Tag: Lunar New Year

Hong Kong – The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), in partnership with Grey Hong Kong, has unveiled the ‘Endless Joy’ float, a vibrant tribute to the city’s unique fusion of tradition and modernity, just in time for the Lunar New Year celebrations.

The ‘Endless Joy’ float captures the festive spirit of the Year of the Snake, representing interconnected blessings and prosperity for all. Showcasing Hong Kong’s iconic skyline, it features snake-shaped elements and rings inspired by the Chinese Knot, symbolising unity and boundless joy.

The centrepiece of the float is a large LED lantern featuring a video collaboration with renowned artist Sija Hong. Her work combines traditional Chinese motifs with modern art, showcasing familiar Hong Kong scenes like temples, horse racing, the wishing tree, and flower markets.

The float also displays Hong’s vibrant illustrations and unique style. Her cultural perspective shines through, blending modern colours with detailed craftsmanship to celebrate Hong Kong’s heritage and innovation.

Samantha Fan, general manager of marketing at HKTB, said, “This collaboration reflects Hong Kong’s spirit—where East meets West, and tradition embraces modernity. We wanted to showcase the city’s cultural diversity while infusing the float with creativity and joy, inviting everyone to celebrate an unforgettable Lunar New Year with us.”

Desmond Li, executive director at Grey Hong Kong, also commented, “The Year of the Snake offers an incredible opportunity to reimagine how we celebrate the Lunar New Year. By combining traditional symbols with modern artistry, we’ve created a float that not only honours Hong Kong’s heritage but also sparks a sense of wonder and excitement for all audiences.”

The ‘Endless Joy’ float will be a highlight of the city’s Lunar New Year celebrations, bringing festive cheer to locals and visitors. Its intricate design showcases Hong Kong’s unique traditions and creative spirit, ensuring a memorable experience for all.

Hong Kong – Japanese beer brand Asahi Super Dry has teamed up with renowned Japanese art project TERADAMOKEI to unveil limited-edition Model Kit-inspired cans and packaging, bringing a fresh, creative twist to Lunar New Year celebrations.

For this campaign, Asahi Super Dry tapped TERADAMOKEI’s signature 1:100 scale Model Kit concept to create limited-edition cans that depict a vibrant Lunar New Year scene, complete with friends, festive décor, and lively conversation around a table set with Asahi Super Dry glassware.

The design highlights barley and hops in yellow, honouring the core ingredients of Asahi Super Dry, while speech bubbles symbolise the connections people share—both online and offline—during festive gatherings. The blend of traditional Lunar New Year red with sleek Asahi Super Dry silver adds a modern, dynamic flair to the packaging.

With these limited-edition creative cans, Asahi Super Dry aims to celebrate the joy of creation and enhance the festive spirit by delivering a unique twist to Lunar New Year celebrations for beer lovers across the region.

Just as Asahi Super Dry’s crisp, refreshing taste symbolises progress, TERADAMOKEI embodies modern Japanese innovation through its paper model kits. Founded in 2011 by award-winning architect Naoki Terada and Fukunaga Printing Co., the project has redefined the Model Kit genre by shifting from mechanical designs to human scenes and replacing plastic parts with paper, broadening its appeal beyond hobbyists.

Asahi Super Dry’s limited-edition Model Kit design cans, created in collaboration with TERADAMOKEI, are now available across APAC in supermarkets, online, and select restaurants—including Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, and, for the first time, Vietnam.

Singapore – Yeo Hiap Seng, a food and beverage company, is celebrating the 2025 Lunar New Year with the launch of limited-edition ‘Fortune Cat’ packaging and installations.

Yeo’s is introducing three festive packaging for its chrysanthemum tea, featuring the fortune cat as a symbol of prosperity and luck.

Additionally, Yeo’s has displayed two ‘Fortune Cat’ 3D installations at FairPrice Hougang Mall and FairPrice Xtra @ Jurong Point, where it will remain on exhibit until February 9. The installations, spanning 1.2 meters, are both made from Yeo’s recycled plastic bottles as an effort towards sustainability.

The installations have been recognised as the largest 3D-printed model made from recycled plastic bottles by the Singapore Book of Records, reflecting the company’s contribution to plastic waste reduction.

Alex Chen, head of marketing and business development at Yeo’s Singapore, said, “We are delighted to celebrate this Lunar New Year with the Yeo’s Fortune Cat, a symbol of good fortune and prosperity.”

“This record-breaking installation at FairPrice Hougang reflects our ongoing commitment to blending tradition with sustainability by creatively repurposing recycled Yeo’s plastic bottles. We are deeply grateful to FairPrice Group, along with our valued partners Unigons Global Pte Ltd and Plastictinkers, for their collaboration in bringing this initiative to life. Together, we are creating a meaningful and memorable experience for our customers,” Chen added.

Singapore – Heineken has teamed up with LePub Singapore to add a festive twist to the season, launching a campaign that playfully reminds everyone: “Celebrations are best when your phones take a rest.”

