Chinese New Year is one of the biggest occasions in the calendar, with celebrations traditionally taking place over the course of 16 days. Chinese New Year 2023 falls on Sunday 22nd January and marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit. With so many families getting together and giving gifts over the New Year period, it’s obviously a prime time for advertisers. What have been the best Chinese New Year ads?
The Best Chinese New Year Ads
- Coca Cola – Chinese New Year Real Magic
- RHB Chinese New Year 2022: A Spark for Change
- McDonald’s – My Mum is the Greatest Hairdresser
- HSBC – The Luckiest Red
- Grab CNY – Prepare for HUATEVER
- Oreo Red Velvet
- Julie’s Biscuits – The Worst Feng Shui Master
- Singtel – The Hunt for the Lucky Tiger
- Singapore Ministry of Communication and Information
- Digi – The Undivided Heart
- Knife – Always Be There
- Tiger Beer – Year of the Tiger
- Coca Cola – CNY Confessions
- Panda Express – Traditions Shared
- H&M
- Shot on iPhone
- Skittles – Frustrate the Rainbow
- Nike – The Great Chase
- Air Asia – The Boy and the Lion
- Ribena – Purple Flight
Recent Chinese New Year Ads
Coca-Cola Chinese New Year Real Magic
Coca Cola’s adorable ad features a family of animated tigers gathering round their table for a traditional Chinese New Year feast.
Director Yves Geleyn created a simple yet symbolic story about a father and son, with artistic inspiration drawn from traditional Chinese folklore, illustration and sculpture, and landscape inspired by the majestic Tianzi Montain. The story illustrates how different generations can often find it hard to connect at family gatherings and shows father and son reconnecting as they chase an errant bottle of Coke down the mountain together, bringing the fun back into their relationship.
The soundtrack is gentle and orchestral, but with dramatic moments that propel the expert storytelling.
RHB Chinese New Year 2022: A Spark for Change
This ad is inspired by a true story in which ten children in Teluk Intan, Malaysia, took it upon themselves to clean up their fishing village when it faced a waste management crisis. Their action inspired the adults to be more mindful of waste disposal, proving that one small act can lead to a big positive effect.
RHB bank’s film breaks with traditional Chinese New Year campaigns, which usually focus on family gatherings. The storyline stresses that individuals taking action inspires others, which fits with the brand’s long-running ‘Together we progress’ brand tagline.
The soundtrack mixes piano and orchestral elements, with traditional Chinese instrumentation towards the end.
McDonald’s – My Mum is the Greatest Hairdresser
McDonald’s Malaysia tells the story of a girl whose mum would create amazing hairstyles for her every Chinese New Year. However, as a teenager, when some boys tease her about her hair, she refuses to let her mum near it again.
As a grown-up career woman, she reminisces; will she let the greatest hairdresser come up with another style for her? Of course she will. It’s a heartwarming message about how family traditions strengthen ties, with an emotional soundtrack that blends traditional instruments with piano touches.
HSBC – The Luckiest Red
The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank joined forces with Wunderman Thompson Canada to uncover the most frequently used shade of red, in order to elevate Asian artists in the US market. HSBC Bank USA partnered with The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco to examine their 18,000-strong collection; an AI-based programme called Adobe Sensei identified ‘the luckiest red’, which has been digitally matched by Pantone.
Red is a colour that’s synonymous with Chinese New Year because of the legend of a beast called Nian in ancient China; the secret weapons to drive it away were items that are red in colour and loud noises such as firecrackers and fireworks. Red is also the colour of luck and good fortune in Asian culture. Asian Americans were encouraged to use ‘the luckiest red’ to create artworks which were then shared by HSBC Bank USA in May of this year, to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
The soundtrack is of subtle Chinese percussion and calming piano, to accompany the visuals of some of the huge number of artworks, sculptures and objects in the Museum’s collection.
Grab CNY 2022: Prepare for HUATEVER
Grab CNR’s New Year campaign has the same vibe as Argos’s Christmas campaign – i.e. it’s been ages since we’ve been able to celebrate together with our extended family and friends network, and we need to prep for a full-on invasion.
A classic family – mum, dad, daughter, son – marshal their resources ‘with the best armour money can buy’ (i.e. the perfect New Year outfits) and groceries via a selection of Grab apps. The dad is in full army uniform, giving a rousing speech about how this year they’re going to host an event that will be talked about for generations to come. The soundtrack is reminiscent of an epic Marvel trailer, with taiko drums and plenty of action-style tension and blasts of choral singing.
Oreo Red Velvet
Oreo created a super-cute animated ad for their limited edition ‘red velvet’ biscuit. The cookies are used to make everything from pagodas to lanterns hung across the street and the classic Chinese dancing lions. A string of the biscuits explode as firecrackers and they even make very effective drums!
The ad uses traditional Chinese music to heighten the effect.
Julie’s Biscuits – The Worst Feng Shui Master
Oh dear, poor Master Wong the Feng Shui master predicted that 2020 was going to be a great year. Unfortunately, we all know how that worked out – for literally the whole world. His luck (and predictions) continue to go from bad to worse and he’s relentlessly mocked on the TV.
