Year of the MONKEY - Chinese New Year 2016

[GeneChing]

Great vid, for an ad.



Last year's thread: Chinese New Year 2015 - Year of the RAM

More to come.

[GeneChing]

That's all we need...more monkeys.

The Year of the Monkey Could Mean a Chinese Baby Boom
Natasha Khan January 17, 2016 — 1:29 PM PST Updated on January 17, 2016 — 9:50 PM PST

Merck KGaA reports stronger 3Q fertility-drug sales in China
Maternity hospital group says bookings increased by up to 30%

Those born in the year of the monkey are said to be crafty, clever and charming. That’s spurred some couples in China to delay parenthood until the less-auspicious sheep year ends -- a balm for companies offering fertility products and obstetric services.
The change in the Chinese zodiac from sheep to monkey, which happens this year on Feb. 8, has helped boost maternity bookings by as much as 30 percent at Harmonicare Medical Holdings Ltd.’s 72-bed hospital in Beijing, the company said. German drugmaker Merck KGaA said sales of fertility-related medications increased in China late last year as couples sought to build the ranks of little monkeys.
Harmonicare, China’s largest private obstetrics and gynecology hospital group, is renovating wards in its Beijing and Wuhan centers, adding beds and hiring medical staff on expectation of a busier year. It expects the advent of the country’s two-child policy will add to a monkey-baby drive.
“The number of obstetric deliveries will surely see substantial growth in the 2016 year of the monkey,” said Chen Wei, vice-president of the Beijing-based company, in an e-mail. “In Chinese tradition, sheep-year babies are seen as less auspicious than those born in other years, so many families delayed their reproductive plans so their kids could be born after that.”


A newborn intensive care unit. Source: Harmonicare Medical Holdings

Emperor Dragons
While the year of the monkey isn’t considered the most desirable among the 12 zodiac signs, it’s sandwiched between the years of the sheep -- sometimes referred to as a goat -- and the chicken, which can be seen by some as less favorable. The most auspicious year is that of the dragon, a symbol of China’s emperors and synonymous with power and wealth. The last dragon year, in 2012, sparked a 1.9 percent jump in births in China.
Birth years -- whether deemed lucky or not -- don’t always have a corresponding effect on fertility. In the last monkey year, in 2004, the number of births in China decreased by 0.37 percent in the wake of a SARS epidemic that killed more than 600 people on the mainland.
Superstition persists in China. The impact on births though is difficult to gauge or predict, said Joy Huang, the Shanghai-based research manager at Euromonitor International. “For example, we expected fewer babies to be born in the goat year, whereas we found out that the birth rate wasn’t severely impacted,” she said.

Two-Child Policy
Still, many couples in China waited until last May to fall pregnant, Marcus Kuhnert, chief financial officer of Darmstadt, Germany-based Merck, told analysts on a Nov. 12 conference call to discuss third-quarter earnings. “And since then indeed we saw a strong take-up of the business,” he said, without elaborating.
Deliveries in the coming year may be bolstered by the commencement on Jan. 1 of the government’s two-child policy, a relaxation of previous population curbs. The change will result in 3 million to 6 million more babies each year starting in 2017, Credit Suisse Group AG estimated in October. Suppliers of baby milk formula, diapers and certain medications will directly benefit.
A higher birth rate may add about 3 percentage points to the sales of baby-related products, including skincare, Euromonitor’s Huang said. The research firm predicts baby food sales, including milk formula and dried food, will reach 307.8 billion yuan ($46.7 billion) by 2020, more than double the 133.5 billion yuan it estimates was sold in 2015.

Diapers
Other companies that stand to benefit include formula companies, such as Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co.,and diaper maker Hengan International Group Co.
Provisions for a second child may increase the number of older women seeking to become pregnant, said Merck, whose fertility products include Gonal-f, used to stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs in women and to spur sperm production in men.
The increasing cost of raising children in China may narrow the number of couples seeking a second child to higher income-earners, said Harmonicare’s Chen. The shares were down 1.2 percent at HK$6.85 in Hong Kong as of 1:00 p.m. local time, while the Hang Seng index fell 0.65 percent.
“Under the two-child policy, those who choose to have a second child are mainly from more affluent families,” he said. “Since we’re in the mid-to-high end, most of them are our potential customers.”

