Happy Lunar New Year!

 

Gong hei fat choy, or translated into Cantonese: "Wishing you great happiness and prosperity."

2024 is the Year of the Dragon and is celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean cultures around the world beginning today.

Will your brand add a dragon or the color red into your logo, mascot, promotions, or communiations? Here are some brands that are participating in the festive celebrations:

BARBIE
Mattel unveiled its 2024 Lunar New Year Barbie doll. According to Mattel, "Barbie is enchanting in a traditional xifu costume, inspired by the beauty of Peking Opera, a cultural treasure of China and often performed to celebrate Lunar New Year and other Chinese holidays. Her elegant robe in lucky red with a colorful peony print symbolizes good fortune. Her dramatic water sleeves are used to create beautiful hand motions and expressions on stage. The look is completed with an ornate headdress with peony accents and cyan blue shoes with pink poms."

CLINIQUE
Clinique's make-up line stood out with festive red packaging on its "dramatically different mosturizing lotion" and "cheek pop highlighter."

CHARLOTTE TILBURY
Charlotte Tilbury released a limited-edition Luxury Palette in celebration of Lunar New Year. This iteration of her best-selling eyeshadow quad, entitled Queen of Luck, features highly-pigmented golden pink, warm terracotta, and champagne gold hues.

PAT MCGRATH
Pat McGrath released a limited-edition Bronze Borealis New Year Edition, which features four bronze and copper hues. These shades deliver saturated color in a single swipe.

DISNEY
A plush version of Mickey Mouse dressed as a dragon was available for sale, and clothing was also available featuring other familiar characters dressed as dragons.

HELLO KITTY
Hello Kitty unveiled a red holiday-themed "Pineapple Cakes" gift box.

HONOLULU COOKIE COMPANY
Honolulu Cookie Company unveiled a "Year of the Dragon" green cookie gift box featuring a dragon and a large red pineapple.

POTTERY BARN
Pottery Barn designed a white and red "Lunar New Year Dragon Lazy Susan."

KATE SPADE
Kate Spade launched a Lunar New Year collection featuring dragon motifs on everything from handbags to dresses to dragon-inspired jewelry pieces.

TIMBERLAND
Timberland’s Lunar New Year collection features boots blending the brand’s classic design with unique dragon-themed elements. The Timberland Heritage 6-inch lace-up boot, crafted from Timberland premium leather, is available in red for men and black for women.

MACY'S
Macy's home department unveiled a red and gold "Lunar New Year Dragon Teapot and Cups Set."

According to Marca.com, "In the Chinese worldview, the dragon is not perceived as a fearsome creature, but as a divine being that bestows power and good fortune. It is associated with positive characteristics, such as, wisdom, vitality, nobility and benevolence. He represents primordial strength, prosperity, courage and renewal."

According to ChinaHighlights.com, do not give a clock or watch as a Chinese New Year gift. "Clocks and watches symbolize running out of time. This is especially an uncomfortable reminder for seniors. Giving a clock or watch as a gift is the biggest no-no in Chinese culture."

Next year, the Year of the Snake will begin on January 29, 2025. So, clothing and make-up brands, start counting the days!


Image Credits: Mattel, Clinique, and The Walt Disney Company.