Cultural background: Young Chinese are infatuated with everything imported, Many are secretly embarrassed by local heritage and homegrown China brands. Harbin Beer, China's oldest beer icon from the icy north, is perceived as too local and old; but it's actually one of the world's best selling beer. The task was to redesign the image of Harbin beer as world-class. But why stop there? Harbin believes the local heritage is world-class, and must be celebrated

Idea: A Toast to China Icons

China's oldest beer icon brings old fashioned Chinese traditions back in style

Nicknamed as Hapi Beer, the brand tagline is "Hapi Together". In this spirit, brand assets were redesigned to be a platform for trendsetters to revamp cultural icons. On Chinese New Year, a season to celebrate traditions, Harbin Beer and the youth went to New York Fashion Week to relaunch old China icons.

Brand assets were transformed into a platform for trendsetters to revamp China icons.

Pre-launch

1. Redesigned beer box. It became a stage for grassroots influencers to lobby for their favorite icons.

2. Scan the Beer. The public voted which icons they wanted to celebrate on the world stage

Launch

3. New York Fashion Week. Harbin Beer shared its spotlight with the winning China icons.

-China icons & Harbin Beer's icy heritage were woven into streetwear; by fashion designer Chen Peng.

-Chinese new year Calligraphy became Calligraffi, which were scrawled on the runway, jackets, redesigned beer bottle; by calligrapher Zhu Jingyi.

-Peking Opera became Peking Operock, traditional instruments and songs mashed with electronic rock created a new sound; by rock band The Either.

Post Launch

4. Social KOLs, offline and online Press, and even China's ambassador to the USA commended the initiative. It earned 1.9+ Billion Earned Media Impressions

Execution

Brand assets were transformed into a platform for trendsetters to revamp China icons.

Pre-launch

1. Redesigned beer box. It became a stage for grassroots influencers to lobby for their favorite icons.

2. Scan the Beer. The public voted which icons they wanted to celebrate on the world stage

Launch

3. New York Fashion Week. Harbin Beer shared its spotlight with the winning China icons.

-China icons & Harbin Beer's icy heritage were woven into streetwear; by fashion designer Chen Peng.

-Chinese new year Calligraphy became Calligraffi, which were scrawled on the runway, jackets, redesigned beer bottle; by calligrapher Zhu Jingyi.

-Peking Opera became Peking Operock, traditional instruments and songs mashed with electronic rock created a new sound; by rock band The Either.

Post Launch

4. Social KOLs, offline and online Press, and even China's ambassador to the USA commended the initiative. It earned 1.9+ Billion Earned Media Impressions

The redesigned China icons took over the streets and the hearts of the youth.

Within 24 hours

1.9+ Billion Earned Media impressions

CNY 6.7 Billion AD value, from CNY 1.7M Budget

Commendations from the China government and Thought Leaders