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January 15, 2019

Tips for Marketers Around Chinese New Year

Posted by David Gong

On February 5th, approximately 1.5 billion people around the world will celebrate the Lunar New Year otherwise known as the Chinese New Year. A major occasion in several countries, nowhere is it celebrated more than in China. Regardless of trade tensions between the U.S. and China, brands rightly see the Lunar New Year as a major selling opportunity. Which is why it’s disheartening when brands that should know better flub things up.

The latest example of a Western brand targeting Chinese consumers with a tone-deaf approach is Burberry. The iconic brand launched its very first Chinese New Year campaign this year, and it dutifully checked off the usual suspects of relevancy criteria: the use of Chinese celebrities, the color red, and an overall theme around family. But look at the campaign’s images, and you’ll understand why Chinese consumers are mercilessly mocking this effort on WeChat and Weibo.

Burberry prioritized conveying a look that matched its own brand aesthetic more than creating photography that captured the joy Chinese consumers associate with the holiday. The new year brings forth the world’s largest migration of humans every year because the vast majority of Chinese willingly and eagerly wish to reunite with their families. In addition to family, the new year involves elements of luck (e.g., red envelopes consisting of lucky money). Take a look at the photos above again, and tell me who feels joy and hopefulness (besides Burberry’s competitors).

A simple marketing best practice of testing could’ve prevented this. No doubt a focus group of Chinese consumers (even one that’s based in the UK) would’ve immediately alerted the brand overseers of the campaign’s creepy and horror-tinged feel. Hopefully, Burberry will learn from this, and come back next year with a more vibrant outing. Based on my extended family relatives, Burberry remains very much a desirable brand among aspirational luxury shoppers of Chinese descent.

Chinese New Year Advertising Recommendations

If your brand is considering jumping into the fray, here are some simple recommendations on how to effectively pull off an authentic and respectful New Year’s campaign:

  • Focus on the family, especially around coming together again. This could relate to the massive migration within China, or reconnecting abroad by Chinese travelers or those in the diaspora.
  • Use characteristics of the zodiac animal that’s celebrated. In 2019, it’s the pig, and in 2020, it’s the rat. Do more than just use a photo, though, as consumers will appreciate the extra thought and effort.
  • Remember that the Chinese speak more than Mandarin. Many Chinese overseas, as well as in Hong Kong, speak Cantonese. The best bet is to localize the dialect by audience.
  • Start early, and remember to go the distance. Chinese consumers do a ton of shopping before the actual holiday (to the tune of $146B in 2018, according to ChannelAdvisor). And remember that celebrations go for several weeks. As an example, Kikkoman’s 2019 campaign will start several weeks before the holiday and run a total of five weeks.
  • Make sure WeChat and Weibo are pillars of your messaging plan. This is essential, and if your agency partner hasn’t included both in their proposal, find a new partner.

Suggested Reading: 3 Things to Know About Advertising on WeChat

Using a Western-centric template will not create resonant messaging with Chinese (or other Asian) consumers. The good news is that the principles of localization, market authenticity, and audience-centric design can and will lead to success if brands are assiduous about it.

Happy Year of the Pig!

APACaudience insightsholiday advertising
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