[donnyir]

Great vid, for an ad.



More to come.

Nice ad, Gene. This guy is probably my favorite Sun Wu Kong ever.

[GeneChing]

Internet tycoons are weird all around the world.

LOOK: Chinese internet tycoons get dressed up for corporate CNY galas



As part of Chinese New Year celebrations, those at the very top of some of China's largest companies will be dressing up to appear as the star of the company gala. Here's a selection of some of the best outfits from previous years.
A frequent staple at the annual gala are figures from Chinese history. Here is Giant Interactive president Shi Yuzhu's tribute to the Jade Emperor.



And Xiaomi founder Lei Jun's took the role of Caishen, the Chinese deity of wealth.



Netease CEO Ding Lei turned up as a "Chinese zombie" to his company's event in 2014.



Baidu chairman Robin Li once masqueraded as Zorro back in 2012.



He also happens to be a pretty awesome drummer.



But despite the stiff competition, the man to steal the show is everyone's favorite internet tycoon Jack Ma, who delighted audiences when he turned up in a lovely frilly dress.



Who is the fairest of them all? You decide. We just hope that 2016 will live up to expectations.
[Images via DFIC / Xinhua]
Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Shanghaiist in News on Jan 21, 2016 11:00 PM

[GeneChing]

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for 2 YEAR OF THE MONKEY T-SHIRTS from KungFuMagazine.com! Contest ends 5:30 p.m. PST on 2/4/2016.

[GeneChing]

Ours are better:
Year of the Fire Monkey
Year of the Monkey King

Tumor-Laden Monkey Is Your New Spring Festival Gala Mascot
Design widely criticized
Charles Liu, January 22, 2016 11:31am



Spring Festival has long been known as the traditional time of year when Chinese families gather and celebrate. And yet, it’s also the night that hosts the biggest show of the year, the four-hour long celebrity-studded CCTV Spring Festival gala, a nationally-televised variety show crammed full of as much singing, cross-talk, and patriotic displays as anyone can muster.

As seen from past years, every Chinese New Year means the new gala must somehow be bigger and more entertaining than the year before, manifesting itself in fantastic sets with numerous video displays or elevating floors.

This year, as China celebrates the Year of the Monkey, the CCTV Spring Festival gala looks to up its showmanship by introducing the second mascot ever used by the gala in its history, Kangkang. The monkey mascot was designed by the same person who designed the Fuwa mascots for the Olympic games, Han Meilin.

And yet, there seems to be some major differences between what Han designed using watercolors (shown above), and what CCTV recently revealed as the mascot design for the show (shown below):



As far as first impressions go, there seems to be some kind of disconnect between Han’s initial watercolor design and the finished 3D model that will presumably provide the basis for the mascot costume. It’s as though someone simply took Han’s design and used it as a head, and then added another body below it. While the two round balls under the monkey’s cheeks made it to the final design, the use of yellow and green as subtle highlights did not.

In the hour since CCTV posted the design to its Weibo account, the post has received over 5,400 comments over the design that overwhelmingly disapprove:

勒尔金_：(top rated comment on CCTV Weibo post)
Upvote me if you don’t think this is any good…

幸是良人：
So ugly!

Nickal_Xcc：
Spring gala stoplight

茜茜念西不念倩V：
I like to think of the two “balls” under the monkey’s face in the hand-painted design are his hands, and not two tumors growing out of his face (as seen in the 3D model).

请叫我玉面小达摩：
Excuse me? Who decided this??? The 3D model version is ugly without peer??? Aren’t the two furry round things underneath the monkey his hands??? What’s the meaning of those tumors on the monkey’s face?

向大阳_：
The 3D model sucks!!! (repeated)

当仔很撒大：
In a former life, the designer surely was a traffic cop.

没有呢称用：
The vision of our leaders is genuinely unique!

张萌萌还是脸脸酱：
This color combination… can’t they just do a normal monkey?

TysSSS-：
In a word… ugly.

天青色等烟雨而我在等Jay：
Who cares who designed it since it’s so ugly anyways.

will-djx：
This is, without a doubt, the ugliest monkey I have ever seen.
The unanimous outpouring of dissent is really too bad when considering what kind of monkey Kangkang is. As revealed along with his design, Kangkang was born on Mount Huaguo and has one dream: “for everyone to be happy”.

