From The Light Hearted To The Heart Wrenching
Written by Aqil Nasri
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that certain constant is the yearly CNY advertisements that big conglomerates roll out every time the Lunar Festival comes around. These ads can vary hugely between each other. Some can be heart-wrenching, while some are humorously entertaining to watch.
This year’s selection of CNY ads is as entertaining as the ones before, which is why I’ve listed the 5 best Chinese New Year Video Ads to come out this year!
1. Maxis CNY 2020: The Most Unforgettable Chinese New Year
Focusing on the relationship between father and daughter, Maxis manages to brilliantly pull off an emotional story for this year’s CNY ad.
It’s the way that they approach this topic that gets me, as they somehow manage to evoke that sensation of slowly losing someone to memory loss.
it is the realisation that one day, the person who you love most will look back at you with no recollection of you whatsoever.
Give it a watch and be sure to grab a box of tissue with you.
2. Daikin CNY 2020: The Twins
“The greatest love can endure the greatest sacrifice.”
Images of a mother/father’s unconditional love for their children immediately flashed in my head. What I got instead though, was quite the opposite.
The ad instead showed a daughter undying love to her mom, that even after facing huge criticisms from her, she still loved her mom to the fullest.
I loved the fact that Daikin subverted viewers expectations, showing a classic twist on the events that happened in the ad.
3. Grab CNY 2020: HUATever you want, Grab got!
This year, Grab is trying their hands into festivity ads, and what better way to start than for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.
Grab has brilliantly poked fun towards all the young sibling in the family, on how they’re always the bearer of all the unfun things that their older siblings refuse to do. It’s a fun take on family relationships, and one that I implore readers to give it a watch.
4. Nike CNY 2020: The Great Chase
The tradition of giving Ang Paos away has been embedded deep into the culture of Chinese New Year in itself. Kids and people who aren’t married yet would typically receive the red packet, either from parents or relatives.
Well, so is the culture of polite refusal in these moments, where receivers would profusely refuse money or gifts purely out of respect.
So, Nike wondered what’ll happen if the exchange goes back and forth? Of both the receiver and the sender in an endless tug of war of refusal and acceptance.
This is a nice homage to Chinese culture, hitting all the right angles while being short and sweet.
5. Prudential CNY 2020: Every gift becomes a blessing when you do something about it
Traditions, traditions, and traditions. Recipes and family secrets passed down from generations can be a daunting thing for anyone out there to carry them forward. I mean what if you’re not good enough? Or if you’re not interested in doing those exact same things that your forefathers have done?
Well, this ad by Prudential perfectly encapsulates what I’ve just described.
Funny and light-hearted in almost every way, watching this ad will remind viewers about their fathers, on how they still love their children no matter how strict or scary they might be.