He thinks it’s because he lost his lucky jade ring – but what’s this? A hostage-style note slipped under his door, telling him to go to Julie’s HQ as they have his ring… Turns out the head honchos at Julie’s want Mr Wong’s advice, which he duly gives and their profits soar. However, they’ve actually done the opposite of everything he said.
The twist is, this becomes the key to him being hugely successful. He now has a tonne of clients they just… do the opposite of what he says!
Singtel – The Hunt for the Lucky Tiger
Singapore-based telecoms company Singtel has had a series of ads featuring the rival Ang and Huang families. The third in the series finds the feuding families reluctantly reunited on staycation at a 5G-powered Sentosa Island, and in direct competition as they take each other on in a treasure hunt for the lucky tiger. This includes an AR trail through the jungle, powered by 5G.
The short film is soundtracked with everything from classic comedy to action-drama, including Mission: Impossible-style music for a section including a drone. And of course there’s a happy ending, emphasising the importance of family and friendship.
Singapore Ministry of Communication and Information
Agency Grey Singapore put together this warm, light-hearted film, which, once again focuses on how Singaporeans have adapted to the uncertainties and challenges of a get together under Covid 19. No more gigantic guest lists and wondering who’ll get along with whom (and who’s more senior). By necessity, things have been slimmed-down for Chinese New Year. The central message is that celebrations don’t have to be big to be meaningful – plus there’s a quick reminder that getting your booster shots will mean you can join in without worrying.
The music goes from a party feel when the family are shown having their more usual get-togethers a few years ago, to some traditional percussion as the two youngest members try to make sense of a massive potential guest list and then a calming piano and strings section when their Grandma makes the decision to keep it small this year.
Digi – The Undivided Heart
Malaysian mobile service provider Digi Telecommunications tell the story of Amy Ling, a young woman who takes over her parents’ restaurant and has to find ways to revitalise it. She’s shown having a Zoom call with the rest of the family to discuss digitising the business, bringing in new uniforms and renaming the restaurant. However, not everyone’s on board with her brave new world and vision for The Tiger Palace.
After disagreeing with her uncle, the two come back together, recognising that ‘family is above everything’. The ad signs off with the message, ‘the strength of family is the greatest prosperity we can share’ and ‘may love reconnect us to all that matters’, to the strains of a piano-led ballad.
Knife – Always Be There
Oof, if you want a proper emotional gut-punch, then watch Knife Oil’s film. The two stories show a young man who’s been made redundant and is trying to cover up how much he’s struggling from his parents. The other focuses on a young woman who’s a cookery influencer. She misses urgent phone calls from her brother, saying their father has had a stroke.
Both return to their families and are supported and offer support between the generations, emphasising the importance of eating together.
Tiger Beer – Year of the Tiger
The No. 1 international premium beer in Asia teamed up with global football icon Son Heung-Min to encourage people to set aside their fears and achieve their boldest ambitions in the Year of the Tiger.
Son’s journey has taken him from South Korea to becoming an international football icon who is the highest-scoring Asian player in Europe’s premier club competition, and the first Asian player to win the Golden Boot.
Sean O’Donnell, Global Brand Director, Tiger Beer, explained that, ‘Tiger Beer was born from defying the odds with a bold and courageous spirit. Brewing beer in the tropics was thought to be impossible until we did it. Son is a global icon who perfectly embodies this spirit of Tiger Beer – he is courageous, confident, and unstoppable. We believe that we are all born with a Tiger inside us – a version of ourselves that knows no limits to what is possible – but few of us are able to uncage it. We are delighted to be working with Son to inspire people everywhere to use the Year of the Tiger as the catalyst to realise their true selves.’
The soundtrack to the full ad is an original composition by Adrian Sergovich.
Chinese New Year 2021 Ads
Coca-Cola – CNY Confessions
Coca Cola’s Chinese New Year ads are now something of a tradition and tap into the brand’s talent for storytelling. For 2021, they focused in on what many brands had picked up on – the fact that Covid 19 had taken away something that many people – young people in particular – had taken for granted. So, the first half of the ad is about three young characters flagging all the things they don’t like about New Year get-togethers – the long, uncomfortable journey to get there; the constant demands to go and pick up more food from the shops, and the fact that there are so many family members staying, you don’t have any space for yourself, even in your own bed.
After a year of being on their own for New Year, the three realise how much the get-togethers mean to them: the rice cakes that ‘Little Piggy’s grandmother makes for him; the karaoke and noisy relatives, and running errands as a way of showing love for your family. It’s heartwarming and focuses on ‘the little simple joys found in the normalcy that brings us together’ according to Cia Hatzi of McCann Worldgroup, who created the ad.
Panda Express – Traditions Shared
American-Asian fast food chain Panda Express is the largest Asian-segment restaurant chain in the US. Created by ad agency The Many, the Chinese New Year Panda Express video
focuses on the idea that Lunar New Year is all about coming together and sharing traditions with those we love most.