Source: CCTV, Southern Metropolis Report, China News Network, Caijing
Photos: CCTV

Charles Liu
The Nanfang's Senior Editor

[GeneChing]

WTH? Why does Monkey art suck so much so far?

JANUARY 20, 2016
JORDAN BRAND CELEBRATES THE CHINESE NEW YEAR

Long recognized as a Chinese invention, the kite has deep cultural meaning representing promises of good luck and well wishes. Originating from the dream to fly, kites developed into techical instruments used to measure distances and test wind speed.



The kite and its uplifting significance now come to life in the Air Jordan V Retro Low and Jordan Super.Fly 4 PO, celebrating the Chinese New Year with kite-inspired graphics and corresponding tones.

The Jordan Chinese New Year graphic integrates cues from the Air Jordan V, including the shoe’s midsole design and outsole pattern. A hidden basketball court is found in the center of the graphic and includes inspirations from fighter jets and traditional Chinese kites.





JORDAN SUPER.FLY 4 PO
THE JORDAN SUPER.FLY 4 PO FEATURES A FLIGHT WEB FIT SYSTEM FOR SUPERIOR LOCK-DOWN AND FLIGHTSPEED TECHNOLOGY FOR AN EXPLOSIVE FIRST STEP.





The Air Jordan V Retro Low and Jordan Super.Fly 4 PO Chinese New Year shoes will release on Jordan.com and select global retail locations on January 23.

[GeneChing]

...is starting out really weird.

Monkey King masked models cruise around ski slope in underwear, scare the beejezus out of everyone



To promote its slopes, a ski resort in Henan went with the tried and true tactic of hiring girls in skimpy clothing; however, with the Year of the Monkey coming up they decided to get creative and had the lovely ladies wear Monkey King masks as well. Here is the result:



KILL IT WITH FIRE!



Somehow, the ladies attracted some attention cruising around on snowmobiles in minus 15 degree temperatures. Honestly, we sure as hell would be skiing as fast as we could the other way.




Different strokes for different folks?
[Images via China News]
Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Alex Linder in News on Jan 25, 2016 11:30 PM

[GeneChing]

PRC isn't allowing Deadpool to be distributed in there.

[GeneChing]

3 FEB 2016 - 8:55PM
Chinese baby boom expected in Year of the Monkey
Hundreds of thousands of people in China are preparing to usher in the Year of the Monkey, and for many hopeful parents, it's a good year to have baby.
By Katrina Yu
3 FEB 2016 - 8:14 PM UPDATED YESTERDAY 8:55 PM

Not only is the Monkey Year an auspicious time to give birth, it's also the first opportunity for many families to have more than one child, with China ending it’s one-child policy last year.

Daisy Yuan never thought she would have a second child. The Beijing resident is currently five months pregnant, and already mother to three-year-old Niu Niu.

“It was actually an accident and something I didn’t consider. But when it happened I spoke with my parents and husband and we realised that it was a good opportunity for Niu Niu to have a companion,” Yuan says.


Daisy Yuan and her three-year-old son Niu Niu. (SBS News)

The 33-year-old fell pregnant just after the Chinese government ended it’s long-held one child policy in October last year.

“I’m very happy, and it’s a monkey which is lucky. Monkey children are said to be smart and joyful, also energetic,” she says.

The new Lunar New Year will end the year of the sheep, a less desirable birth year according to Chinese astrology, and usher in the year of the monkey.

The lucky zodiac combined with the new policy have many predicting a bumper year for babies in China. In Beijing alone at least 300,000 newborns are expected - a 20 percent jump from the 250,000 average in recent years. German fertility drug maker Merck, has seen a boost in sales on the mainland.

Although not everyone adheres to ancient customs, some couples were extra mindful of becoming pregnant after May last year to ensure they would have a ‘Monkey baby’.

“The monkey king is the biggest hero in our culture and we would love to have a monkey baby so we can have a hero kid,” excited soon-to-be father Zoubai Wang says.

Wang’s mother was born in the year of the sheep, and encouraged her son not to have a sheep baby because those born in the sheep year have less luck.

“She grew up during a hard time and experienced hunger, so maybe that’s why she has this idea,” Wang says.


