The story marks a tonal shift from Apple’s earlier New Year narratives centred on family reunion. This time, the focus is on an accidental bond. The film follows an unremarkable office worker who reluctantly agrees to look after a colleague’s hamster. On her way, she encounters a lost dog, triggering a chain of small disasters: the hamster escapes, the dog confidently points her in the wrong direction, and everyday order dissolves into mild chaos.

It is only later that she realises the dog has been abandoned by its previous owner. In their shared isolation, the woman and the dog find comfort in each other, forming a relationship built on mutual healing rather than obligation. 

Shooting Apple’s Chinese New Year film on iPhone

From a production standpoint, Apple continues to foreground technical capability through narrative rather than specification. According to the filming team, features such as 8x optical-quality zoom and low-light performance allowed the crew to capture wide, cinematic scenes using a mobile device. Notably, this is the first Lunar New Year film Apple has shot entirely on the Pro model rather than the Pro Max, reinforcing the Pro line’s positioning for mobile filmmaking.   

Since debuting its first Lunar New Year short Three Minutes in 2018, Apple has made iPhone-shot Spring Festival films a fixed part of its China marketing calendar.

Notably, they are not the only brand to pivot away from family-centric storytelling or zodiac-rich imagery. What we’re seeing reflects broader changes in China’s marketing landscape, where emotional connections with a given audience increasingly sit alongside traditional ideas of reunion. 

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Rather than chasing sentimentality or symbolic overload, the retailer makes a quieter, more practical argument: New Year feeling comes from quality that actually shows up in daily life. 

The campaign avoids the usual reunion tropes. No tearful embraces, no overwrought voiceovers. Instead, Hema drops its products directly into familiar moments: pre-holiday stock-ups, time spent at home during the break, and the New Year’s Eve dinner table. The message is blunt and readable: shop at Hema, and you’re upgrading the Lunar New Year itself.   

Hema and their Lunar New Year campaign

What’s interesting is how Hema defines that upgrade. Adding more is split into two layers. The first is product-led. Through scenes built around health-focused selections, premium home banquets, global gift options and standout signature dishes, Hema positions itself as a supplier of genuinely better New Year goods, not novelty items dressed up in red packaging. 

The second layer is emotional, but without theatrics. By linking quality goods to realistic lifestyle needs – convenience, reliability, and taste – Hema frames care as something functional rather than symbolic. Feeling looked after becomes part of the product experience, not a narrative overlay. 

Operationally, the message is reinforced by execution. A synchronised New Year goods festival, 30-minute delivery via stores and front warehouses, and nationwide gift-box shipping address the logistical pain points that often drain the joy from holiday preparation. Hema’s message is astute: if New Year goods work better, the New Year feels better. Less ritual inflation. More lived-in warmth. 

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The 2026 drop folds zodiac symbolism into everyday denim rather than producing overtly ceremonial pieces. Levi’s famous Two Horse patch – an image of two horses pulling a pair of jeans in opposite directions as a show of durability – is recoloured in festive red, drawing on Lunar New Year visual codes while also signalling good fortune and wealth. Gold horseshoes appear across a range of jackets and jeans, while paisley linings keep a touch of American vintage flair.  

The range extends beyond denim staples. Alongside jeans and trucker jackets, the collection includes reversible outerwear, knitwear, shirts, and casual tops, spanning both men’s and women’s silhouettes.  

What Levi’s Lunar New Year release tells us about the wider market

The emphasis is on wearable updates rather than limited-run novelty items. This is a smart move for Levi’s Lunar New Year release. Chinese consumers are increasingly showing a preference for practicality over flash, substance over style.

Another trend that Levi’s have been smart to follow is the increasing relevance of Chinese themes and motifs in fashion. As China shifts from trend follower to trend setter, domestic consumption places less value on foreign goods that used to be perceived as luxury.  

