The Path to Cultural Sustainability in Brand Spring Festival Marketing
In December 2024, “Spring Festival—The Social Practice of Celebrating the Traditional Chinese New Year” was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Recognized as China’s most significant traditional festival, the Spring Festival is not only a time for family reunions and farewells to the old year but also a pivotal opportunity for brands to build deeper connections with consumers.
According to the Kantar Consumer Index, around 20% of annual fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sales occur during the Spring Festival season. How can brands craft creative and impactful marketing campaigns during this critical period to foster stronger cultural resonance and emotional bonds with consumers?
Looking ahead to Spring Festival marketing trends in 2025, we see an increasing number of brands moving beyond the simplistic use of zodiac motifs. Instead, they are tapping into the rich narratives behind intangible cultural heritage and artisanal craftsmanship, using these stories as emotional bridges to connect with their audiences. Through exceptional artistry and genuine storytelling, brands are bringing to life tales of tradition, innovation, and hope. This harmonious blend of tradition and modernity is creating a vibrant stage for the New Year celebrations.
In this edition of Greenspiration, we’ll delve into how brands are skillfully combining traditional culture with modern creativity. From the lens of cultural sustainability, we’ll explore how they send heartfelt New Year blessings while amplifying the unique charm of Chinese culture to audiences worldwide.
MARNI “Mending the New Year ”
The Italian fashion brand MARNI collaborated with Chinese artist Yang Danfeng to present a unique short film titled “Mending the New Year.” In the film, Yang uses needle and thread as her brush and heartfelt intentions as her ink, weaving the deep emotions between family members through delicate stitching. The film conveys warm New Year blessings with every thread. This collaboration not only showcases MARNI's respect for and dedication to craftsmanship but also infuses this warmth into the traditional festival, leaving viewers with a profound sense of comfort. Additionally, the creative pun in “Mending the New Year” reflects the brand’s imaginative take on family, reunion, and the spirit of the Lunar New Year.
LOEWE “Spring Awakening: Dance of the Snake”
For the Lunar New Year, LOEWE celebrates traditional Chinese craftsmanship with its Year of the Snake Capsule Collection. Collaborating with master artisan Xiong Songtao, LOEWE brings to life a collection that masterfully blends ancient techniques with modern fashion aesthetics. To complement this, the brand released a mesmerizing contemporary dance film titled “Spring Awakening: Dance of the Snake.” This artistic short interlaces traditional Chinese kite-making and shadow puppetry with modern dance, vividly illustrating the renewal of life that spring represents. LOEWE’s efforts highlight a seamless fusion of heritage and innovation, celebrating the beauty of rebirth during the festive season.
Burberry celebrates the Year of the Snake
Honoring the Year of the Snake, Burberry introduces a capsule collection and a collaboration with the renowned Chinese artist Qian Lihuai, one of the most influential bamboo-weaving artists in China. Qian has crafted a collection of nine bamboo art sculptures for Burberry, the ‘Us’ series, which features in a campaign starring actor and Brand Ambassador Zhang Jingyi and shot by photographer Walter Pfeiffer, as well as the windows of key flagships in China. Additionally, Burberry introduced a “The Year of the Snake” digital bamboo weaving and painting experience on its WeChat Mini Program, allowing consumers to engage with the charm of traditional Chinese bamboo craftsmanship firsthand.
COS “The Unwrapped-Wrapper”
This Lunar New Year, British fashion brand COS paid homage to Eastern aesthetics and traditional Chinese knotting art by collaborating with Chinese weaving artist Amber Chen to present a bespoke textile artwork titled “The Unwrapped-Wrapper.” Chen continued her signature craftsmanship in the COS Lunar New Year series, drawing inspiration from springtime hues and traditional techniques. She created a large-scale textile art installation themed around the reunion, skillfully merging traditional artistry with the vibrant colors of spring to showcase a unique expression of Eastern aesthetics. With the launch of its 2025 New Year collection, COS celebrates Chinese traditional culture and invites consumers to embark on a journey of hope and renewal for the coming year.
Bottega Veneta Unveils Lunar New Year Short Film and Curated Collection
Bottega Veneta’s latest Lunar New Year campaign features global brand ambassador Shu Qi, brand ambassador Yang Youning, and actor Fan Wei. The short film was shot in Liuyang, Hunan Province, known as the birthplace of fireworks. This tradition dates back over 1,400 years to the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), when craftsmen first used bamboo tubes to create the earliest form of modern fireworks, known as “baozhu.”
