Bowmore’s Lunar New Year Odyssey

With Asia projected to make up 1/5 of the global Scotch profit by 2040, the region represents an important market to Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Despite a rich 240-year legacy, Bowmore remains a relatively unknown Scotch brand in Asia that hasn’t captured its share of the barrel.

We saw Lunar New Year (LNY) as an opportunity to build brand equity and drive trial. But with 2024 LNY being especially significant as it marks the Year of the Dragon – a highly revered symbol in Asia – Bowmore needed to approach this year’s LNY campaign with even more care and respect, particularly as an outsider.

To stand out in a highly competitive occasion and resonate deeper with Asian consumers, Bowmore needed to offer more than just a pretty, seasonal packaging – it needed to meaningfully connect the brand’s essence with the spirit of LNY.

The significance of the Dragon:

2024 marks the Year of the Dragon, giving this year’s LNY added cultural significance. In Asia, the dragon is one of the twelve zodiac animals and is often regarded as the most powerful and auspicious due to its association with fortune, success, mastery, and a pioneering spirit. Beyond symbolism, the dragon is also commonly referenced in many auspicious proverbs and sayings, such as: “ 望子成龙” (To wish your son becomes a dragon).

The significance of the spring couplet:

A spring couplet is a two-line poem format that is traditionally seen during Lunar New Year to express blessings and good wishes. The poetic structure of a couplet is typically two lines, with each individual character offering a contrasting meaning to another on the opposing line. For example:

海阔凭鱼跃 (A wide sea allows a fish to jump)

天高任鸟飞 (A high sky allows a bird to fly free)

It is a common LNY tradition to hang spring couplets bearing auspicious messages on both sides of doorways or entrances to invite good fortune into one’s life.

Chinese Proverb:

鲤鱼跳龙门 (lǐ yú tiào lóng mén) – The carp has leaped through the Dragon’s Gate

Spring Couplet:

波上鲤跃 (Bō shàng lǐ yuè) – The carp that is not afraid of riding the waves

摩砺为龙 (Mó lì wèi lóng) – Will be the dragon that conquers the sky.

With the Dragon’s Gate and transforming Carp as the central focus, we employed a radially balanced grid in the overall composition of the artwork to fully capture the three-act story on one canvas.

We collaborated with Singaporean Chinese illustrator Kenn Lam to bring the key visual elements – the carps, the turbulent waves, the Dragon Gate, and the Dragon – to life. Drawing from Chinese folklore, we infused a contemporary visual style while honouring their traditional Chinese forms. Meticulous attention was given to every detail – from seamlessly connecting the exterior’s Dragon’s body with the interior Dragon’s illustration, to finishing every scale on the carps and the Dragon with gold detailing.

The spring couplet divides our story: one line represents the carp’s journey, the other the dragon's. The couplet is hand-illustrated in contemporary, yet traditionally-inclined Chinese calligraphy that gives each stroke a fluidity reminiscent of water droplets.