Levi’s aren’t the only brand to take notice. Across the fashion and retail world, western brands are increasingly seen collaborating with Chinese partners or tailoring whole product offerings to the Chinese market.  

Through this lens, Levi’s Lunar New Year release isn’t so much an expression of routine festival product cycles, but a chance to engage in a market that’s increasingly setting the rules in fashion and retail. 

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The rink anchors the experience. Visitors can rent skates, use beginner aids and join on-ice sessions led by Olympic short-track skater Wu Dajing and figure skater Zhu Yi, who have appeared as guest coaches. Their demonstrations turn the rink into a live performance zone – part sport, part spectacle – and provide ready-made social content in one of Shanghai’s most photographed locations.

Product is present but understated. Pieces from Longchamp’s upcoming 2026 collection are introduced around the rink, styled into the environment rather than isolated in retail displays.

The Longchamp ice rink also has a small winter market of wooden cabins offering hot drinks, gingerbread and festive snacks, alongside craft workshops and photography zones. The emphasis is on dwell time and participation, blurring the line between brand activation and seasonal public amenity.

On Chinese social media, the focus has been on the experience rather than the merchandise. Posts on Rednote and Instagram show skating clips, crowd scenes and atmosphere, with influencer content documenting queues, peak hours and choreographed sessions. Again, Longchamp’s handbags are present, but rarely the headline.

So what’s really happening here? Cocooning on Ice builds on a run of scene-led activations from Longchamp this year. In spring, the brand transformed Shanghai’s Zhongshan Park into a pastoral Longchamp Garden, replacing retail cues with planting beds, workshops and picnic-style pauses.

The throughline is clear. Longchamp is treating the city as its stage, rotating seasonal worlds – garden, rink, market – that prioritise atmosphere and participation over hard selling. Product enters later, almost incidentally. Longchamp is moving like a lifestyle brand. In a market that’s asking more from luxury or near-luxury products, especially foreign ones, the bet is that lived-in moments travel further than logos.

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Loewe, ever on the forefront of localisation in China, took up the format of microdrama marketing this Qixi. The vertical short-form series features five episodes, each lasting 45 seconds. The series is titled “Say yes to love” (鹊定爱). The Chinese title is a play on “确” (to confirm) and “鹊” (magpie), which are both pronounced “que”. Magpies are known in the Qixi myth for forming a bridge over the Milky Way (a river in Chinese mythology) for the star-crossed lovers, Weaver Girl and Cowherd, to meet each year.

The series is written by Loewe’s cultural advisor Qin Wen, and stars actress Chen Duling (陈都灵) and actor Chen Zheyuan (陈哲远) and tells a story of encounter and a budding romance, with a Loewe magpie bag charm as the key item in the story. Alongside the bag charm, the capsule collection also includes apparel and bags.

Microdrama continues to boom in 2025, not just as a content format but as a branding and marketing tool. In the first four months of the year, there were 153 new branded microdrama series in China, nearly half of which were first timers. Loewe, as a luxury brand, of course risks diluting its brand image with microdrama, as it is often associated with low production value and shock value in the story.

However, the simple love story, with artistic direction from Loewe, resembles more a vertical video campaign with narrative than a luxury microdrama. This is also likely why it features A-list actors, to avoid being called a microdrama and instead be seen as an “original series”.

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• Qixi is later this year, but brands are still launching their campaigns a month ahead of the festival.
• Brands like Gucci and Tiffany & Co. have featured their brand ambassadors in short films and videos, while LAMAIRE has used models in photoshoots.
• Brands are weakening the association of the day with romance, turning instead to themes of general love and affection.

Qixi (七夕) is coming late this year. The 7th day of the 7th month on the Traditional Chinese Calendar will be 29 August. Luxury brands continued their trend of launching Qixi campaigns a month prior to the actual festival. Furthermore, last year’s early start coincided with 7 July, which is when the Japanese celebrate Tanabata (七夕, same characters), their version of the Qixi Festival.

