{"id":21021,"date":"2014-01-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-01-29T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/global2020prd.wpengine.com\/insights\/%e7%94%b2%e5%8d%88%e8%b4%ba%e6%96%b0%e6%98%a5-happy-new-year\/"},"modified":"2020-03-21T08:19:36","modified_gmt":"2020-03-21T08:19:36","slug":"%e7%94%b2%e5%8d%88%e8%b4%ba%e6%96%b0%e6%98%a5-happy-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.global-integration.com\/insights\/%e7%94%b2%e5%8d%88%e8%b4%ba%e6%96%b0%e6%98%a5-happy-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"\u7532\u5348\u8d3a\u65b0\u6625 Happy New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy Year of the Yang Wood Horse \u2013 A Lesson in Marketing<\/h2>\n

Once again, we are coming up to another Chinese New Year (January 31). This coming year will be the year of the horse in the Chinese lunar calendar.
\n\""2014"\"<\/p>\n

Given our global interconnectivity, it is difficult to imagine anyone who\u2019s not familiar with at least some of the lore and traditions associated with this Chinese holiday: The sprucing up and cleaning out; the reunion dinners on New Year\u2019s Eve; the lucky rhyming foods on tables; the colors of red and gold; the necessity of new outfits; the unforgivable crime of uttering unlucky phrases.<\/p>\n

Highlighting these practices seems so pre-Google. Anyone who wants to know about these colorful festivities can probably get more than what they want from Wikipedia<\/a>. And of course, like all celebrations of a New Year no matter where you are in the world or what culture you belong to, it doesn\u2019t stray too far away from the usual script of sending off the bad and evil, and welcoming a good and prosperous beginning. The rituals might be different. The storyline remains the same.<\/p>\n

Looking at it from a marketing pint of view, a typical New Year celebration is therefore as exciting as counting the rings on a redwood stump. They all look the same, just bigger with each passing year. Not the Chinese New Year though. Here\u2019s how the Chinese win the marketing award of the year…..<\/p>\n

Each year in the Chinese lunar calendar is denoted by one of twelve astrological signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.<\/p>\n

\"Chinese<\/p>\n

Every year is in turn associated with one of ten heavenly stems (\u5929\u5e72\uff0cpronounced \u201cTian Gan\u201d).\u00a0 Each of these ten heavenly stems is in turn associated with one of the five elements<\/a> of Chinese astrology<\/a>: \u00a0Wood<\/a>, Fire<\/a>, Earth<\/a>, Metal<\/a>, and Water<\/a>. The elements are rotated every two years while a \u201cYin\u201d and \u201cYang<\/a>\u201d association alternates every year. This ingenious system produces a combined cycle that only repeats itself once every 60 years. \u00a0\u00a0For example, the year of the Yang Fire Rat<\/a> occurred in 1936 and in 1996, 60 years apart.\u00a0 While a Gemini is a Gemini is a Gemini, whether they were born June 14 in 1936 or 1996 or 2006, a Yang Fire Rat is not the same as a Yang Water Rat, nor are they a Ying Fire Rat.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still with me, no doubt you will now be asking yourself, \u201cWhat does this have to do with marketing ingenuity?\u201d<\/p>\n

Here it is:\u00a0 It\u2019s all about perceived uniqueness by your users.\u00a0 With a year that only repeats itself every 60 years, every year is unique.\u00a0 Think about all the marketing possibilities. \u00a0Take for example, the time honored need of humans to foretell one\u2019s destiny or fortune.\u00a0 Voila! ‘Open sesame’ to an immense marketing opportunity with billions of users.\u00a0 The sheer number of permutations and combinations of an individual\u2019s birth year with the coming year would require the compilation of mountains of well sought after information.\u00a0 And as we well know, he who generates data and information is king – or queen – worshipped by not only users, but more importantly, advertisers.\u00a0 Mind you, we\u2019re only talking about the exposure at the beginning of each New Year.\u00a0 Any important event during the year will warrant another round of \u201ctimely reading\u201d.\u00a0 That\u2019s the marketing treasure trove.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t believe me, try Googling \u201c2014 Year of the Horse Predictions\u201d.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a piece of personal anecdotal evidence. Between the years of 1991 and 1995, as a culturally astute manager based in Hong Kong, I had to hire a Feng Shui (\u98ce\u6c34) \u2013 i.e. geomancy \u2013 master at the beginning of every Chinese New Year to provide advice to each of my team members.\u00a0 This included an office layout consultation as well as one-on-one \u201creadings\u201d.\u00a0 Usually a full eight hours \u2013 and a few thousand Hong Kong dollars \u2013 later, everyone could then feel confident and comfortable that we had effectively sent off the bad and welcomed the good.\u00a0 In case you are wondering, we were working in regional offices of American Fortune 100 corporations.\u00a0 Kung Xi Fa Cai or Kung Hei Fatt Choi, indeed!!\u00a0 There\u2019s your entire market segment:\u00a0 Corporate Feng Shui consulting.\u00a0 All thanks to the unique combination of the calendar, the location and the individuals – infinite permutations and combinations.<\/p>\n

So what? All I\u2019m saying is: \u00a0if you know you need to do something over and over, make sure it is differentiated enough that people can still be engaged and excited.\u00a0 Think Apple.\u00a0 Think of ways to make it fresh and different even though the essence is the same.<\/p>\n

To walk my talk, here are a few unique things you should know, or could do with, your global, remote, virtual colleagues to celebrate another Chinese New Year:<\/p>\n