WeChat Experience Platform

From brand direction to digital experience

Three things shaped this project from the start. Glenfiddich was introducing a new global brand identity, and DCA was responsible for translating that direction into a digital experience for China. The brand needed to connect digital and physical touchpoints because content, events and commerce lived in separate spaces and not within one journey. And, due to Glenfiddich’s always-on campaigns and events, a Mini Program ecosystem built for a single moment would not be enough. The platform needed to support ongoing activations over time.

Translating Glenfiddich's new identity for digital in China

Working from Glenfiddich's new global brand direction, we translated the identity into a digital experience specifically designed for China's WeChat ecosystem.

We did not simply apply the new colours, typography and visual language. We interpreted the core principles of the brandbook into the components and interactions of a mobile-first experience.

We translated the principles of the global identity into navigation, interface components, content modules and interaction patterns appropriate for WeChat’s interaction patterns and China’s digital ecosystem. Where the global brand system did not yet define specific digital components, we extended its design language to create new interface elements consistent with the wider identity.

Designed around experiences, not a product catalogue

Rather than designing the Mini Program around a conventional ecommerce catalogue, we placed Glenfiddich's campaigns and brand activations at the centre of the experience. Products are discovered within the context of the stories, occasions and experiences surrounding them, making commerce part of the wider brand journey.

Whether customers are exploring a brand story, booking an event or discovering products, everything happens within one connected experience. Brand storytelling, events and commerce work together rather than existing as separate digital journeys.

This principle shaped the homepage. The homepage is not just showing campaigns first. It reflects the decision that Glenfiddich's customer relationship starts with stories and experiences, not product browsing.

Taking the experience beyond the screen

The platform was designed to support the full event journey, connecting digital promotion and reservations with physical attendance, on-site management and post-event engagement.
Integrated event capabilities connect customer reservations with on-site participation, allowing physical activations to become part of the wider customer experience.
This connects the digital journey with the physical activation, creating continuity before, during, and after the event.

A modular platform built to evolve

Glenfiddich runs an ongoing calendar of campaigns, events and physical activations across China. Rather than rebuilding the digital experience for each one, we designed the platform around reusable structures that can be adapted and extended over time.

This flexibility extends into the backend. A centralized management platform gives Glenfiddich's team control over campaigns, events, content and product presentation, while reusable content structures allow new campaigns to be assembled efficiently without starting from scratch.

We integrated Glenfiddich's existing Xiaodian ecommerce infrastructure directly into the Mini Program, avoiding unnecessary duplication while allowing commerce to work seamlessly within the wider brand experience.

Together, these frontend and backend capabilities create a flexible digital foundation for Glenfiddich's evolving experiences across China.

Designed for the realities of China

Glenfiddich's China digital experience needed to operate within the requirements of the local digital ecosystem. The platform was deployed on infrastructure hosted in China, supporting local data handling requirements and compliance requirements including PIPL and MLPS.

Security and compliance were considered as part of the platform architecture from the outset. Appropriate controls were implemented around platform access and customer data management, ensuring the experience could support Glenfiddich's digital activities in China.