This Qixi, luxury brands are creating smaller campaigns, featuring brand ambassadors in either a short film or a photoshoot. Also, the romantic connotation of the festival is weakening, making way for a celebration of general love and affection.

Gucci: a sequel

Gucci is trying something special this year with Qixi, and its campaign is in fact a continuation of its 520 “I Love You” Day from 20 May last year. The internet-made special day is the romantic celebration between Valentine’s Day in February and Qixi, usually in August.

Starring the same brand ambassadors, actress Vicky Chen Wenqi (文淇) and actor Song Weilong (宋威龙), Gucci’s short film “Shared Expressions” sees the pair on a journey, meeting several couples before finally meeting under the stars. This corresponds to the myth of Qixi, the love story between Zhinü, the weaver girl (织女, symbolising Vega) and Niulang, the cowherd (牛郎, symbolising Altair), who are separated by the Milky Way.

The film is artistic with a cinematic feel, similar to the 520 video from 2024. Interestingly, the English version emphasises that the campaign “captures moments of friendship” rather than romance.

Tiffany & Co.: The subject of love

It is increasingly becoming a trend for brands to leverage broader concepts of “love” and “affection” beyond romantic relationships. This tactic gives the campaign a wider appeal as dating and marriage rates remain low in China.

Tiffany & Co. also makes use of brand ambassadors and short films as a medium. Recruiting its Chinese brand ambassadors, actress Tang Yan (唐嫣) and actor Zhang Ruoyun (张若昀), as well as its global brand ambassador, actress Zhong Chuxi (钟楚曦), the luxury jeweller made three short videos featuring each doing an artistic activity, such as writing or painting, while wearing the Hardware collection of jewellery from the brand. They also discuss love through voice-over and interview.

The central theme of the interviews is making “I” the subject of love, as there must be someone who loves, rather than just the party being loved. Tang recommends slowing down and giving yourself time before you love; Zhang proposes getting to know oneself before loving. Meanwhile, Zhong believes in experiences and exploration. Tiffany also launched a podcast about “I” and love.

LAMAIRE: a walk

LAMAIRE, on the other hand, took the approach of photography. Working with Chinese photographer Mengyu Zhou, the French brand took models Nick, Didi and Zeo for a walk in Shanghai before they met in a studio and played music together. The campaign shows the intimacy and understanding without words.

LAMAIRE also did something special by introducing a Qixi-themed limited handbag, the Fortune Croissant. Not only is the bag a dark reddish colour for a festive feel, but it also has a concentric knot attached as a bag charm. The knot symbolises love and well-wishing in Chinese culture.

Other brands also released Qixi campaigns. Similarly, Burberry created a short film with its ambassadors, actress Zhang Jingyi (张婧仪) and Leo Wu Lei (吴磊), about encounters and romance. Chanel took actor Wang Yibo (王一博) and singer-songwriter Leah Dou (窦靖童) to Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles to shoot a short film also about encounters. Balenciaga continued its theme of real-life celebrity couples in photoshoots this year with Zhou Qi Qi (周奇奇) and Jiang Qilin (江奇霖).

It seems that this year’s Qixi saw fewer big campaigns from luxury brands, as well as less focus on romance. It might be that the three romance-centric special days are too many for the market, or that brands are no longer limited to these days for their campaigns. It could also be that higher-brow literary and art campaigns aimed at educated women resonate more with the brand’s audiences than romance today. But whatever the reason, the marketing landscape is evolving in China.

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In recent years, the biggest tradition during the sanfu days is sanfutie (三伏帖, sanfu plaster). It is a herbal plaster applied to acupuncture points to treat illnesses, as it is believed that the hot weather makes the medicine more effective. Other trends include using the heat to help with weight loss and other wellness practices, including sunning your back and Chinese food therapy.

