We forced our writer to watch 44 CNY ads. Here are his top 8

With Chinese New Year happening earlier than usual this year, you’ve likely been seeing CNY ads the moment Christmas decorations were taken down.

However, not all ads are equal, especially in video format. Some have been designed to get you dongdongchiang-ing, some to turn on the waterworks; and some that can’t decide if they want to highlight CNY or their product, to (we hope) intentionally hilarious results. After coming across this list of 42 CNY video ads, this writer was forced by the editorial team driven by the spirit of Chinese New Year to watch all of them.

Of course, we know that what floats our dragon boat might be different from yours, so we came up with a methodology to keep things fair. This writer watched a total of 44 ads the night before writing this article, slept, and noted down which ones lived rent-free in his head in the morning; as well as one that made him go yeeeeeeeeee (sang).

So let’s start with the first one that literally came to mind:

1) Inside Scoop – Bing Chilling

Inside Scoop made the shortest ad in this list, and maybe that’s why it worked. It’s snappy, has a classic CNY song tune that this writer was humming all night, and the straightforward theme of sharing with family. The uncle playing the Choy Sun character has a smile that lights a thousand firecrackers, and you kind of actually forget that this is an ad for ice cream because it’s so naturally integrated in.

2) Gamuda Land – Hearty Reunion

As an underpaid writer whose most meaningful relationship is with his laptop, