Chinese New Year Offers Huge Opportunities For Brands in UK
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, or the spring festival, is the longest and most important traditional celebration in the Chinese calendar.
Having the largest New Year celebrations outside China, London will mark the arrival of the year of the Horse with the core events happening on Sunday 2nd February. Plenty of activities will take place in different spots of the city featuring various Chinese traditions. The celebrations will start in Trafalgar Square. The festivities are packed with fun, food, and a special market, together with acrobatics, traditional dances, a gravity-defying lion dance on high poles, and other stage performances. The festive mood will continue in Shaftesbury Avenue and Leicester Square, before reaching its final destination in Chinatown. Hundreds of restaurants and bars in China Town will offer special menus, and shops will fill the streets with unique stalls.
Additionally, a range of special events is planned in the run-up to the celebrations on Sunday. On Thursday 30th January the London Eye will host traditional performers and will turn red and gold to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Other cultural events include the presentation of a special collection of Chinese celebrities at Madame Tussauds, and screening of Chinese films at the British Film Institute.
Celebrating the upcoming year of the horse, merchandises with an equestrian theme are anticipated to appear across high streets of London. Lunar New Year is an unmissable opportunity for brands to attract consumers and establish long-term branding. In this regard, it is crucial to understand the customs and traditions of the multicultural population in the UK, who have their undeniable influence on the UK economy and growth, and therefore encompass better-targeted and bespoke approach towards those audiences.
Recognising the extravagance of Chinese shoppers towards the UK luxury industry, many brands are hosting private events and promotions to mark the Chinese New Year – peak time for Chinese travellers. One of the best examples of multicultural marketing during the festive period is the renowned luxury department store Harrods who started to appreciate the opportunities of multicultural marketing after our agency’s recommendations. The store has set up a creative red display, showcasing a horse silhouette, and hands out red-coloured enveloped, which is one of the most recognised traditions of the spring Festival. Other stores on the London Bond Street also follow the lead.
UK is home for about 400.000 Chinese with big spending power. Moreover, in 2012, the UK hosted over 179,000 Chinese visitors, who spent a total of 300 million pounds, as reported by the official tourism agency of the UK – Visit Britain.
London will definitely be the best place in Europe to celebrate the Year of the horse, as it is truly multicultural city. The horse is powerful yet humble creature, associated with hard work and steadfastness, attributes that London and its population shares and qualities
Join the celebration and let’s wish each other “Kung Hei Fat Choi” (Happy New Year)!