eLibrary
  • Home
  • Sources
  • Search
  • About

How Traditional Cultural IP Realizes Commercial Value in the Digital Era: A Case Study of Nezha 2: The Demon Child Wreaks Havoc in the Sea

Zhanda Meng
Scientific Journal of Economics and Management Research, (2026), Vol.8, No.3, pp.171-178
Published: March 31, 2026
DOI: 10.54691/0ebn8z57
PDF: Download Full Text PDF
Abstract

The commercialization of cultural heritage in the digital age represents both an opportunity and a dilemma. This article examines how heritage-based intellectual property (IP) can be reframed, technologically mediated, and socially co-created, using the Chinese animated film Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child (Nezha 2) as a case study. Drawing on interviews with industry professionals and audiences, industry reports and policy documents, and digital ethnography of user-generated content on major Chinese platforms, the study identifies three interrelated mechanisms: selective fidelity to heritage symbols, technological scaling through production pipelines and algorithmic promotion, and participatory legitimization via fan creativity. These findings are synthesized into a conceptual model-the Culture–Technology–Market Triad-which explains how heritage-based IP achieves both cultural legitimacy and commercial viability. The article contributes theoretically by advancing debates on authenticity, digital infrastructures, and participatory economies, and practically by offering insights for producers and policymakers seeking to balance cultural continuity with innovation.

Keywords: Traditional Cultural IP; Commercial Value; Nezha 2; Cultural Heritage; Intellectual Property.
APA Citation: Zhanda Meng (2026). How Traditional Cultural IP Realizes Commercial Value in the Digital Era: A Case Study of Nezha 2: The Demon Child Wreaks Havoc in the Sea. Scientific Journal of Economics and Management Research, 8(3), 171-178. https://doi.org/10.54691/0ebn8z57

References

  1. Serhii Plutalov, Olena Iastremska, Tetiana Kulinich, Nataliia Shofolova, & Zelenko, O. (2024). Symbioza kreatywności i zrównoważonego rozwoju: modelowanie dynamicznych relacji pomiędzy zrównoważonym rozwojem a kulturą i przemysłem kreatywnym w krajach UE, Wielkiej Brytanii i Ukrainie. Problemy Ekorozwoju, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.35784/preko.6134
  2. Banks, M., Lovatt, A., O’Connor, J., & Raffo, C. (2000). Risk and trust in the cultural industries. Geoforum, 31(4), 453–464. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0016-7185(00)00008-7
  3. Jenkins, H. (2010). Transmedia Storytelling and Entertainment: An annotated syllabus. Continuum, 24(6), 943–958. https://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2010.510599
  4. Gorbul, T., & Rusakov, S. (2022). CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PRACTICES: EXPERIENCE OF UKRAINE AND THE BALTIC STATES. Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, 8(4), 58–69. https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2022-8-4-58-69
  5. Su, J. (2019). Managing intangible cultural heritage in the context of tourism: Chinese officials’ perspectives. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 18(2), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/14766825.2019.1604720
  6. Throsby, D. (2001). Defining the artistic workforce: The Australian experience. Poetics, 28(4), 255–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-422x(01)80003-6
  7. Caves, R. E. (2003). Contracts Between Art and Commerce. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 17(2), 73–83. https://doi.org/10.1257/089533003765888430
  8. Zhao, X., Shen, L., & Jiang, Z. (2024). The impact of the digital economy on creative industries development: Empirical evidence based on the China. PLOS ONE, 19(3), e0299232–e0299232. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299232
  9. Park, S. D. (2022). Policy Discourse Among the Chinese Public on Initiatives for Cultural and Creative Industries: Text Mining Analysis. SAGE Open, 12(1), 215824402210799. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221079927
  10. Chen, R., & Liu, Y. (2023). A Study on Chinese Audience’s Receptive Behavior towards Chinese and Western Cultural Hybridity Films Based on Grounded Theory—Taking Disney’s Animated Film Turning Red as an Example. Behavioral Sciences, 13(2), 135. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13020135
  11. Beverland, M. B. (2005). Crafting Brand Authenticity: The Case of Luxury Wines. Journal of Management Studies, 42(5), 1003–1029. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2005.00530.x
  12. Feng, T.-T., & Yang, L.-F. (2024). Sustainable Development of the Cultural and Creative Industries in the Post-Pandemic Era: A Case Study of the Animation Industry in China. Sustainability, 16(22), 9796–9796. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16229796
  13. Fuschillo, G. (2020). Fans, fandoms, or fanaticism? Journal of Consumer Culture, 20(3), 347–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540518773822
  14. Magnani, G., & Gioia, D. (2023). Using the Gioia Methodology in international business and entrepreneurship research. International Business Review, 32(2), 102097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2022.102097
  15. Spiggle, S. (1994). Analysis and Interpretation of Qualitative Data in Consumer Research. Journal of Consumer Research, 21(3), 491–503. https://doi.org/10.1086/209413
  16. Gioia, D. A., Corley, K. G., & Hamilton, A. L. (2013). Seeking Qualitative Rigor in Inductive Research: Notes on the Gioia Methodology. Organizational Research Methods, 16(1), 15–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428112452151
  17. Simula, B. L. (2019). Pleasure, power, and pain: A review of the literature on the experiences of BDSM participants. Sociology Compass, 13(3), e12668. https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12668
  18. Heitor, M., Horta, H., & Mendonça, J. (2014). Developing human capital and research capacity: Science policies promoting brain gain. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 82, 6–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2013.07.008
  19. Cova, B., & Dalli, D. (2009). Working consumers: the next step in marketing theory? Marketing Theory, 9(3), 315–339. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593109338144
  20. Podnar, K., & Balmer, J. M. T. (2021). Quo Vadis Corporate Marketing? Journal of Business Research, 134, 642–646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.06.015
  21. Briscoe, F. (2007). From iron cage to iron shield? How bureaucracy enables temporal flexibility for professional service workers. Organization Science, 18(2), 297–314. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1060.0226
  22. Nieborg, D. B., & Poell, T. (2018). The platformization of cultural production: Theorizing the contingent cultural commodity. New Media & Society, 20(11), 4275–4292. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818769694
  23. Napoli, P. M. (2014). Automated media: An institutional theory perspective on algorithmic media production and consumption. Communication Theory, 24(3), 340–360. https://doi.org/10.1111/comt.12039
  24. Dubois, E., & Blank, G. (2018). The echo chamber is overstated: The moderating effect of political interest and diverse media. Information, Communication & Society, 21(5), 729–745. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2018.1428656
  25. Sun, M. (2020). K-pop fan labor and an alternative creative industry: A case study of GOT7 chinese fans. Global Media and China, 5(4), 389–406. https://doi.org/10.1177/2059436420954588
  26. Zhang, W. (2015). No cultural revolution? Continuity and change in consumption patterns in contemporary china. Journal of Consumer Culture, 17(3), 639–658. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540515611201
© 2026 eLibrary · Stand on the shoulders of giants