Chinese New Year is all about fresh starts, big energy, and bold celebrations—and your email marketing should feel the same. As the world welcomes a new lunar cycle, inboxes are a golden opportunity to connect with customers through festive flair, thoughtful messaging, and a touch of good fortune.
It’s more than a chance to run a promotion. It’s a moment to tell stories, spread joy, and show your audience you’re tuned in to what matters to them. And if you’re wondering whether it’s worth getting involved, here’s a quick stat to keep in mind. A recent Kantar Worldpanel report found that people aged 18 to 35 are leading in Lunar New Year shopping. They make up over 40% of total sales—and they tend to spend more than the average customer.
With numbers like that, there’s every reason to create campaigns that speak to this vibrant, high-spending audience. From lucky red envelopes to zodiac-inspired designs, we’re sharing ideas that will help your emails move with meaning, style, and spark this Chinese New Year.
Key Topics
Be Culturally Aware Before You Hit 'Send'
Before your email lands in someone’s inbox, it should land right culturally. Chinese New Year is a vibrant celebration rooted in tradition, and the best campaigns reflect that with thought and care. It’s not just about using red and gold or adding a dragon graphic—it’s about understanding the meaning behind those choices. When your message feels sincere, respectful, and in tune with the spirit of the holiday, it has a much better chance of truly connecting.
Here are a few creative guardrails to help steer your messaging:
Best Tips:
- Rich reds and glowing golds—colours of luck, joy, and prosperity
- Dragons, lanterns, fireworks, and zodiac animals—visually powerful and culturally relevant
- Copy that speaks to family, fortune, new beginnings, and shared celebration
Common Mistakes:
- Black and white as your primary palette—often tied to mourning, not merrymaking
- Unlucky numbers or phrases with negative connotations
- Generic sales talk—this is not the time for a loud hard sell
There’s a big difference between festive and forced. Brands that take a moment to understand the meaning behind the holiday tend to get noticed for all the right reasons. And with the right tone and imagery, your email won’t just stand out—it’ll feel right at home in the celebration.
Top Campaign Ideas to Try This Year
Once your tone and visuals are aligned with the spirit of the season, it’s time to think about the kind of content that will actually land with your audience. The beauty of Chinese New Year is that it opens the door to a variety of creative approaches—some playful, some heartfelt, all of them full of potential.
Warm Greetings and Well Wishes
Start with a sincere message that celebrates togetherness, prosperity, or fresh starts. A simple, thoughtful note can do more than any promotion when it feels genuine.
Red Envelope Offers
Inspired by the tradition of hongbao, surprise your audience with discount codes, gifts, or limited-time perks—packaged in a way that feels festive and rewarding.
Zodiac-Themed Promotions
Tie your campaign to the year’s zodiac animal with curated products, themed content, or personalised recommendations. It adds a thoughtful, seasonal touch.
Storytelling Series
Share cultural facts, personal team traditions, or behind-the-scenes insights. This can build connections and show that your brand values more than just the sale.
Limited-Time Collections
Launch holiday-themed products or gift bundles designed for the occasion. This creates urgency while also tapping into the spirit of celebration.
Interactive Quizzes or Games
Keep things fun and shareable with zodiac quizzes, spin-to-win wheels, or virtual red envelope reveals. These moments of interaction can boost engagement and make your emails feel more memorable.
Each of these ideas offers a fresh way to celebrate, connect, and stand out. The next step? Making sure your design and messaging bring the whole campaign together beautifully.
Brands That Nailed Chinese New Year Email Campaign Ideas
Looking for inspiration? These standout campaigns show how different brands have embraced the spirit of Chinese New Year—some with bold visuals, others with subtle storytelling—all while staying culturally respectful and creatively on point. Whether through traditional colour palettes, zodiac themes, or clever promotions, each one offers a lesson in how to celebrate meaningfully and memorably.
1. Brand: Lego
Subject Line: What will you build in 2024?