Feng Shui master Wang Hao Hua says sheep years are bad for having babies. (SBS News)

Feng Shui master Wang Hao Hua says that’s why many couples may have held off giving birth the year before.

“We have a changing sequence that takes place every year, which is what we Chinese call the 12 Chinese Zodiac," he says.

"Based on that, the year of the monkey follows the Year of the Sheep. And generally people agree that the year of the goat is a bad year, so the number of people who want to give birth is low in that year.”

Although Wang would love to take advantage of the second child policy, they’re not sure they can afford to. Like many other young couples in major Chinese city, they’re struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living.

“The new policy will impact urban areas a lot, but in urban areas the cost is the important factor,” Professor Du Peng, sociologist and population expert from Beijing’s Renmin University, says.

“Another problem is the lack of resources. The government is developing more facilities in terms of healthcare, so that families actually have somewhere to go if they do get pregnant again. At the moment there aren’t enough hospital beds.”

Some Beijing hospitals have reported maternity beds booked out until this April, and a 30 percent boost in bookings with the new Monkey Year.


Children born in the Year of the Monkey are said to have lucky lives. (SBS News)

Dr Wang Wejun, director of obstetrics and gynecology at Beijing’s Amcare hospital, says more older women are also approaching the hospital looking to conceive again.

“For mothers born in the 1970s for example, who have already got older... if they have wishes to have a second baby, we would try our best to help them to accomplish that,” Dr Wang says.

Yuan says she feels lucky to be able to afford to move into a bigger apartment in Beijing to support her growing family and is looking forward to helping Niu Niu adjust to life as an older brother.

“It may take some time to get used to, but he’s also looking forward to it," she says.

"He’s born in the dragon year, so he’s confident and smart - a great match for a monkey sibling.”

Almost all of the years of the Chinese zodiac have their auspiciousness, except the sheep and pig. That's why there are so many Chinese.

[GeneChing]

There are more pix - I only copy and pasted the lead shot.

This just reminded me of an archived ezine article that I should bring forward this year: Visiting the Home of the Monkey King by Gregory Brundage

| Wed Feb 3, 2016 8:35am EST
Chinese village hopes for year of profitable monkey business
BAOWAN VILLAGE, CHINA | BY JOSEPH CAMPBELL


A monkey rides a bicycle during a daily training session at a monkey farm in Baowan village, Xinye county of China’s central Henan province, February 2, 2016.
REUTERS/JASON LEE

During decades of political turmoil in China under Mao Zedong, monkeys were not trained or kept as pets, but often eaten.

But one village in rural Henan province, where the land is too hard and rough to grow crops, residents have for centuries relied on training performing monkeys to make money. And as the Year of the Monkey approaches, they are hoping for bumper business.

A small temple devoted to the deity of the Monkey King, a popular figure from Chinese folklore and literature, sits on the outskirts of Baowan.

"Since this will be the Year of the Monkey, and we will be putting on (monkey performance) competitions for tourists, we all need to visit this temple and burn some incense,” Zhang Zhijiu, a 60-year-old former monkey busker, said after praying.

Monkey breeding and raising is illegal across China without a proper license, but the 2,500 villagers of Baowan are an exception.

The animals, some wearing tight metal collars, are taught to ride bicycles and walk on stilts. One trainer was throwing daggers at a monkey balanced on a wooden board on a rolling cylinder.

The animal was deftly catching the daggers and putting them between its teeth.

Fan Haoran, 57, a trainer at Qilingang Monkey Farm who traveled the country monkey busking for decades, has been training monkeys since his youth. He says the key is to develop a relationship.

"Firstly, you have to show concern and take care of them. Secondly, you must proceed slowly, little by little, and not rush. For instance, when shaking hands - from the beginning, little by little - and then it will remember your hand."

But for China, which has spent decades trying to end rural poverty, animal rights have been almost non-existent until recently, and then mostly among urban pet owners.

Zhang Junran, president of Xinye County’s monkey breeding association, admitted that Baowan’s treatment of monkeys has been controversial, but he said the current methods were humane.

"Our way of training monkeys to perform was not the most educated (in the past). Especially when it came to their living conditions... But these monkeys also have lives, and they have brought us so many benefits, which have made such major changes to our lives. We must be good to our monkeys,” said Zhang.

