory of the city.’ The ice cream doubles as a photo prop.” At the Tower Time boutique watch store, the landmark motif gets a luxury upgrade. German tourist Annika and her boyfriend chose a mother-of-pearl women’s watch. “The pearl sheen echoes the ‘Pearl’ in the tower’s name. The back of the watch even includes its geographic coordinates—wearing it brings back memories of Shanghai,” she said. Sales staff recalled a foreign tour group once bought over 100 watches as souvenirs—turning landmark memories into ticking timepieces.
Blending Shanghai’s cultural elements with today’s trends gives these heritage landmarks new vitality. Plush Oriental Pearl dolls and contrast-colored tumblers are prominently displayed. “These soft and cute designs break the rigid impression of the Pearl Tower and align with young people’s aesthetics,” Li said. Nearby, a newly launched blind box series creatively integrates intangible cultural heritage, qipaos, and xiaolongbao into the tower’s shape—presenting local culture through trendy collectibles.
Taking cultural creation to the next level, the Oriental Pearl Tower has partnered with time-honored Shanghai brands and emerging labels to form synergistic collaborations. Highlights include the pearl-carved capsule by Lei Yun Shang, oriental-scented hand cream by Qingzhi, and blue-and-white porcelain toothpaste by Maxam. Behind these co-branded successes are creative reinterpretations of landmark elements and city symbols, fusing traditional craftsmanship with iconic architecture. “Our cultural-creative team actively seeks new partners to bring more Shanghai-centric products to life—so visitors can truly bring a piece of the city home,” said Li. The iconic landmark is evolving from a site of cultural display to a platform of cultural innovation, injecting new life into Shanghai’s urban branding.
Strengthening Synergies: Building a Holistic Cultural-Creative Industry Chain
The development of the cultural-creative industry can’t rely solely on individual institutions. Pudong is promoting both policy and ecosystem-driven growth. Recently, 12 museums signed contracts with 12 renowned designers to join Pudong’s cultural-creative product upgrade plan, aiming to co-develop high-quality products.
Pudong holds three key levers: IP development, industry integration, and commercialization. It offers a comprehensive policy package including general, special, and park-specific support. This spans film, digital creativity, and art trade, and provides funding for IP development and settlement of related businesses in cultural parks. New business models such as cultural trade, IP derivatives, and immersive experiences are encouraged to cluster in Zhangjiang and resort zones, with operating subsidies available. It also continues to fund high-quality projects with special cultural funds, while offering policy support in talent recruitment, IP protection, and legal services.
In 2024, Yuewen’s derivative product GMV exceeded 500 million yuan for the first time, with card collectibles alone accounting for 200 million yuan. Titles such as The King’s Avatar, Joy of Life, and Under One Person set new sales records. Yuewen is expanding its direct sales channels with over 10 live-streaming studios and 8 flagship stores, supplemented by its presence on Tmall, Taobao, and more than 3,000 online resellers and 6,000 offline retailers—creating a comprehensive omni-channel strategy. The company also secured exclusive rights to distribute Nezha 2 merchandise from FunCrazy. Notably, its high-end collectible cards co-launched with Hitcard for Joy of Life generated 20 million yuan in GMV even before the release of Season 2—making it the most successful drama-themed collectible card line in history. Hitcard is a brand under Shanghai Qixing Network Technology Co., registered in Pudong.
As a key part of the industrial ecosystem, platforms also play a major role. The IP Operation Center under Shanghai Free Trade Zone Cultural Investment integrates top-tier cultural and artistic resources—including the National Museum of China and Wu Changshuo’s works—into a full-service chain of IP discovery, product development, channel operation, and tourism integration. Sales have surpassed 500 million yuan. According to product head Wu Di, their team covers IP planning, product design, supply chain management, and sales operations. They’ve developed over 50 product lines and built a responsive supply chain across the Yangtze River Delta and beyond. Their presence spans major e-commerce platforms and dozens of scenic and cultural venues—establishing a comprehensive retail matrix. “Our goal is to become a one-stop cultural and tourism creative platform integrating product development, channel management, IP operations, and cultural tourism services,” said Wu Di.
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