For several years I worked on concept and design of promotional items for Tsingtao Beer. Tsingtao wanted to bring its brand to a younger audience already targeted by brands such as Sapporo and Tiger. One aspect of this brand revision was promotions for the New Year. Each year, the brand would create a range of materials around the animal from the Chinese Zodiac that corresponded to that year. 2009 was the year of the ox; 2008, the rat. This last animal was very challenging to promote for western consumers, as the promotional items were sent to businesses that sold food and drink. We solved the issue by focusing on the full zodiac, and calling out the rat as one of twelve animals. (Note: "Gung Hay Fat Choy" is the phonetic spelling of the traditional Cantonese New Year greeting, literally meaning "Good luck, good fortune" but interpreted as "Happy New Year".)
Roles: concept, design, production