Zhang Zhijie, 57, keeps a four year-old macaque tied on a leash just outside his home. Zhang comes from a line of monkey trainers and has made a small fortune performing across the country.

"It started from my grandfather, then my father, and then it was passed down to me. My kids studied in primary school, and then went college. Their education was completely paid for by money made from our monkey performances,” he said.

But the family business may be coming to an end - his children are not showing the same interest in the family tradition.

(Editing by Nick Macfie)

[GeneChing]

And I thought competing with Superbowl 50 was bad here in Cali...

2.03.2016
SACRAMENTO KINGS CANCEL "YEAR OF THE MONKEY" SHIRT GIVEAWAY AFTER PLAYER COMPLAINT

Someone was clearly not paying attention to the unintended implications of this promotion.



This week, the Sacramento Kings scrapped a commemorative Lunar New Year t-shirt giveaway celebrating the Year of the Monkey after a player noted the shirts could be deemed offensive during Black History Month.

Sacramento Kings Pull 'Year of the Monkey' Shirts From Seats

Player DeMarcus Cousins took issue with the shirt design, which depicted a monkey in Kings colors. The shirts were supposed to be given out to fans on Monday night during Sacramento's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, but were pulled at the last minute after Cousins raised the issue with team management.


The Sacramento Kings introduced players in Mandarin for Lunar New Year.

February 8 is the start of the Lunar New Year -- the Year of the Monkey -- but the team planned to give out the shirts on February 1... which also happens to be the first day of Black History Month. Players and coaches were already wearing shirts observing Black History Month on that day.

Associations between Black people and monkeys have been historically used in racist imagery. Someone in the Kings organization was clearly not paying attention to the unintended implications of this promotion.

Responding to Cousins' concerns, the Kings pulled the shirts from seats before fans arrived at Sleep Train Arena. Bucks TV analyst and former player Marques Johnson tweeted a photo of staff collecting the shirts:

Follow

Marques Johnson
‏@olskool888
DeMarcus voices his displeasure and to the Kings credit they pull the Monkey T Shirts...



RETWEETS 490
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5:31 PM - 1 Feb 2016

Marques Johnson
‏@olskool888
Good move Kings. Year of Monkey Tees on 1 st day of Black History Month not a good look. Thanks DeMarcus...



RETWEETS 645
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5:33 PM - 1 Feb 2016

"We all need a lesson in sensitivity," Kings' president Chris Granger told The Sacramento Bee. "In an effort to celebrate Chinese New Year, we had some concerns about the t-shirt giveaway, so we pulled them all before the doors opened. Certainly we don't want to offend anybody, and we acted as soon as we heard the concern."

There is a league-wide initiative this season for teams to commemorate the Lunar New Year "in some fashion," and the rest of the Kings' Lunar New Year celebration continued as scheduled. Festivities included Kings Dancers performing a ribbon dance, a Lunar New Year drum line and a Mandarin emcee.

While I really appreciate the NBA's efforts to be inclusive and acknowledge the traditions of the Lunar New Year, the Kings definitely overlooked the optics and timing of the Year of the Monkey-themed giveaway. The concerns were valid, and it was a good call to yank the shirts. Every little step...

[GeneChing]

Someone got fired.

7:00pm February 4, 2016
Coles pulls Chinese New Year mishap from shelves
By ninemsn


Coles were quick to remove the Chinese New Year lucky bamboo plants from shelves once the mistake was pointed out (Image Source: AAP)

Coles has failed in its attempt to help customers celebrate the Year of the Monkey after it was revealed their lucky bamboo plants are labelled with last year’s Chinese zodiac word ‘goat’.

Originally reported by marketing blog Mumbrella, the pot plant's label features a cartoon monkey as well the Chinese character for sheep or goat.

The Year of the Goat started on 9 February 2015 and ends on Sunday. The Year of the Monkey starts on February 8th on the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle.

Users on Chinese social media website Weibo were quick to joke about the mishap, with one commenting that the monkey's name could possibly be Sheep.

A Coles spokesperson confirmed to Fairfax Media that they were removing the product from sale.

"We're sorry for the mix-up and have decided to remove the product from our shelves. We hope everyone has a very happy Chinese New Year,” the spokesperson said.


The lucky bamboo plant in question, which features a cartoon monkey and the Chinese character for 'Sheep' or 'Goat' (Image Source: Weibo)

For the most part, customers haven't scolded the supermarket for their mistake.

