Chinese New Year marketing campaigns showcase the profound cultural significance of Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, across China and among people of Chinese descent globally. This Lunar New Year celebration is steeped in tradition, featuring family reunions, feasts, and well-wishing for prosperity and happiness. Each year is associated with a specific animal sign, and in 2025, the Year of the Snake symbolizes strength and luck. Both foreign and domestic brands capitalize on this cultural festivity, incorporating its rich elements into marketing campaigns to strengthen connections with consumers during this auspicious time.
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Our favorite 2025 Chinese New Year marketing campaigns
1. Nike’s “Year of the Snake” campaign inspires with dynamic elegance
Nike’s “Year of the Snake” campaign incorporates the theme of “灵蛇迎新” (Lingering Snake Welcoming the New Year) into its product design and storytelling. Nike’s signature short films this year feature local athletes like Wang Guanxiong, Zhang Jialang, and Li Meng. The collection features snake-inspired designs, metallic accents, and symbols like copper coins and the character “春” (spring).
A highlight is Nike’s “Year of the Mamba” series, blending Kobe Bryant’s Mamba mentality with New Year symbolism. It features the Kobe 5 Protro in purple and red, the Kobe 6 Protro with starry and snake-scale motifs, and a satin jacket embroidered with a snake around five championship rings, paying homage to Kobe’s legacy.
With the hashtag #灵蛇迎新 (#LingeringSnakeNewYear) trending on Chinese social media, Nike’s campaign artfully blends cultural resonance with modern athleticism, inspiring and embracing grace and determination in the year ahead.
2. Prada’s Lunar New Year 2025 Campaign: “We, The Snake” celebrates unity and transformation
As part of its Lunar New Year 2025 celebration, Prada unveils its “We, The Snake” campaign. The brand honors the Year of the Snake with a creative reinterpretation of the reptile’s symbolic coils. At the heart of the campaign lies a reimagined depiction of the snake. Traditionally seen as an emblem of individualism, transformed into a representation of community and interconnectedness.
The campaign extends into various creative mediums, including a film directed by Dorothy Sing Zhang. Prada introduces a unique iteration of its logo—a sinuous rope evolving into a snake with a head and tail—highlighting the campaign’s thematic emphasis on transformation and fluidity.
Prada expands the cultural dialogue with an exclusive podcast series, Speaking of the Snake, hosted by Violet Wang. Debuting on January 6, the series explores Eastern and Western interpretations of the snake across art, architecture, film, and cultural history. The podcast offers a multifaceted conversation that deepens cultural dialogue and enhances the audience’s connection with the brand beyond fashion.
3. Nongfu Spring Welcomes the Year of the Snake: 2025 Yi Si Zodiac Edition Glass Bottles
Nongfu Spring’s 2025 Zodiac Edition features two distinct glass bottles: natural mineral water and sparkling natural mineral water. The design draws inspiration from the snake’s fluid motion, gracefully navigating both water and land and captures its essence with intricate bottle engravings that reflect vitality and renewal. Moreover, each bottle is enhanced with gold-foil embossing, adding a tactile and sophisticated touch. When placed side by side, the bottles form a visually striking image of three snakes facing one another, symbolizing unity and the joy of family gatherings.
The 2025 Zodiac Bottles are available exclusively on Nongfu Spring’s website. It maintains its “gift-only, not for sale” tradition of its Lunar New Year celebrations. This limited availability heightens anticipation, making the annual release a cherished seasonal ritual for consumers.
4. POP MART celebrates the Year of the Snake with MEGA SPACE MOLLY 2025
As part of its Lunar New Year 2025 celebration, POP MART releases the MEGA SPACE MOLLY “Snake” Limited Edition. POP MART, known for pushing the boundaries of collectible art toys, blends traditional Chinese culture with contemporary design to create pieces that resonate with modern collectors.
The series reimagines POP MART’s beloved SPACE MOLLY character with intricate details that honor the zodiac symbol of the Snake. Featuring ivory white and a rich wine red, the design incorporates gold-toned snake motifs and Eastern floral patterns, blending elements of tradition with futuristic aesthetics.
Furthermore, this limited-edition release showcases POP MART’s mastery of bridging cultural heritage with innovative craftsmanship. The fusion of bold, festive colors like gold and red—representing prosperity and good fortune—ensures the series aligns with the celebratory spirit of the Lunar New Year.
5. Lululemon unveils 2025 Lunar New Year Capsule collection
To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Lululemon has launched its 2025 special edition collection inspired by Chinese brush painting and traditional floral elements. Highlights include Li Yuchun’s interpretation of the Define and Align™ series and the Scuba collection, which debuts new holiday-inspired hues with gold accents. The collection also features Snake Year-inspired pieces with flowing designs drawn from floral woodblock prints, capturing the essence of spring.
What can we learn from Chinese New Year marketing campaigns in 2025?
- Lululemon’s Lunar New Year collection blends Chinese brush painting and floral elements, focusing on mindfulness, elegance, and versatility.
- Chinese New Year marketing campaigns remain a key platform for brands to engage with Chinese consumers, blending tradition with innovation.
- Nike’s “Year of the Snake” campaign, Lingering Grace, Leaping Dreams, highlights the snake’s agility and wisdom, while the “Year of the Mamba” series honors Kobe Bryant’s legacy and Chinese culture.
- Prada reimagines the snake as a symbol of unity and transformation through films, exclusive collections, and a podcast, merging heritage with modern luxury.
- Nongfu Spring’s limited-edition bottles feature gold-foil snake designs, symbolizing vitality and enhancing their cultural appeal with the “gift-only” tradition.
- POP MART’s limited-edition SPACE MOLLY combines snake motifs and festive colors, blending Chinese tradition with modern collectible art.