Why it stands out: This email stands out as a Chinese New Year campaign because it features a festive LEGO dragon set, which ties into the Year of the Dragon—a key symbol in Chinese culture representing strength and good luck. Moreover, the use of red and gold colors, traditional cloud designs, and a themed background all reflect classic Chinese New Year visuals.
2. Brand: BC4U
Subject Line: We’re celebrating Chinese New Year at BC4U
Why it stands out: It clearly embraces festive visuals and messaging tied to the celebration. The red and gold color scheme is symbolic of good luck and prosperity in Chinese culture, while the rabbit illustration highlights 2023 as the Year of the Rabbit.
3. Brand: Kate Spade
Subject Line: What will you build in 2024?
Why it stands out: This email stands out as a Chinese New Year campaign because it features a festive LEGO dragon set, which ties into the Year of the Dragon—a key symbol in Chinese culture representing strength and good luck. Moreover, the use of red and gold colors, traditional cloud designs, and a themed background all reflect classic Chinese New Year visuals.
4. Brand: Clinique
Subject Line: Celebrate Lunar New Year with Exclusive Beauty Gifts
Why it stands out: This email stands out as a Chinese New Year campaign because it cleverly blends cultural celebration with beauty product exclusivity.
5. Brand: La Mer
Subject Line: Wishing You Prosperity & Luxury This Lunar New Year
Why it stands out: This La Mer email stands out as a Chinese New Year campaign because it blends traditional elements with luxury branding. The use of red and gold colors, along with a paper-cut style design, reflects Chinese culture and symbols of luck and prosperity.
6. Brand: Aveda
Subject Line: Celebrate the Year of the Rooster with a Gift for Your Hair
Why it stands out: This Aveda email clearly celebrates Chinese New Year with its use of traditional red and gold colors, which symbolize luck and prosperity. The message “Wishing You Well-Being for the New Year” is culturally aligned with the holiday’s focus on health and happiness.
7. Brand: Loft
Subject Line: Limited-Time Sale Sparks Now!
Why it stands out: This LOFT email grabs attention with a festive, eye-catching visual—a sparkler held by a hand with bold red nails—symbolizing celebration and urgency. The phrase “Let the Sparks Fly” paired with “FLASH SALE” creates a sense of excitement and limited-time opportunity.
8. Brand: Legacybox
Subject Line: Cheers to 40% Off – One Last Day to Save with Code TOAST!
Why it stands out: This Legacybox email stands out with a festive and celebratory tone, featuring sparkling gold confetti and a bold message. While it doesn’t mention Chinese New Year specifically, its theme of celebration, extension of joy, and memory preservation fits well with holiday vibes and post-holiday promotions.
Each of these campaigns brings something different to the table—whether it’s clever design, cultural awareness, or a unique promotional twist. With plenty of creative directions to explore, the next step is ensuring your own emails not only look the part but sound just right too.
Making Every Message Feel Personal
Even the brightest firework needs the right sky to shine. Your Chinese New Year campaign might be full of festive charm, but to truly spark engagement, it needs to land with the people who’ll feel its impact. Segmentation is where you stop speaking to everyone—and start connecting with someone.
Here are a few ways to make sure your message hits home:
- Pinpoint the where: Use location data to match your message with the rhythm of regional celebrations. What lands in Shanghai may need a different touch in Sydney.
- Understand the why: Segment based on past behaviour—loyal shoppers, first-timers, or those who clicked but never converted. Give each group a reason to care (and click).
- Get personal, not just polite: Subject lines that feel tailored, references to past interactions, or products they’ve browsed—it’s the small details that make your email feel less like a broadcast and more like a conversation.
- Speak their language—literally: Where it makes sense, offer bilingual options. A festive greeting in Mandarin can turn a good email into a great one.
When you know who you’re talking to, every message becomes more meaningful. And with your audience clearly in focus, it’s time to shape how it all looks, sounds, and feels.
