The luxury jewelry brand Bulgari, part of the LVMH portfolio, faced criticism after listing Taiwan separately from mainland China on its official site. The issue drew attention as Bulgari announced a collaboration with one of China’s largest video games, Honor of Kings. The project featured an in-game digital jewel skin for the character Mi Yue, a move aimed at expanding Bulgari’s footprint in digital and gaming communities. However, observers quickly flagged the cartography and regional labeling on Bulgari’s site as not aligning with the One China policy, prompting a rapid response from the company.
The brand issued an apology, reiterating its commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity as it relates to China. In a statement, Bulgari acknowledged that technical errors had affected the store addresses and the cartographic symbols on its official websites, attributing the lapses to management oversight. After these issues were identified, corrections were implemented promptly on the same day. The apology was also communicated through Weibo, where the message gained significant traction, drawing hundreds of millions of views and sparking widespread discussion across social media platforms.
Observers note that this incident follows a pattern of similar controversies in which global brands find themselves at the center of national sovereignty debates due to how regional maps and labels are presented in digital channels. In the week prior, a different global brand faced scrutiny in Vietnam when a map portraying regional boundaries sparked online backlash. These episodes highlight the sensitive intersection of branding, geopolitics, and the way multinational companies navigate local and international expectations.
From a corporate communications perspective, Bulgari’s experience underscores the importance of rigorous localization practices and pre-release reviews that account for political and cultural contexts in major markets. Companies operating at global scale must balance brand storytelling with precise adherence to regional conventions and government policies. The rapid fall in response time—addressing the issue and publishing a correction—reflects a broader industry emphasis on accountability and audience trust in the digital era. Consultations with regional teams and third-party experts can help prevent similar missteps in the future and preserve brand reputations across diverse consumer bases.
Analysts point out that the timing of the apology matters as much as the content, given how quickly audiences engage with social platforms and how easily a mislabel can escalate into a reputational risk. For Bulgari, the incident serves as a case study in managing cross-border campaigns that intersect with sensitive national narratives while pursuing creative collaborations that resonate with local fans. The company’s willingness to address the matter transparently is often cited as a positive signal, even as observers await further clarifications on how such labeling issues will be prevented going forward.
Despite the setback, Bulgari continues to leverage partnerships with cultural and entertainment properties to reach new audiences. The collaboration with Honor of Kings remains a focal point for expanding digital engagement, even as the brand strengthens its governance around technical content and regional cartography. This approach can help brands maintain momentum in global markets while honoring the expectations of diverse consumer groups.
In reflecting on this episode, industry watchers emphasize that clear, consistent regional representations are essential for preserving brand integrity in an interconnected world. The episode also illustrates how social media amplification can influence public perception, turning a technical oversight into a broader conversation about sovereignty, responsibility, and the role of luxury brands in contemporary geopolitics. As Bulgari moves forward, the emphasis on careful localization and proactive communication will likely shape how it navigates future joint campaigns and product launches in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.