Titled ‘Festive Celebrations’, the campaign reinforces Heineken’s belief that the festive season is a time for meaningful reconnections—best enjoyed without the constant buzzing and dinging of our phones.

Directed by Maxime Govare and produced by Cream Paris, the campaign film follows an aunt and her nephew who, caught up in doom-scrolling, find a playful way to snap each other out of their phone-induced daze and embrace the festive moments around them.

“At a time of year when we should be winding down from work, reuniting with family and friends, and making actual, real-life connections, Heineken saw an opportunity to remind people that there is more to our social lives when we spend less time tethered to our phones. Who better than Heineken to nudge people toward refreshing their social habits and focusing on what truly matters—real-life conversations and authentic human connections? “Nalini Bhagwandin, communication manager at Heineken APAC, said. 

Stephan Schwarz, executive creative director for APAC at LePub Singapore, added, “We have all found ourselves scrolling while socialising or reaching for our devices without even realising that we’ve tuned out from the real world. We loved the idea of giving Heineken a clear role in turning festive moments into quality socialising time so that everyone can enjoy the joy of togetherness this holiday season.” 

For 150 years in 192 countries, Heineken has championed the importance of social connection. This festive campaign furthers its mission by encouraging people to trade mindless scrolling for meaningful moments.

This year’s festive campaign marks Heineken’s first Lunar New Year initiative to launch across multiple Asian markets, including China, Singapore, and Vietnam.

As part of the many Lunar New Year celebration campaigns in the region, Coca-Cola had launched a multi-faceted campaign, which includes a fiery redesign of its iconic soft drinks packaging, AR filters on social media, as well as a music video with MediaCorp personality Hazelle Teo to showcase celebrating the festivities in style.

For Coca-Cola back then, they wanted that their campaign to resonate further with all ages in wishing each other well wishes, and bearing that spirit of welcoming the new year with optimism and bringing families closer together.

For our third Top Story of the year, we spoke exclusively to Teejae Sonza, Senior Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Trademark, Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific to learn more about the multinational company’s direction to Lunar New Year campaigns, as well as stressing how its iconic drink has been the centrepiece of personal connections throughout the years.

How campaigns should always usher into a better year ahead

For Sonza, with Lunar New Year festivities always centred around ushering for a better year ahead with optimism, Coca-Cola considers that their campaigns should encompass their three core values: authenticity, optimism, and bridging divide. For the company, they want to encourage people to look at the New Year with optimism and hope, as well as reconnect with their families and friends.

“This year, Coca-Cola designed its Lunar New Year campaign centred on the idea that the magic of the Lunar New Year celebration happens when people bond together. It’s designed to inspire families to open up and deepen their connection with their families over a festive meal table, hopefully bringing them even closer during the Lunar New Year celebration,” he said.

Key visual for Coca-Cola’s Lunar New Year campaign

Sonza also added that one of the things that is also observed during these festivities is that there are generational differences within families, especially the younger generation who sometimes feel disconnected from their families. For Coca-Cola as a brand, they are always asking the question of how they can play a role in terms of bridging and enabling people to connect amidst the differences. 

“We see Coca-Cola and the dining table as our centrepieces for connection. As an enduring presence at mealtimes across generations, Coca-Cola steps in to facilitate shared experiences and meaningful conversations, bringing families closer together over a table filled with delicious meals and of course, an ice-cold Coca-Cola,” he added.

How its revamped packaging is a key part of Coca-Cola’s integrated campaign

A key component of Coca-Cola’s Lunar New Year campaign is its revamped packaging, which Sonza notes also has variations for its Singapore and Malaysian markets, as well as in Vietnam for its Tết (Lunar New Year) festivities.

Visual for Coca-Cola’s revamped Lunar New Year packaging design

“Our Coca-Cola packaging for the Lunar New Year featured the striking dragon design, a symbol of wealth and good fortune, and embodies the spirit of the Lunar New Year – a time for luck, well-wishing, and anticipation of a prosperous year ahead. We have also artfully integrated this majestic creature, not only in our packaging but also in a heartwarming TVC — bridging tradition and modernity, and encapsulating the essence of the upcoming year,” he said.

Sonza added, “Our product (and packaging) is the most tangible and best form of media that people/consumers interact with. Using our labels to show a country’s culture or tradition is part of the integrated experience we wish to deliver to people as we celebrate the Lunar New Year together with them.”

On the drive of influencers to amplify campaign across various touch points

As part of its Lunar New Year campaign in Singapore, Coca-Cola tapped MediaCorp artist Hazelle Teo to create a music video focusing on the fun side of the Lunar New Year festivities. According to Sonza, Yeo is one of the many influencers Coca-Cola is working with across the ASEAN and South Pacific regions for its campaigns.

