From the Venice Film Festival to the pages of Italian newspapers, BYD has entered the national public sphere as a car manufacturer and cultural presence. The broader signal is that China is no longer confined to selling products — it is increasingly shaping symbols and narratives in ways that interact with the choices of a sovereign state.
Decoding the news. In Paolo Sorrentino’s new film “La Grazia,” the President of the Republic, played by Italian actor Toni Servillo, rides in a BYD car. This is not a neutral cinematic detail, but a sign of how the brand is becoming normalised within Italy’s symbolic landscape.
- Meanwhile, BYD’s recent advertisement in major newspapers framed Italian state incentives as a “casino or casinò.”
- The message carries a veiled, albeit indirect, critique of the government, accused of creating confusion with complex and shifting incentive rules for electric vehicles. In contrast, BYD promotes its direct bonus scheme, offering up to €10,000 for trade-ins, a more straightforward and transparent alternative.
- This is an assertive and confrontational style of communication that contrasts with Beijing’s emphasis on cooperative rhetoric.
The context
- Cinema and culture: Chinese brands now position themselves in soft-powering Italian collective culture, from the big screen to national narratives.
- Market presence: BYD has steadily expanded its footprint in Europe.
- In Italy, sales surpassed a 1% market share in 2024, despite EU tariffs on imports from China.
- State support: the company’s ability to sell at prices up to 30% lower than competitors’ reflects Beijing’s significant subsidies, which have long fueled its global rise.
- Marketing strategy: in Europe, BYD takes advantage of open markets and freedom of expression to present itself as a transparent and disruptive player.
- However, an advertisement that even indirectly criticises government policy would be highly unlikely in China.
The fault line
- Structural asymmetry: Chinese firms can engage in European critical or unconventional communication.
- At the same time, European companies face restrictions when operating in China, often having to align with Party-State expectations despite China’s WTO membership.
- Cultural normalisation: the presence of a Chinese car in a film and newspaper advertising works along the same axis, integrating the brand into everyday normality.
- Geopolitical dimension: is there echoes of China’s so-called “wolf warrior diplomacy” in such style of communication?
What we’re watching. Decode39 is continuously monitoring Chinese soft power in Italy: sport, cinema, TV shows, and advertising are increasingly part of Beijing’s global influence toolkit.
- European responses: the debate is not limited to tariffs or subsidies, but extends to protecting political and cultural autonomy.
- A new normal: if a “cinematic President” rides in a Chinese car on screen today, the question is how such imagery might soon shape perceptions of reality.
- Limits to growth: BYD remains a formidable competitor, but not invincible. In 2025, the company revised its annual sales target by 16% — from 5.5 to 4.6 million vehicles (Reteurs).
