Singapore, here are the top festive films that reeled us in this CNY

This year's Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations saw brands going above and beyond to commemorate the joyful period with its audiences. 

Food and grocery delivery platform foodpanda went big this year with a month-long celebration featuring festive treats and delectable delivery. Meanwhile, Singaporean beverage brand Yeo's launched three new packaging designs to usher in the Lunar New Year. 

Most recently, Asian bank DBS unveiled its newest home scent 'Abundance', reminiscent of mandarin oranges, a well-known symbol of prosperity during the festive period. 'Abundance' comes after the brand released its money-scented perfume, 'Huat' in 2024.

With the CNY festivities drawing to a close, let's take a look at some of the brand films that we had on repeat. 

Don't miss: Unpacking the ang bao designs that made us go 'wow' this CNY

1. Apple 

Apple took viewers on a journey of finding love through the lens of its iPhone 16 Pro. Its CNY campaign titled "I made a mixtape for you", is entirely shot on the tech brand's latest iPhone 16 Pro and follows a young man by the name of Wei. 

The campaign was created with TBWA\Media Arts Lab Shanghai and is directed by The Greatest Showman's Michael Gracey. Gracey also worked with Oscar-winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, Hollywood choreographer Ashley Wallen and Shanghai screenwriter Wu Jue Ren. It aims to capture the advanced camera capabilities of the iPhone 16 Pro. 

“Musical storytelling encompasses so many facets of music, picture, and sound design,” said Gracey. “The incredible thing about iPhone 16 Pro is that you have access to all those things in one device.”

Read more here. 

2. Coca-Cola

Beverage giant Coca-Cola collaborated with local media companies SGAG and MGAG to unveil a humorous jingle this CNY. Shared on Instagram before the holidays, the two-minute clip centers around a young couple's trip to Johor Bahru to visit family during the festive period. 

The video, part of Coca-Cola's CNY campaign which will be running until mid-February, touches on the conventional pressures faced by a partner when meeting their counterpart's extended family during the Lunar new year celebrations. To lighten up the stress some customers may be facing, the brands used a humorous jingle to help viewers navigate the pressures. 

"Coca-Cola is always looking for unique and refreshing ways to connect with consumers, tapping into relevant occasions while encouraging heartfelt wishes and spreading Real Magic. By collaborating with SGAG and MGAG—who truly connect with audiences through their unique humour—we're bringing a fresh, fun twist to the traditional CNY songs," said Amanda Lim, franchise operations director at SIMA. 

Read more here. 

3. FairPrice 

FairPrice unveiled a CNY campaign titled "Love prospers in the little things" to illuminate the traditional values of harmony, connection and appreciation.

Created and conceptualised by Homeground United (Omnicom Production and TBWA\Singapore), the campaign tells the story of love and warmth through the eyes of Mi Bao, a free-spirited feline inspired by the fortune cat whose favourite pastime was roaming and exploring the neighbourhood.

At the heart of the integrated campaign is a brand film, which weaves together the often-overlooked small exchanges and moments of love, shared between family, friends and strangers during the festive season. Such moments include a daughter wearing red for her mother despite not liking the colour, an Indian boy learning how to give Chinese New Year greetings to his Chinese girlfriend's grandmother, and a FairPrice employee showing which are the correct and appropriate oranges to present for Chinese New Year. 

Read more here. 

4. MDDI

The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), in partnership with Hogarth Worldwide, released a heartwarming CNY music video celebrating the joys of friendship and the importance of aspirations and kindness during the festive period.  Launched in line with Singapore's 60th birthday celebrations, the two-minute music video showcases the latest rendition of “细水长流” (Friendship forever), a song originally written by Singapore Cultural Medallion recipient Dr Liang Wern Fook in the 1980s.

The latest rendition features singers Joi Chua and Leelian Chua, who had previously performed the song in 1998 as part of the “Sing Singapore” movement. The video shows the two musicians celebrating CNY with peers from various ethnicities and backgrounds, taking part in activities such as guitar-playing and arts and crafts. 

Mark Wong, chief executive officer of Hogarth Worldwide, APAC said: "We're deeply honoured to contribute to this significant campaign that celebrates both Chinese New Year and SG60. It beautifully captures our cultural heritage while marking an important milestone in Singapore's journey."

Read more here. 

5. Singtel 

Singtel unveiled its 2025 CNY film, throwing the spotlight on AI and innovation.

Titled "Once upon a CNY", the short film features wife and mother Mei and her struggles with preparations for her family's CNY celebration. The accidental but timely intervention of an AI assistant helps her visualise a brave new world where the latest technologies allow her to tackle her tasks with unprecedented ease. This inspires her to embrace more smart technology in real life, paving the way for getting everything done in time for the traditional reunion dinner.

The campaign comes as Singtel upped the ante on AI-innovation across its businesses, from embedding AI in its data centre and ICT arms to deploying AI in its customer service functions in recent months. Earlier this month, Singtel also announced that it will be making the benefits of AI easily accessible to consumers by offering customers a free 1-year subscription to Perplexity Pro. The AI assistant in "Once upon a CNY" is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Perplexity and its capabilities, including its ability to provide comprehensive responses to queries and generate images, said Singtel in a statement seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

Read more here. 

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