“The song of Hazel Teo was released in Singapore only and relates to the campaign idea that “the magic of the Lunar New Year celebration happens when people bond”. It’s a reflection of the previous year’s hard work, how their family’s encouragement helped them power through, and how they look forward to the good fortune that the new year brings. It also talks about looking forward with positive enthusiasm and an even stronger determination as they have now received the best gift of them all – the “blessings of home”,” Sonza explained.

Music video with Hazelle Teo for Coca-Cola’s Lunar New Year campaign

He also added that by recognising how their consumers consume and interact with different forms of media, as well as connect with their friends, they are then able to fully provide an experience that is specifically catered and centred on them.

“Today’s generation (Gen Z), as we know it, is very social and digital savvy. Influencers play a key role in driving home our message and encouraging people, specifically the generation now, to use the tools we create or experience the activities we prepare on social and on the ground for them. Hence, we engage and connect with our consumers by tapping influencers to whom they relate to,” he concluded.

Singapore – With the Lunar New Year just days before Valentine’s Day this year, Bumble, the women-first dating and social networking app, marries the two events and provides users with the best of both worlds through the launch of its ‘Bumble Lo Hei: Toss Love into Your New Year’ campaign, spicing up Lunar New Year traditions and giving it a romantic twist for love seekers in 2024.

Inspired by the traditional and iconic ‘Prosperity Toss’ – or more commonly known as ‘Lo Hei’, Bumble will be giving away exclusive gift packages for users to toss their dating fatigue away and manifest a prosperous love life in 2024 with its 8 Love Mantras, empowering singles to take reign of their romantic journey.

Additionally, Bumble has also partnered up with local influencer Saffron Sharpe as she shares her manifestations for the year through Bumble’s Lo Hei, as well as Singapore-born Tiktok viral Feng Shui Expert Cliff Tan to share 6 ways that one can rearrange their furniture to invite love into their lives this new year.

To spread the festive cheer, Bumble has partnered with brands like The Golden Duck and Hershey’s to put together these specially curated, exclusive packages to its app users. Free for all new and existing users of Bumble to redeem from February 1 to 12, 2024, ‘Bumble’s Lo Hei: Prosperity Love Toss Pack’ is filled with 8 goodies, representing each of the 8 Love Mantras.

On the other hand, Bumble’s collaboration with Cliff Tan through his Instagram and TikTok videos delves into inviting single Singaporeans to welcome new romance into their lives by simply rearranging the furniture in their personal space, in time for Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day.

Talking about the collaboration with Cliff Tan, Lucille McCart, communications director at Bumble APAC, said “At Bumble, we help people find romance by providing a platform to meet genuine connections. With 2024 looking to be the “year of self” as predicted by Bumble’s latest Dating Trends report, we hope that our community will be able to use these tips to not only spring clean and refresh their personal spaces, but to also understand that opening yourself up to new connections can be as easy as removing items that don’t serve you anymore.”

“As the saying goes, out with the old and in with the new. Sometimes little changes really can open us up to finding love or other kinds of romance. Ultimately, dating should be fun, so embrace the potential of new, healthy connections by taking some of these small steps to help you refresh your personal space in 2024,” she added.

Hong Kong – As the upcoming Lunar New Year brings out campaigns from brands that offer unique and exclusive experiences, the fashion industry is no stranger to capturing the wave of celebration, according to the latest data from Euromonitor.

Lisa Hong, consultant at Euromonitor International, said that this approach is a straightforward and highly effective method of engaging a loyal consumer base in Asia. While not always directly translating into immediate sales, these strategies will help brands to enhance their image and rapport with local consumers.

To give an example, Hong pointed to luxury brand Fendi’s 2024 collaboration with POKÉMON incorporating popular dragon characters like ‘Dragonair’, ‘Dratini’ and ‘Dragonite’, with millennials and Gen Z consumers globally, eagerly lining up for hours in front of pop-up stores showcasing their favourite characters or artists to enjoy the unique experience.

It is also worth noting that with the boom brought about by Lunar New Year campaigns contributed a rise in personal luxury spending in East Asia, with Hong Kong seeing a rebound of 23.2% in personal luxury spending by the end of 2022 – the biggest rebound in Asia Pacific. China is also affected by this, as luxury brands are also looking to invest more in the Chinese shopper at home, the mainland and on the tax-free-shopping island of Hainan rather than travelling abroad.

Talking about this, Fflur Roberts, head of luxury goods at Euromonitor International, said, “While the path of economic recovery in China remains highly uncertain, price growth is projected to gather pace in 2024 on the back of accelerating consumer spending and reviving tourism flows. Indeed, the future overall for luxury goods in China nonetheless continues to look bright for those looking to capitalise on high-spending, digitally savvy and social media-friendly Chinese consumers.”

“By embracing the cultural significance of events like Lunar New Year and incorporating these elements into their marketing and product strategies, luxury brands can enhance their appeal and forge stronger connections with consumers, especially Chinese consumers during festive seasons both at home and abroad among the wider consumers in East and Southeast Asia,” he added.