Anabelle Yong, MultiConnexions Client Servicing Executive is encouraging Western brands to step up their game to engage with the Chinese market this May 20.
Growing up in Malaysia and now living in Australia, I have been fortunate to be exposed to both Western and Chinese culture. It has opened my eyes to many potential events and marketing opportunities that I think it would be a shame to miss out on, just like this Chinese Valentine’s Day!
For Western brands, it might be odd to see love hearts and lovey-dovey messaging billboards and window decals during mid-May. But this is a familiar and expected sight for young Chinese because May 20 is China’s second unofficial Valentine’s Day.
The numbers “520” are used to expressed “I love you”, as the pronunciation of the two phrases is similar in Chinese. Chinese language often plays on homophonic words and numbers with hidden meanings. May 20 originally started as a slang word used by the Chinese netizens as a shortcut to say I love you, like ILY in English. It then came to be associated with the date May 20 (5.20), which therefore became a very romantic day!
The date was initially celebrated by Chinese youth, but now with more and wider groups joining in, this day is a much broader opportunity to send gifts and messages to friends and family and express love.
Many brands see the golden opportunity of this day commence themed marketing and advertising campaigns – a lot of these are clever, and creatively presented and have achieved seriously strong results.
Here are a few examples:
The copy of the below advertisement from Ofo, a Beijing-based bicycle sharing company, says, ‘Loving you means making your ride easier’.
The advertisement on the below right says, ‘Romance is simple; ride a bike, bring a person, to a place’. Image Source: Ofo Weibo
Clever copy and simple imagery create a strong impact in both designs.
The copy of the below left advertisement from Venucia T90, a fastback Mid-size CUV produced by Dongfeng-Nissan (China), says, ‘Your beauty, made my world stunning’. The imagery and copywriting appeal to the romantic Chinese culture. Image Source: Venucia
On the below right is an advertisement from Chinese white goods powerhouse Haier, for their air purifier. The copy says, ‘Even when I breathe, it’s the breath of my love for you.’ Image Source: Haier
Now you have seen how a simple, sweet and cute creative or a static advertisement grabs the attention of this audience, are you inspired to try out a 520 campaign this year?
Contact MultiConnexions today.