Kung Hei Fat Choi! The Chinese New Year presents an enormous opportunity for social media marketing. The Philippines is home to more than 2 million pure-blooded Chinese, and more than 30 million have Chinese ancestry. Even those without any Chinese blood are relatively familiar with the customs surrounding this major holiday.
For 30 million Chinoys, the New Year is a time to look back at their heritage, bring out the familiar red ang pao, and enjoy Chinese-themed events and dinners. With the right social media marketing strategy, this huge market can be tapped. Let's learn from these examples:
Red Envelope - British Airways
Red Envelope – British Airways
Last 2014, British Airways celebrated the New Year by encouraging its Chinese customers on Sina Weibo to follow them on WeChat, one China's most popular social networking apps. The company gave away customized ang pao to its first 2,014 official WeChat followers. Inside each envelope was New Year greeting and a coupon. Three random people were lucky enough to receive golden envelopes instead of red ones, which contained roundtrip tickets from China to London. The campaign effectively leveraged popular social media platforms to gain followers and ensure that the airline continues to reach its customers no matter what platform they use.
Search for the Best Goatee - Queensland, Australia
Search for the Best Goatee – Queensland, Australia
The Bundaberg Regional Council Community Services wanted to spice up its Chinese New Year celebrations. In a truly Aussie manner, they reasoned that since 2015 is the year of the goat and goats have goatees, it would be a great idea to hold a contest for the best goatee in the region. They even encouraged outlandish styles, and allowed women and children to use props and wigs. The focus on simple and quirky fun quickly turned the campaign viral.
Safetycheck-Perodua
#Safetycheck– Perodua
In its quest to increase safety during the Chinese New Year, Malaysian car manufacturer Perodua took to social media. Families travel a lot during this Malaysian national holiday. To ensure their cars are in perfect working order, Perodua’s social media page offered its followers a free 50-point vehicle #Safetycheck. It’s not just a great way to connect with customers, it also shows that the company cares for their safety, all while raising brand perception.
A lot goes into a social media hit, and marketing during the Chinese New Year should consider using the right platforms, engaging Chinoy influencers, and selecting a theme that fits with the symbols and customs of the season. Combined with the right message, you can successfully convert a large affluent market!
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