How TikTok, McDonald's, Apple and others are celebrating Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year is this Sunday, and as usual, brands are celebrating in style. There’s a bit of everything this year, from epic brand films to social videos to out-of-home stunts. Here’s a rundown of some of the more notable work that’s been made around the holiday this year. TikTok Fred & Farid Shanghai created TikTok’s Lunar New Year campaign. Featuring actor Andy Lau, it references the traditional Hongbao custom of giving red envelopes filled with money as a gesture of good wishes during the Chinese New Year. But instead of focusing on the amount of money or the mechanism of receiving the Hongbao, the work focuses on good wishes conveyed through a traditional Chinese letter written by Lau himself. The letter, of course, includes a branded call to action: “Sharing a video from time to time is enough to let them know, ‘I care about you.’” Other brands leaning into Hongbao include Unlock Labs, which is bringing the tradition to the blockchain, with participants able to mint and send gifts to friends and loved ones online featuring five designs created by Chiali.eth. McDonald’s McDonald’s has tapped viral digital content creator Karen X. Cheng for an interactive Lunar New Year campaign. The collaboration includes creative designs by Cheng, an experiential AR filter, an immersive metaverse experience, and even a “commercial of the future” using AI technology. Inspired by Cheng’s childhood memories of Lunar New Year, the spot is one of the first to incorporate NeRF (neural radiance fields) technology, which utilizes artificial intelligence to create a 3D scene. Viewers are invited to scan an onscreen QR code to experience the artwork in the commercial as an interactive AR filter. Tiger Beer Tiger Beer, Asia’s No. 1 international premium beer, is using Lunar New Year to launch an integrated campaign called “A Bolder Tomorrow.” Created in partnership with Le Pub APAC, it kicked off with a stunt on Jan. 12, when passersby in Tanjong Pagar, Singapore were shocked to see busy businessmen and women stop in their tracks, frozen in time, to highlight what's missing in society today—the courage to stop endlessly chasing the next big win. The campaign also includes the video below. Apple It’s become an annual tradition for Apple to release a Lunar New Year film for the Chinese market, and this year’s is a stunner, as usual. Directed by Chinese filmmaker Peng Fei (“Underground Fragrance” and “The Taste of Rice Flower”), the 18-minute film, by TBWA\Media Arts Lab Shanghai, is a reimagining of “Through the Five Passes,” a classical Chinese opera whose origin dates from the 14th century. The entire film was shot on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Maxes. Coca-Cola Ogilvy Shanghai and production company Hornet made a spot for Coca-Cola that acknowledges how Lunar New Year is changing due to generational shifts and the rethinking of traditions, but that the spirit of the season remains. “Chinese New Year may change, but celebrating together is magic,” says the end line on the spot. Coke extended the campaign into packaging, with Year of the Rabbit can designs. Rémy Martin Cognac brand Rémy Martin enlisted five Chinese celebrities and artists for a campaign highlighting the unique ways people celebrate the holiday, with a particular focus on family. The campaign stars actor and martial artist Lewis Tan; Jessica Wang, a fashion influencer; Brandon Jew, the Michelin-starred chef and owner of Chinese restaurant Mister Jiu’s; photographer Kevin Wong; and cultural entrepreneur and producer Danielle Chang. The campaign includes a 30-second spot made with creative agency Fred & Farid and Hong Kong-born photographer Michelle Watt. Nike Nike used deepfake technology to turn four star athletes—two-time Grand Slam tennis champion Li Na, Chinese basketball legend Yi Jianlian, Chinese soccer star Wang Shuang, and Olympic Gold hurdles medalist Liu Xiang—into kid versions of themselves for this charming Lunar New Year spot. To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, Nike is also releasing a handful of custom sneakers—including adding fuzzy red-and-blue swooshes to the Dunk Low, as well as the Air Force 1 Low “Leap High” and Dunk High. New Balance and others are also unveiling new silhouettes with Lunar New Year-themed details. Ad Age Creativity Bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day Read more here

How TikTok, McDonald's, Apple and others are celebrating Lunar New Year

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