The Chinese New Year is not only a vessel for thousands of years of Chinese tradition, but also a powerful moment of emotional expression for Chinese consumers. In such an emotionally charged context, there is a heightened desire to witness sincere, resonant brand storytelling that reflects confidence in Chinese culture.
Beyond the conventional use of symbols such as bright red color schemes or the zodiac sign of the Year of the Horse, Chinese New Year campaigns serve as a major annual test for brands. One that demands serious attention and reflection: Faced with the vast treasure trove of Chinese cultural heritage, how can a brand go deeper and discover its own unique narrative?
Luxe.CO has tracked Chinese New Year campaigns by luxury brands for years. Among them, Qeelin, the fine jewellery house under Kering Group, stands out as a model worth studying, having grown into a prime example of how to meaningfully engage with this key cultural moment.
From the Golden Dragon Parade in Yangshuo, Guangxi, to the Grand Songs of the Dong ethnic group in Qiandongnan, Guizhou, and now, returning to the Central Plains this year with the Jinnan Weifeng Luogu from Linfen, Shanxi, Qeelin has developed a well-rounded approach to Chinese New Year storytelling. It presents China’s rich cultural and festive heritage through diverse local lenses and a multi-dimensional campaign strategy, resonating strongly with consumers and earning widespread acclaim.
In this article, we will analyze Qeelin’s Chinese New Year campaign from multiple angles, distilling four key elements essential for successful New Year brand storytelling:
• The significance of rooting in locality: using Shanxi’s Jinnan Weifeng Luogu as an example
• Resonating with festive emotions through impactful visuals and sound
• Serving as a promoter of cultural heritage by creating content that resonates with young audiences
• Consistency in humanistic brand expression, built through long-term dedication
1. The Significance of Rooting in Locality: The Example of Jinnan Weifeng Luogu in Shanxi
Chinese New Year customs across China are rich and diverse, varying from region to region.
Whenever we hear the names of places that represent our hometowns, there is an instinctive sense of authenticity and emotional warmth that arises. This deep-rooted connection between Chinese people and their native lands forms an innate psychological bond—one that is a vital source of personal identity, community belonging, and homesickness.
Therefore, when planning a campaign around Chinese New Year, brands must first identify a physical place where their narrative can take root, and then delve into and learn about the cultural heritage of that region.
This year, Qeelin turned its attention to Shanxi, one of the representative regions of Central Plains culture. Now one of the most sought-after destinations in China’s cultural tourism boom, Shanxi’s cities and landmarks have drawn many young people in recent years for “archaeological-style” travel across this province rich in historical relics.
As one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization, Shanxi boasts an astonishing depth of cultural history, with many sites preserved remarkably close to their original state. Among them, the Jinnan Weifeng Luogu shine as a cultural gem within this chain of preservation.
In Linfen, Shanxi, once known as “Yaodu,” the capital of Emperor Yao, there is a legend: more than four thousand years ago, when Yao’s two daughters, Ehuang and Nüying, returned to their village to visit family, two processions formed ranks along the road, beating drums and gongs in a display of power. In The Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing), it was also recorded that “The Yellow Emperor crafted a drum to mimic thunder,” having captured a mythical beast named Kui and used its tough skin to make a giant drum, and its bones as drumsticks. The drum’s sound was said to echo like thunder, shaking hearts.
Jinnan Weifeng Luogu seamlessly integrate the distinctive cultural features of the Central Plains with music, dance, and craftsmanship. Hailed as “the greatest drum under heaven,” they have been included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage items in China.
This form of folk art has a history as long as Chinese civilization itself. For thousands of years, its booming rhythm has accompanied farmers as they prayed for good weather and inspired soldiers in battle. Even today, after the busy harvest season, people of all ages in the Jinnan region still welcome the New Year with thunderous drum performances, keeping this ancient tradition alive.
In fact, this is not the first time Qeelin has rooted its New Year storytelling in local culture.
In previous years, Qeelin has focused on Yangshuo in Guangxi and Qiandongnan in Guizhou, bringing the region’s distinctive “Golden Dragon Parade” folk tradition and the intangible cultural heritage of the Grand Song of the Dong into public view. Every footprint Qeelin leaves on Chinese soil is grounded in deep engagement with local culture and genuine observation of daily life. This is what gives Qeelin’s Chinese New Year campaigns their substance and emotional depth.
2. Resonating with Festive Emotions Through Impactful Visual and Auditory Expression
To celebrate the upcoming Year of the Horse, Qeelin recently released a brand film titled “One Beat, A World Renewed“.
The short film opens with sweeping views of majestic mountains and rivers, evoking an awe-inspiring sense of pride and the weight of Chinese civilization. As the drumstick strikes, the rhythm builds from slow to fast, transforming into a powerful force that resonates with the energy of heaven and earth.
Qeelin specially invited Zhang Yong, an inheritor of Jinnan Weifeng Luogu, to perform alongside the brand’s global ambassador, Wang Chuqin, creating a symbolic “drum relay.” Speaking on the transmission of Jinnan Weifeng Luogu, Zhang Yong noted:
“Trapping the energy inside, nurturing it. The finest things are nurtured by time and care, generation by generation, breath by breath.”
In the broader context of Chinese civilization, the drum is not only one of the oldest percussion instruments but also a symbol of spirit and strength. Its enduring presence in culture represents a collective memory that continues to inspire.