Historical records suggest that Venetian explorer Marco Polo introduced fireworks to Venice in 1295, marking the beginning of their journey from China to Europe. Originating in Venice, Bottega Veneta chose Liuyang as the filming location to pay homage to its rich fireworks heritage and to celebrate the deep historical connection between China and Italy in the art of pyrotechnics.
BVLGARI hosted the “Serpenti Infinito” exhibition
In celebration of the Year of the Snake, BVLGARI hosted the “Serpenti Infinito” exhibition at Zhangyuan in Shanghai. Showcasing dazzling jewelry and extraordinary creations by both Chinese and international artists, the exhibition celebrated the Lunar New Year while conveying wishes of enduring prosperity and renewal. Additionally, master artisans from the brand's headquarters were present at the event, offering guests an immersive experience of the charm of exceptional craftsmanship.
McDonald's 2025 McMac Farm Calendar
McDonald's unveiled its 2025 McMac Farm Calendar, featuring the compelling narratives of 12 farmer partners engaged in McDonald's regenerative agriculture program in China, and intertwines them with the non-traditional tales of Henan Wuyang farmer paintings, aiming to share the tales of deliciousness, the land, and growth with all. It serves as a bridge between consumers and nature, infusing everyone with the vitality and vigor of the new year.
Kering group collaborated with artist Jiang Miao
In honor of the upcoming New Year in January 2025, global luxury group Kering invites Jiang Miao, a prominent contemporary Chinese artist, to develop a special art project. Combining the profound wisdom of Eastern philosophy with the exploratory skill of contemporary art, the collaboration between Kering and Jiang Miao creates a beautiful cycle of energy with multicultural codes in tandem with the approach of the New Year.
The “Taoist Trinity and the Self” series, one of Jiang Miao’s representative series of works, depicts a chaotic and dynamic space. The dots, lines, and surfaces within the paintings become ordered around the spiral core, resembling the concept of Taiji, which produces all things, giving birth to the cycle of life. They symbolize the recurring flow of life, echoing the meaning of the New Year, which is the restart of the first and the renewal of all things. The unique purple in this work is formed through the compression of multiple layers of color, a natural and innate hue that cannot be seen in stereoscopic space. Jiang Miao regards the work as a complete life grown in nature, and hopes the new year arrives with auspicious purple aura coming from the East, bringing an infinite accumulation of beauty.
Tosummer are illustrating Myriad Realms On Paper
The zodiac of the new spring serves as a radiant centerpiece in Tosummer’s year-end collection. Inspired by The Classic of Mountains and Seas and Zhuangzi: Free and Easy Wandering, Tosummer celebrates the serpent as a symbol of fortune and mysticism, embodying the essence of freedom as it "swims as a fish in the sea, soars as a bird in the sky, and roams without constraint."
To bring this vision to life, Tosummer traveled to Jingxian in Xuancheng, China’s historic papermaking hub, to craft a bespoke New Year’s edition of The Classic of Mountains and Seas using the most ancient and traditional techniques. Long before the invention of paper, the pictograph for "serpent" had already taken on diverse and intricate forms. After the advent of paper, ancient scholars immortalized the serpent’s totems and myths in classics like The Classic of Mountains and Seas.
Retracing the “winding paths” of paper and cultural heritage, Tosummer masterfully recreates the age-old craft of papermaking, infusing this edition with the soulful warmth of artisanal dedication. This unique work bridges the legacy of ancient traditions with the enduring beauty of the serpent’s mythology.
Year of the Snake Handmade Ceramic Collection – THE BEAST Home
THE BEAST Home proudly presents its Year of the Snake Handmade Ceramic Collection, created in collaboration with renowned Spanish ceramic master Manuel Sánchez Algora. This marks their third consecutive year of partnership, with Manuel’s exceptional artistry breathing new life into the traditional zodiac.
The captivating “Snake Pyrrho” figurine is at the heart of this collection, inspired by Pyrrho, the ancient Greek philosopher and founder of skepticism. This unique design portrays a young boy with a basket of grass perched on his head, concealing a dynamic snake within. The concept takes cues from the vibrant snake-charming traditions of India, combining cultural depth with artistic flair.
Every piece in this collection is painstakingly handcrafted by Manuel. Limited editions range from just 10 to 30 pieces per design, ensuring that each item is a rare and one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
