Abstract

Background: As consumer demand shifts from functional utility to emotional value, China's cultural and creative industries have emerged as a critical pillar of economic and cultural development. However, these industries currently face challenges of product homogenization and superficial cultural expression. The successful localization of the British brand Jellycat in China, which leverages emotional design strategies, offers insights for Chinese cultural and creative enterprises seeking to combat homogenization. Guided by Norman’s three-level model of emotional design, this study uses Jellycat’s localization case to analyze how emotionally-driven cultural and creative features influence consumer purchase intention, and explores the transition from "simple imitation" to "cultural adaptation" in product development. Methods: This research uses the "Tianshui Malatang" series from the Gansu Provincial Museum as a case study and employs a quantitative approach. Data from 300 valid questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 regression models to examine the effects of four key dimensions—cultural connotation, entertainment value, artistic aesthetics, and innovative design—on purchase intention. Results: The regression analysis shows that all four dimensions significantly and positively impact purchase intention, with the model accounting for 36.9% of the variance (p < 0.01). Among these, entertainment value demonstrates the strongest influence. Additionally, diagnostic tests confirm no significant collinearity issues among the independent variables. Conclusion: Cultural and creative products should enhance interactive elements, deepen cultural interpretation, and optimize artistic and innovative design. Emotional design proves to be an effective strategy for enhancing market competitiveness. Future research may incorporate cross-cultural comparative studies and qualitative methodologies to enrich the understanding of emotional design in various contexts.