The institute aligns with Shanghai's strategic top-level design for brand development and its global industrial layout, providing think tank support to meet the needs of building Shanghai into a science and technology innovation center and upgrading industries.
The institute has developed two distinctive research areas:
Urban Branding: Focusing on brand design in the context of industrial transformation (covering manufacturing, services, and design industries). Research aims to strengthen brand building, enhance Shanghai’s reputation for quality, and advance the city’s vision of becoming a “capital of brands” and a “capital of design.” It examines strategies for cultivating brand identity, elevating brand positioning, enhancing the practical value of brand equity, and innovating international branding strategies—from product and brand export to international brand acquisitions.
Regional Characteristics: Concentrating on the digital exhibition of Shanghai-style arts and crafts (Haipai), the institute seeks to shape new images and highlights for Shanghai’s cultural and creative industries. Research is deeply rooted in the cultural foundations of Red Culture, Jiangnan Culture, and Shanghai-style Culture, aiming to strengthen the independent spirit of brands and drive the transformation of Shanghai brands from cultural recognition to spiritual identity.
By collaborating with national ministries, municipal authorities, leading market research institutions, and partner universities, the institute conducts research on fashion design trends and consumer indices. These initiatives enhance Shanghai’s global influence in fashion trend research while guiding China’s fashion industry. Through strong university–industry partnerships, the institute promotes innovative design and digital communication strategies for Shanghai-style cultural brands, generating impactful research outcomes and positioning itself as a hub of social significance and industrial recognition.
In addition, the institute emphasizes talent cultivation. It trains students in market analysis and data-driven thinking, equipping digital media undergraduates and design-related graduate students to become interdisciplinary professionals with insight into socio-economic trends, cultural development, industry transformation, and community engagement.