"We should support western brands who take part in Chinese traditions & holidays - a blooper is ok, it's how we learn," Twitter user Michael Ashton wrote.

"How can Coles cope? Valentine's day, Australia Day and Chinese New Year, so much merchandising so little time," Neil Bibby wrote.

[GeneChing]

I would try a lobster pizza.

5 FEBRUARY 2016 - 3:43PM | POSTED BY CHLOE MCKENNA
How big brands around the world are welcoming in the Year of the Monkey for Chinese New Year


How big brands around the world are welcoming in the Year of the Monkey for Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is now a truly global celebration enjoyed by over 1.3 billion people, with over 800 events hosted in more than 320 cities across 118 countries. With so many different people taking part in the festivities internationally, for brands hoping to get involved and run special promotions, localising messaging to different regions is increasingly important.

As we welcome in the Year of the Monkey, let’s take a look at some of the best examples of localised Chinese New Year promotional content around this year, and why it worked.

Pizza hut

Pizza hit is a great example of a big brand that puts a lot of effort into localising their Chinese New Year promotions to different regional audiences. Rather than rolling out a blanket ‘Happy Chinese New Year’ message across all markets, every country is running different offers, using bespoke imagery and locally relevant advertising to mark the occasion.

China

This year’s Pizza hut Chinese New Year menu caused quite a stir as it features a pizza topped with an entire cooked lobster (although a spaghetti option is also available for those with less adventurous tastes). This somewhat extravagant addition to the normally modest menu, although unusual, worked because people in China tend to want to treat themselves and their families as the holiday celebrations get into full swing and so are willing to be a little more lavish.


Pizza Hut China

Indonesia

In Indonesia, Pizza Hut’s promotional content is far removed from the grandiose food imagery used in China, with their Lunar New Year posts shunning photos from the menu in favour of simple pictures featuring a pomelo fruit and traditional cakes, which symbolise good luck for the coming year.


Pizza Hut Indonesia

Malaysia

Another country, another localised menu: In Malaysia, a brand new pizza range, the ‘Cheesy Crown’ was launched so that ‘this Lunar New Year, [you can feel] like a royal at Pizza Hut’. Pizza Hut Malaysia head Felix D. Michael said the new Cheesy Crown pizza was designed to ‘make an enjoyable meal for close friends and family during the festive holidays’.


Pizza Hut Malaysia

Levi's

Levi's have carried a similar theme across their regional markets with Chinese New Year promotions offering bespoke product ranges, offers and discounts tweaked for each specific market.

China

In China a special New Year’s clothing collection was revealed. The range went all-out with the monkey theme including jackets with embroidered monkey designs and others featuring the number 8, believed in China to symbolise luck. Discounts were offered through the use of QPR codes, which are hugely popular with Chinese users. A competition was also run on the local messaging app We Chat offering users the chance to win goodies including phone cases, T-shirts and wallets.


Levi's China


Levi's China

Thailand

In Thailand, a more toned-down Chinese New Year collection was launched, featuring red and gold t-shirts promoted with the slogan ‘new clothes for a new year’. Discounts of 20 per cent and 25 per cent are also being offered to entice online shoppers to spend.


Levi's Thailand

Malaysia

In Malaysia, local celebrities were employed to endorse the Chinese New Year collection. Clicking on each of the celebrity images clicks through to a landing page where they reveal their wishes for the New Year.

Prosperity packs are also being offered for purchases over RM250 allowing shoppers to ‘give [themselves] a treat this festive season, and spread some cheer too’.


Levi's Malaysia

Gucci

Gucci shows how, increasingly, even high-end luxury fashion brands and are incorporating Chinese New Year into their marketing calendars and localising these campaigns for regional customers.

China

In China, Gucci used the local equivalent to YouTube, YouKu, to promote a ‘happy holiday’ video, featuring traditional Chinese designs and imagery.


Gucci China

USA and Europe

The Gucci Chinese New Year collection, which sees monkeys adorning everything from keyrings to handbags received coverage across major fashion publications across Europe and the USA, showcasing the increasing trend for mainstream interest in the Chinese New Year holiday outside of mainland China.


