The Chinese New Year holiday is quickly approaching, and businesses everywhere are tapping into consumer mindsets. While the Department of Statistics Malaysia has recorded a 4% inflation rate as of November 2022, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli stated that Malaysian consumers’ purchasing power remained strong despite price increases. 

It’s no surprise that business owners are levelling up their marketing strategies for this celebration. That’s why you must ensure that your brand isn’t blending in with the background amidst the saturated Chinese New Year campaigns. If you want your brand to stand out among the competitors, you’ll need an effective and memorable marketing strategy.

Top 5 Chinese New Year marketing ideas 

Don’t worry if you don’t know where to start. You can try these five marketing strategies to bolster consumer interaction and make your CNY campaign leave a more lasting impression. 

  • Provide consumers with valuable content

The Chinese New Year may be closely associated with purchasing new things for a fresh start. However, the celebration goes deeper than that. Gift-givings, charitable gestures, and quality time with loved ones are some of the aspects worth highlighting from the holiday’s values and traditions.

Therefore, you can tie those values to your content depending on your budget and business type. For example, list some ideas for a fun session for all ages during family gatherings and what your customers need. Alternatively, you can create a list of gifts to give and avoid.

  • Leverage the power of social media

With many people using social media daily, it’s an excellent opportunity for a fun interaction as one of your marketing strategies. For instance, users can screenshot a rapidly alternating GIF image of a fortune cookie message to know what the Lunar New Year will bring for them. Then, encourage them to share their results and the link to the post. 

Social media is also great for marketing with user-generated content, which you can achieve by asking users about their most memorable CNY moments with or without your business. Choose the most exciting story and share them in your account.

  • Hold festive contests to strengthen your offline marketing

Establishing your online presence isn’t enough if your business has a brick-and-mortar store. Aside from decorating your store interior and exterior with Chinese New Year accessories, there are other fun and festive ways to attract potential customers. 

For example, you can host a real-life lucky draw where buyers must take a random red packet with sample products or promotional vouchers. They can take these samples home or use the coupons while shopping in-store.

  • List helpful life hacks for CNY

It’s no secret that Chinese New Year preparations can get hectic. Your customers need to buy a lot of ingredients to cook, as well as things and cards to give. Not to mention that they may need some red envelopes to keep their gift money. 

Your business can step in by providing them with unique applicable tips for the holiday. Consider presenting a list of quick and delicious cooking recipes if you sell food. Alternatively, suggest some handmade CNY decorations your customers can make with a limited budget and unique best wishes to send.

  • Get creative with imageries used in marketing campaigns

Red and gold are the most popular colours for Chinese New Year as they signify abundance and auspiciousness. However, that doesn’t mean you can only stick with one colour scheme for your Chinese New Year campaign. 

While avoiding colours associated with mourning to your best extent, you can also try implementing other elements of the holiday, namely the twelve zodiac animals. As you experiment with combining colours and images, ensure that the results fit your brand image and tone.

 

Lastly, don’t be afraid to be bold, get creative, and seize this festive opportunity to showcase your brand’s uniqueness. Brainstorm Chinese New Year marketing strategies using the above ideas and develop your signature. Should you have limited resources, don’t be afraid to start small by thinking of a memorable hashtag!