Although distinct from the solar terms, brands in China have started including sanfu in their marketing calendars. JD.com, for example, started its “cool season” promotion for air conditioners, fridges, sunscreen, and parasols just in time for the start of sanfu. Including “keep cool” messaging can also be seen as a form of ESG for brands and platforms.

Another unique thing about sanfu this year is that it is significantly shorter. For over a decade, sanfu has lasted around 40 days, but this year, it’s only 30. This is, however, due to calendrical complications, not a reversal of global warming. So, until the dog days are over, stay cool and hydrated.

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Between 30 May and 2 June, about 600 million people travelled via road, up 3.14% year-on-year (YoY). This is because the shorter holiday means shorter trips and more people choosing to drive. About 47.11 million took trains, up 2.3% YoY. Shorter distances such as Chongqing to Chengdu, Beijing to Tianjin, Shanghai to Suzhou and Shenzhen to Guangzhou were popular. Flights transported 5.6 million people, mostly concentrated between Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. About 2.88 million people travelled by water.

Guangdong in Southern China is the province that welcomed the most visitors, upwards of 23.21 million people, up 20.6% YoY. The province earned 1.14 million RMB (159,600 USD) in tourism income, up 25.6% YoY. Shanghai earned the most with 6.48 million visitors, generating 12.48 billion RMB (1.73 billion USD) during the holiday.

Guangdong is a popular destination, partially due to the many dragon boat races and other traditional folk activities across the province during the festival. Similarly, large-scale events like music festivals, concerts and sports matches boosted travel significantly. Coinciding with Children’s Day meant that theme parks were favoured this year, with bookings up 60% YoY. The yet-to-open Shanghai Legoland also saw its search volume grow tenfold compared to May. The mini travel boom during the Dragon Boat Festival showed vitality in consumer activity, especially around events and experiences.

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Expanding from last year’s race at Liede, formerly a village, now a subdistrict of Guangzhou, McDonald’s brought the campaign to a “citywalk” trail across villages in Guangzhou and nearby Foshan. Not only was there a riverside dragon boat for your photo ops, but 9 McDonald’s restaurants were decorated into “Dragon Boat flagships” for “checking in” (打卡). After you checked in and bought something from one of the branches, you could get a map leading you to the next 8 destinations. After you collected stamps from each point, you would receive a McDonald’s mini dragon boat.

On 29 and 31 May, Ronald appeared in two of the ports in Guangzhou. You could get a Cantonese palm fan if you caught Ronald at one of these appearances. And of course, McDonald’s brought food to the event. With an exclusive tablecloth and ceramic bowls, you could enjoy your McDonald’s on the riverside.

The Liede dragon boat race is one of the most watched folk activities in Guangzhou. Guangzhou has also hosted McDonald’s since 1993, and with over 300 restaurants, it is one of the cities with the most locations in China. With it being part of everyday Guangzhou life, McDonald’s participation in traditional folk activities further establishes the brand as part of Guangzhou and part of Chinese food culture.

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• #在西双版纳看到了银河倒悬 I saw the Milky Way stretching across the sky in Xishuangbanna: 3.82 million views on Rednote, ranked No. 9 on the Hot Topic list

One of the festival’s highlights is the release of sky lanterns—paper-made hot air balloons that float into the night sky. During this time, flights at Xishuangbanna Airport are temporarily suspended so the sky can be given back to culture. Tens of thousands of Dai people in traditional dress join visitors from across the country to light lanterns inscribed with heartfelt wishes.

The main venue for the lantern release is along the Lancang River in Jinghong City. People gather on riverbank viewing platforms or book restaurants along the water, where they can enjoy local delicacies while watching thousands of lanterns rise into the sky. Today, we’re seeing more cultural crossover between brands and festivals, as many traditional celebrations like the Water-Splashing Festival have grown beyond their roots to become inclusive gatherings for people from all backgrounds—proof that the appreciation of beauty and sincere blessings is truly universal.

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