Gucci USA and Europe
Key takeaways

So as global spending on Chinese New Year increases every year, with £8.6 billion pounds estimated to be spent this year by Chinese tourists alone, international brands need to seriously consider their marketing plans around this annual event.

As celebrations take place all over the world, understanding the customs and traditions of customers in different regions is key. Follow the lead of the brands featured within this list and tailor messaging to ensure a localised approach which will engage your audience during the celebrations, wherever they are.

Chloe McKenna is a social media strategist at Oban Digital

[GeneChing]

But bills not coins. And I just got my paycheck.

For lunar new year, Asians are flocking to the bank for luck


Bank decorations in Hong Kong for Monkey Year, which starts on Feb. 8. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
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WRITTEN BY Thu-Huong Ha
3 hours ago

As lunar new year looms, people in China, Vietnam, South Korea, and the diaspora are hustling to get ready. Celebrants are scrubbing their kitchens, buying new clothes, getting hair cuts, paying (and collecting) debts this week, all to prepare for the first day of Monkey Year on Feb. 8.

One surprisingly crucial errand in the annual scramble to freshen up is a trip to the bank: It’s not a new year’s celebration without crisp clean money in your pockets to give out to your kids, grandkids, or younger siblings and cousins.

In crispness we trust

In countries where the new year is a public holiday, new (or nearly new) notes are automatically issued by the government’s central bank. But in countries like the US with smaller East Asian communities, it comes down to individual banks to ensure local branches have the crisp bills required by tradition.

Once word circulates that new bills are available, lines are out the door.

According to custom, it’s extra important to display model behavior on the first day of the entire year. So losing, lending, or borrowing money on new year’s day is a big no-no, as it’s seen as an omen for a whole year’s worth of bad fortune. Instead, one should pad one’s pockets with beautiful new money, usually given by an elder. Giving away red envelopes (called hangbao in Chinese or li xi in Vietnamese) with a few bills of good-luck money inside is de rigueur.
To prepare for new year-related demand, a Bank of America branch in LA’s Little Saigon ordered $6 million in new bills this January, according to the LA Times. That’s about 12 times the amount of new money it ordered for Christmas 2015.
At Bank of America’s Mandarin Tower in San Francisco (home to the United States’ biggest Chinatown outside of Asia), once word circulates that new bills are available, lines are out the door, a spokesperson tells Quartz. The bank routinely sees thousands of additional customers in the month before new year, so it staffs up and lengthens bank hours to meet the rush.

The past two weeks have been “pretty intense,” Jose Mendez, store supervisor at TD Bank in Manhattan’s Chinatown, tells Quartz. His branch orders new bills about two and a half weeks before the new year. On a typical banking day, 15 or 30-minute lulls without customers are normal, but in the past few weeks he’s observed a constant flow of traffic. When demand gets too high, the tellers designate a special line for people just looking for pretty bills.

Get (extra) lucky

In Singapore, where the ethnic majority is Chinese, banks also see unusual activity around li chun, the start of the lesser known solar new year, which signals the start of spring. In recent years, charts purporting to tell people their luckiest time slots for depositing money have gone viral in Singapore, causing long bank lines on the “auspicious” day.

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Cherie @cherculez
The queue to deposit money.........no joke...



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One trending poster this year, from shopping site 65daigou, suggests auspicious (and even more auspicious!) times of day for banking, according to zodiac sign. The site also tells visitors what colors they should wear to the bank for maximum luck.

吉 means “lucky,” and 大吉 means “extra lucky.”(Courtesy 65daigou)

The digital “war” for the red envelope

But mobile payments could soon make the scramble to collect and deposit crisp cash obsolete.

In China, digital exchanges of new year’s money have exploded with popularity. In 2014 Tencent social media app WeChat released a red envelope app for the new year that let users send money electronically. It was massively popular: WeChat’s 400 million users exchanged the equivalent of $46 million that year.

In 2015, its rival Alibaba responded by giving away 600 million yuan ($91 million) in red envelopes through its digital wallet, Alipay, sparking a “red envelope war.” This year internet giant Baidu has joined the fray, saying it will give away 6 billion yuan ($912 million) in digital hongbao.

Still, it seems unlikely the trend will catch on any time soon in diaspora communities in LA, San Francisco, and New York, where lunar new year is a rare opportunity to preserve customs from the homeland.