Lunar New Year is here!
Also known as Chinese New Year (CNY), it’s one of the biggest holiday celebrations – and means a lot to millions of people.
Many travel to China to reconnect with their families. Not only that – the celebration extends to Chinese communities all over the world.
What’s in it for your business?
Such worldwide holiday fever is a golden opportunity. For years, many local and global brands always go all out on their Lunar New Year marketing campaigns. And so should you.
Take advantage of the occasion. Make your brand memorable with an effective Lunar New Year 2023 marketing campaign.
To do it, we’ve put together these best campaign inspirations for you:
Get Inspired by These Creative Lunar New Year Marketing Campaigns
Go with Lunar New Year-themed Merchandise Like Starbucks’ CNY Collection
Be cute and stylish by using the new year’s zodiac animal: The rabbit.
Starbucks releases adorable rabbit-themed items, such as teaspoons, bottles, and drawstring pouch to ring in the Lunar New Year.
They also have items with red-and-white designs for those who are not fond of the zodiac animal. Red is an auspicious color in Chinese culture and fits well for the occasion.
Now it’s your turn to associate this Year of the Rabbit to your marketing campaign. Personalise it by giving it a touch of your branding.
Showcase the Familial Values of the Season like Coca-Cola’s CNY Ad
Speaking of adorable rabbit-themed campaigns, take a look at Coca-Cola’s 2023 New Year of the Rabbit ad.
Along with long-practised Lunar New Year traditions are values people want to uphold. These values include cherishing not only our loved ones but everyone around us.
Coca-cola successfully displays the importance of family during the Chinese New Year through their campaign. It focuses on the concept of sharing meals with your family as the best way to celebrate the occasion.
Carry Out the Holiday’s Tradition Like BreadTalk’s Rabbit-themed Menu
Lunar New Year traditions are all about attracting positive energy and good luck.
BreadTalk piqued on that common interest for one of their campaigns by releasing an Instagram-worthy year of the rabbit-themed menu. People can also send them as good luck gifts to their loved ones since they come with attractive packaging.
Everyone aims for a whole year of happiness. Help people fulfill tradition by marketing your product as the perfect gift for the people they care about.
Offer good luck envelopes or red packets as a freebie, or give out limited-edition items in lucky numbers.
Illustrate Traditional Chinese Culture Like McDonald’s Ink Wash Painting Animation
What better way to commemorate the long surviving traditions of the Lunar New Year than blending it with the modern times? McDonalds did it right with their ink wash painting animation video to launch two Chinese New Year hamburgers.
The one-minute video depicted China’s countryside, filled with images of swallows, plum trees, tadpoles, and river shrimps.
You too can use Chinese art traditions in your next marketing strategy.
Keep the Fun like Watson’s “Happy Beautiful Year”
Everyone wants to look and feel the good vibes of the Lunar New Year.
Take it from Watsons with their heartwarming CNY campaign video through exaggerated dialogue and upbeat musicality.
Their “Happy Beautiful Year” campaign calls us to put away differences and work together to become the best version of ourselves. This coincides nicely with the holiday experience, which is all about family and togetherness.
And they remain on-brand – by telling how everyone should not only look good, but also feel good for the biggest occasion of the year.
Showcase Holiday Values Like Malaysia Airline’s “The Spirit of Hospitality”
As previously mentioned, family is a very important aspect in celebrating the Lunar New Year.
That’s how Malaysia Airlines’ CNY campaign won the hearts of everyone celebrating the festivities. They showed these important holiday values – and they did it simple and sweet.
The holiday spirit indeed fits their niche as they bring families together through their transport service. Going beyond that, the brand embodied kindness, caring, and giving – the spirit of hospitality.
Stir Up Audiences’ Emotions like Singtel’s “My Grandmother’s House”
Capturing the audience’s emotions is an ever-effective marketing strategy.
So, consider tapping into the emotions the occasion triggers.
Pique on the happiness of people celebrating the holiday with their families and friends. Or, create content that addresses the longing of those who are far from their loved ones.
That’s why Singtel’s CNY campaign struck a chord on many hearts. Their short film approached a humorous play on Singaporean Chinese New Year culture and balancing it off with a heartwarming reconciliation between long lost friends.
All while putting their brand on the spotlight by showing how they help people connect with their telecommunication services – even people you’ve lost in touch for years!
Tap on Holiday Frustrations like Panadol Extra’s “Time for Joy not Pain” Ad
Think of the common frustrations that people face during Lunar New Year. The stress of long trips, holiday rush buying, and endless meal preparations, to name a few.
Focus on those pain points, then set your product or service as their comfort.
This is what Panadol Extra did with their short, but sweet campaign. They emphasised the worry of losing family traditions as the older family members suffer from body aches, making those tasks hard to carry out.
Panadol Extra not only sets their product as the solution to relieve pain, but also a reminder of the importance of carrying tradition from our families.
Take Inspiration from Real Stories Like RHB Group’s CNY Ad “A Clean Start”
The New Year is all about new beginnings. Help people celebrate the new year with good tidings by featuring their stories.
RHB Group’s CNY ads are often based from real events. This year, they embodied the core values of the Lunar New Year with their “A Clean Start” CNY campaign, stirring everyone’s hearts with an inspirational message about connection, family, and new beginnings.
But it’s not just an emotional ad. This CNY campaign promotes the main principles of RHB which is committed to serving the community, as established in their brand promise “Together We Progress”.
The best inspiration can come anywhere, sometimes you only need to look from the people around you. Find inspiration in your next marketing idea today.
RECOMMENDED: Marketing Etiquette: The Dos and Don’ts of Promoting on Holidays
Here Are 3 Key Takeaways to Guide Your Campaign Planning:
1) Stay on Brand
Your content is catchy. It’s powerful and memorable. But does it convey your brand message?
In the process, you may forget about your brand and values. A lot of campaign ideas may overwhelm you. When this happens, go back to your business and marketing goals.
Find a way to tie in your products, brand, and values to the traditions and core values of the Chinese New Year.
2) Be Mindful of Tradition and Culture
The last thing you want to do is offend people who celebrate the Lunar New Year due to cultural differences.
Wholesome content works all the time for Lunar New Year campaigns due to the occasion’s focus on family reunions.
Be sure to research the holiday thoroughly. Learn about each community’s culture, avoid controversial topics, and take relatable aspects to stir up their emotions.
But this doesn’t mean you have to be boring. Go clever and comedic, or emotional and inspiring – all while keeping the idea of family affection.
3.) Invest in Digital Campaigns
More than half of the world population is online these days. So, don’t even think twice about using the digital platform for your marketing campaigns. Or else, you’ll lose to the competition and lose your customers.
Aside from your socials, you can invest in a cheap web hosting plan to help get your website up and running.
There are a lot of web hosting plans available in the market but the best web hosting plan is the one that’s suited for your business’s needs.
READ: The Quickstart Guide to Building a Website
Kickstart Your Chinese New Year Marketing Campaign Today
Lunar New Year gives you immense favour to promote your brand. Do your marketing campaign right by channeling the spirit of the holiday.
Now’s the best time to keep that creative juices flowing. Create epic marketing campaigns that stir conversations and leave a lasting impact. Doing so helps you stand out.
Xīn Nián Kuài Lè!
