Putting up New Year paintings is the most symbolic tradition to welcome CNY. We recreated five classical paintings with five Chinese artists. The different folk styles of New Year paintings – woodblock printing, calligraphy, distinct red, and traditional mascots – were reimagined as digital illustrations made on Apple devices. We then brought this tradition from within the home, to the streets of China.

Five New Year paintings were recreated with modernized illustration styles.

Theme: Reunion

Traditional paintings of reunion dinner are serious. We injected fun elements to showcase the liveliness of a joyful reunion.

Theme: Harvest

A regular bundle of crops is replaced with an exaggeration of harvest that stacks up to the skies. The typical red background is reimagined with crisp green to deliver the freshness of spring.

Theme: Peace

The menacing look of traditional Door Gods is redesigned as humorous characters, the calligraphic painting style is replaced with a collage of whimsical stickers with modern elements.

Theme: Fortune

The traditional fish-in-pond painting is transformed as a fun journey for the fish in a surreal modern cityscape.

Theme: Luck

The rooster is traditionally painted stationary. We reimagined it dancing in a fantastical setting to deliver the mythical feeling of luck.

These paintings were spontaneously displayed in 6,682 non-Apple-Store.

As Apple continues its foray in to the Chinese market, we wanted our audience to know that Apple cares about and understand the local culture. Tapping into true insights we were successful in helping Apple as a foreign brand, blend well into CNY communications in a genuine, meaningful way.

?Reinventing the traditional craft as contemporary pieces drove overwhelmingly positive organic social buzz. 210k pieces of organic social engagement content was generated, with 82% praising the reimagined artwork as being authentic. Mainstream media applauded Apple’s refreshing take in restoring Chinese tradition in good style. Passers-by were even spotted taking photos with our artwork!

Exposure of the work and positive social buzz contributed to full turnouts at workshops held by the 5 featured artists in Apple Stores in key Chinese cities. Interest in the artwork drove 5 times higher traffic to the Apple website, compared to the same period last year.