Panda Express gives Americans a taste of Lunar New Year with charming family tale

Panda Express, the American Chinese restaurant chain, spreads the joy of Lunar New Year to U.S. viewers with a humorous and heartwarming family story from agency Opinionated, featuring a man trying to impress his girlfriend’s family upon meeting them for the first time. In the two-minute spot, directed by Max Sherman of Anonymous Content, the girlfriend’s two aunts team up to grill the man about his background. He’s nervous at first, but manages to win them over by the end. While Lunar New Year meals are typically home cooked, there are nods to the Panda Express menu, with spring rolls and The Original Orange Chicken appearing, along with a fateful fortune cookie. Opinionated was named Panda Express’ creative agency of record last year. Also read: Why Panda Express named Opinionated its creative AOR—behind the pitch and strategy “We wanted to capture the quirks and pride of real-life Chinese American family dynamics while also appealing to a broader audience—even those who may be unfamiliar with Lunar New Year or Panda Express—through universal themes of family and togetherness,” said Chris Le, senior copywriter at Opinionated. “‘Have You Eaten Yet?’ is a phrase deeply rooted in so many immigrant cultures, and this film truly reflects Panda Express’ values of warmth, family and joy through food.” “Food has the power to bring people together in the most heartfelt and joyful ways, and through our dishes and relatable, everyday stories, we aim to bring a taste of American Chinese culture to tables across America as we celebrate the spirit of togetherness that is so central to this holiday,” said Fabiola Del Rio, VP of integrated marketing communications at Panda Express. The film will run on paid channels including YouTube and social. The brand is also launching in-store promotions and activations near college campuses. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Panda Express gives Americans a taste of Lunar New Year with charming family tale

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