BUZZWORTHY: Boucheron has named popular actor Xiao Zhan its global brand ambassador on Tuesday, as the jeweler seeks to bolster its China presence.

In a statement, Xiao expressed excitement at this development with a brand he described as “most stylish and cutting-edge French high jewelry maison.”

The jeweler’s chief executive officer Hélène Poulit-Duquesne lauded Xiao’s “fierce sense of style and his vibrant personality,” while noting the move aimed to “reassert [the brand’s] presence in China, which plays a crucial role in Boucheron’s strategy.”

A video announcement of his new role garnered some 5.42 million likes as well as millions of shares and comments within eight hours on Weibo, where Xiao has close to 32 million followers.

The face of Gucci and Tod’s in China, Xiao generated more than $9.3 million in earned media value on Weibo during March’s Fashion Month, according to data compiled by influencer marketing agency Lefty.

The 32-year-old is a member of the Chinese boy group X Nine and rose to prominence in 2019 with his performance in the TV drama “The Untamed,” later available globally on Netflix.

He found himself at the center of a cyberbullying scandal in 2019, when a fan fiction portrayal of one of his characters created fervent fan support but also backlash against him that cost the actor a number of his endorsement deals.

Xiao was subsequently forced to issue an apology for the actions of his fans and laid low for more than a year before regaining momentum among luxury brands in 2021. He is also the face of JD.com, Li-Ning, Tencent Video and Budweiser.

Among its China ambassadors, Boucheron counts Xiao and actress Zhou Dongyu, who appeared in the jeweler’s “Icons” campaign last year and is global face of Louis Vuitton.