Edelman replaces Ruder Finn as PR agency for US cotton in China

A public relations campaign in China, themed 'Cotton Is…', will be launched in April to deepen understanding of the versatility of cotton in fashion apparel, home decoration and lifestyle.

This follows the six-year 'Cotton - Beyond Your Imagination' campaign handled by Ruder Finn since January 2009 and Fleishman Hillard before that. That campaign included a cotton-field exhibition and a diary contest encouraging consumer interaction with the white fibre.

The goal of the new campaign is to increase awareness of, preference for, and consumption of cotton among Chinese consumers by leveraging traditional and digital media.

Karin Malmstrom, director of Cotton Council International China, said the campaign's target audience is the young, savvy and health-conscious 'LOHAS' (lifestyles of health and sustainability) generation.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), global cotton demand has dropped as high cotton prices have made consumers more comfortable wearing polyester.

Still, China is an important market for cottonseed and cotton textile products, given that the country’s import numbers support a sales uptick. Imports more than doubled in December 2011 from the previous year, according to the China Cotton Association.

The tide may also change with India's export ban on cotton, instituted on 5 March, affecting Chinese manufacturers and buyers who will now need to source cotton from elsewhere.