In the thunderous sound of the drums, we hear the deep, resonant rhythm honed by Zhang Yong through years of craftsmanship, the unyielding spirit of Wang Chuqin battling in the sports arena, and the vibrant energy of the Chinese people striving upward with confidence. It embodies a relentless force; a perseverance passed from generation to generation.
Each year during Chinese New Year, a holiday that channels cultural pride and identity, Qeelin strives to uncover unique, vibrant folk traditions, transforming them into immersive, powerful visual and auditory spectacles.
For instance, during the Year of the Dragon, Qeelin’s campaign in Yangshuo featured nearly a hundred bamboo raft rowers on the Yulong River forming a majestic “dragon” that seemed to soar through the heavens. This striking moment left a lasting impression and inspired many to travel to the area.
Last year in Guizhou, hundreds of Dong villagers, young and old, sang the Grand Songs of the Dong in their fields, revealing the hardships and resilience of their ancestors in their search for a homeland.
Each revival of a local folk tradition evokes a profound emotional resonance. These powerful moments have become some of the most moving aspects of Qeelin’s Chinese New Year storytelling. It is these shared experiences that leave an enduring imprint on the hearts of its audience.
Qeelin 2024 “Golden Dragon Parade” Chinese New Year Film
Qeelin 2025 Chinese New Year Film: Harmonizing with the “Grand Song of the Dong”
3. Becoming a Facilitator of Cultural Inheritance: How to Capture the Interest of Young Audiences
In this collaboration, Wang Chuqin visited Zhang Yong’s drum-making workshop, where he had a hands-on experience with the process of stretching drum skin and tuning drum heads. He also engraved the hulu gourd motif, which symbolizes good fortune and prosperity, onto the drum body.
In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, Zhang Yong once expressed concerns about the challenges of passing Jinnan Weifeng Luogu on to future generations. To better engage young people and spark their interest in this traditional art form, he has not only traveled from village to village to document and rescue endangered traditional drum pieces, but has also experimented with new methods of dissemination, such as live streaming. His firsthand account highlights the inherent difficulty in revitalizing traditional Chinese culture.
Amid the wave of cultural revival in China, young audiences are especially eager to see traditional heritage presented in high-quality, contemporary forms. The participation of Wang Chuqin, rising star of China’s national table tennis team, has helped bring widespread attention to this unique cultural tradition.
In May 2023, Qeelin signed Wang Chuqin as part of its brand family. Luxe.CO notes that with the launch of this year’s Spring Festival campaign, Wang Chuqin has now officially been elevated to Qeelin’s global brand ambassador. Securing a top-tier endorsement deal with a post-2000s world champion underscores Qeelin’s commitment to engaging the younger generation.
In exploring traditional Chinese culture, Qeelin has skillfully invited celebrities and public figures beloved by younger audiences to participate in meaningful, experiential storytelling—helping cultural heritage reach broader circles of youth.
4. The Importance of Consistency in Humanistic Brand Expression
For brands, those who move beyond simplistic red visuals and zodiac signs and instead delve into China’s vast cultural legacy will be the ones who earn authentic resonance among Chinese consumers.
Even more crucial is consistency—those who persist over time will gradually build a stronghold of humanistic storytelling that differentiates their brand.
Qeelin’s commitment to Chinese culture has always been part of its DNA. In 1997, the brand’s founder, Dennis Chan, visited Dunhuang and was deeply moved by the murals in the Mogao Caves. That moment sparked a strong sense of cultural responsibility:
“Why don’t we have an international luxury brand that showcases the brilliance of Chinese history?”
Inspired by the mythical Chinese beast Qilin, known for its horned head and cloven hooves, Dennis Chan founded Qeelin as a brand dedicated to expressing the elegance of Eastern aesthetics. He infused the designs with iconic Chinese motifs such as hulugourds, ruyi scepters, flying deities, and lotus flowers—reinterpreting them through a modern jewellery lens.
Positioned at the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures, Qeelin was founded in 2004 with a clear vision: “To bring Chinese culture and symbols to the global stage.” Drawing inspiration from the auspicious meaning behind the gourd’s phonetic resemblance to “fortune and prosperity” (fu lu) and the number 8, Qeelin created the elegant and harmonious Wulu collection, which has now become a globally recognizable symbol of contemporary Oriental aesthetics.
Qeelin Wulu Shanshui fine jewellery collection
Through its annual Chinese New Year campaigns, Qeelin continues to incorporate an expanding array of Eastern symbols into its brand narrative, weaving a richer, more multi-dimensional story that captivates audiences today.
According to Qeelin CEO Christophe Artaux, nearly the entire Qeelin team is based in China and both he and his colleagues live and work in the country.
This deep-rooted presence enables Qeelin to maintain a high level of cultural sensitivity and awareness. It allows the brand to authentically tap into the profound beauty of Chinese heritage, naturally drawing from the abundant cultural resources across the Chinese Mainland and transforming them into a wellspring of creative inspiration.
At this highly competitive moment in brand communication, Qeelin has calmly and steadily built a cohesive narrative around Chinese culture. In doing so, it has turned the nation’s most celebratory season into a powerful platform for its own brand storytelling.
This will undoubtedly be a key step in Qeelin’s journey toward long-term resonance with the Chinese market.
| Image Credit: Provided by Qeelin, Qeelin Official Weibo
| Editor: Elisa