The family-owned brand’s 2021 ad tells the sweet story of a young boy, Jordan, who is invited by his neighbours, the Lees, to experience New Year with them, complete with authentic Chinese dishes and, of course, the giving and receiving of lucky red envelopes.
The reveal at the end of the film is that Jordan is now grown up and keeps the tradition of sharing good fortune by giving the Lees a box of Panda Express spring rolls, as they’re having to spend New Year on their own. His own family is then shown sitting at their table celebrating the holiday and passing down the tradition to their son with a Panda Express family meal.
The film was directed by Erica Eng, who is a fifth-generation Chinese American, and the whole crew incorporated Chinese Americans who contributed everything from items from their homes to decorate the sets to the food stylist taking inspiration from her family’s Lunar New Year meals. The soundtrack is orchestral, bringing in sparkling moments of magic with tinkling chimes as the story evolves.
H&M
H&M put the focus on individuality by showing a variety of people prepping for their Lunar New Year celebrations, all working H&M clothes in their own way. One of them is Wang Shuang, a football star in the Chinese Women’s Super League.
The track used is ‘You’ve Got the Love’ by David Yang and Veegee; its mix of slower sections are expertly used for the quieter moments of the film, followed by the driving chorus for nightlife shots and two of the characters dancing on a rooftop.
Shot on iPhone – Chinese New Year Nian
Apple has made a tradition of inviting famous directors to make a short movie each year for Chinese New Year, shot on iPhone. In 2021, a Chinese New Year legend, Monster Nian, was reimagined as a contemporary coming-of-age story.
The film was directed by Lulu Wang and created by the team behind the Golden Globe-nominated film, The Farewell. Charming, fantastical, magical and very atmospheric, the story shows a curious, brave little girl, who declares herself unafraid of the fearsome Nian and goes looking for him in the forest, finding him in a cave. The two become friends and try to join in a New Year celebration, but the Nian is frightened by the firecrackers and fireworks and runs away.
Every new year, we set off all these fireworks. Is it really to scare off the monsters? Or is it to light up the dark night sky and all the places we want to go?
The girl’s parents worry about her and want to protect her, but her mother realiaes that actually, they should learn from her courage, and be willing to explore the magical side of life. All three go into the forest, and the final scene shows the family sharing a meal around their table – complete with the Nian.
The soundtrack is used sparingly, with piano and orchestral touches to highlight the emotions.
Skittles – Frustrate the Rainbow
Skittles capitalised on their reputation for humorous ads with this 2021 Chinese New Year ad. Instead of the usual focus on spending quality time with friends and family, the brand came up with a cunning twist on the red packets that are traditionally exchanged.
Skittles created a mobile game on the WeChat app, with a digital red packet that required 50,000 consecutive taps to open it – whoever reached the target fastest would win $7,750. The ad featured two players sitting on a sofa and tapping away, whilst aging drastically and humorously discussing how much of a waste of time it all is, accompanied by the sound of manic tapping.
The Best of the Rest
Nike – The Great Chase
Nike took its first strides into the Chinese New Year ad market in 2020 with ‘The Great Chase’. The ad put a witty spin on the tradition of family giving each other ‘hongbao’ red envelopes. The envelopes are often filled with money and given to children by elder relatives for good luck.
In Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai’s spot, an aunt attempts to give an envelope to her niece, who repeatedly politely declines. The two are shown in a fun game of cat-and-mouse as the little girl grows up and eventually dons a pair of Nikes to try to outrun her determined aunt (who instead upgrades to a tech solution, sending the envelope via a banking app.)
The chase continues for years, through factories and festivals, fields and rooftops, until the niece is an adult, with a family of her own. It’s time for her to give her aunt an envelope. Psych! Auntie’s got her own pair of Nike’s, inspired by Chinese mythology. The brand said, ‘it’s a playful approach on a Chinese tradition, reminding the audience to celebrate and have fun, to stay active during a time when we typically eat a bit too much.’
The ad features a Chinese-language version of Doris Day’s ‘Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps’.
Air Asia – The Boy and the Lion
Air Asia’s ad shows the excitement of travelling to visit family for New Year through the eyes of a small boy. It’s his first tine going to his grandma’s and there’s emotional piano for the family sequences as they celebrate around the dinner table. This gives way to traditional Chinese music when the boy finally gets to meet the Lion and join in with dancing in the street.
Ribena – Purple Flight
Ribena "Purple Flight" from stevo on Vimeo.
Ribena’s ads are always fun, and this Chinese New Year spot is no exception. When Traditionalist Liondance Grandpa goes up against his TechnoParkour Grandson, sparks will definitely fly! The ad features traditional drummers and percussionists, which then segues into an EDM track.
Looking For More?
If you’re celebrating Chinese New Year, then check out our playlist, featuring everything from traditional Chinese instruments to hybrid Chinese pop. And for more deep dives into advertising, check out The Edit, for the best of Coca Cola ads, Nike, Ribena and how brands tell their stories.
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