We’re all about results, and we make email marketing impactful and absolutely tailored to your goals!
Boosting Engagement Beyond the Inbox
To ensure your email campaigns have a lasting impact and continue to engage your audience beyond just the inbox, it’s essential to extend the conversation across multiple channels. Here are some effective strategies to create a seamless and interactive experience for your audience:
- Link to Social Media or Landing Pages: Connect your email content to relevant social media campaigns or specific landing pages. This creates a unified experience across multiple platforms and keeps your audience engaged longer.
- Encourage Sharing Through Branded Hashtags or UGC: Inspire your audience to share their celebrations or experiences by using your branded hashtags or submitting user-generated content (UGC). This not only broadens your reach but also builds a sense of community and engagement.
- Include Referral or Loyalty Incentives: Motivate customers to take action by offering referral or loyalty rewards. This drives long-term value and strengthens customer retention, encouraging them to return for more.
What to do: Linking your email content to social media or a landing page creates a more interactive, engaging experience for your audience.
What to avoid: Overloading emails with too many call-to-actions or incentives can overwhelm recipients and dilute the focus of your message.
Best Timing for Sending Emails and Frequency
The key to a successful email campaign lies in how well you sequence your messages. By aligning your emails with the right stages of the celebration, you can keep your audience engaged from start to finish. Here’s how to plan your email sequence effectively:
#1 – Pre-New Year Build-Up
Begin by sending out emails ahead of the New Year to build excitement. This stage should focus on teasers, sneak peeks of upcoming offers, and content that sparks anticipation. Create a sense of excitement as your audience prepares for the big celebration, and get them ready for what’s to come.
#2 – Day-of Celebration
On the day of the celebration, send your main email offering time-sensitive deals, celebratory discounts, or exclusive content. Use urgency techniques like countdown timers or flash deals to encourage immediate action. The focus here is to capture the excitement of the moment and drive engagement while the audience is in full celebration mode.
#3 – Post-Celebration Follow-Up
After the festivities, follow up with an email to continue the engagement. This could be a thank-you message, a recap of the celebrations, or a reminder of deals they might have missed. This stage ensures that the connection remains strong, offering a chance for latecomers to take advantage of any remaining offers or simply keep the relationship alive.
By sequencing your emails around key dates like Chinese New Year’s Eve or the Lantern Festival, you’re making sure your messages are timely and relevant. Let’s now look at how to fine-tune each stage of the sequence to really resonate with your audience.
Key Metrics to Drive Campaign Success
Maximizing the effectiveness of your email campaigns involves tracking the right metrics and consistently optimizing your approach to ensure they connect with your audience and drive the desired results. Here’s what to focus on for continuous improvement:
1. Track Key Metrics
- Monitor open rates, click-through rates, redemptions, and time spent on the email to gauge how well your audience is engaging with your content.
2. A/B Test::
- Experiment with different subject lines and content formats to determine what resonates most with your audience. This will help refine your strategy for maximum impact.
3. Leverage Feedback and Performance Data:
- Use feedback from your recipients and data from your campaigns to identify areas for improvement. This will guide you in optimising your future seasonal campaigns for better results.
By tracking these key metrics and optimizing your strategy, you’ll be able to refine your email campaigns for better results. Use the insights you gain to adapt and improve, ensuring even greater success in your future campaigns.
Authentic, well-timed email campaigns during Chinese New Year can leave a lasting impression and spark deeper connections with your audience. By blending creativity with cultural respect, your message will resonate in meaningful ways. Celebrating diverse traditions helps build lasting relationships that go beyond the season. Make this Chinese New Year unforgettable and watch your connections flourish!
Want more holiday inspiration?
In 2025, make your brand stand out with strategic campaigns, compelling messaging, and data-driven tactics. Need fresh ideas? Let Webfuel Digital help you craft ecommerce marketing strategies that drive engagement and boost sales. Contact us today!
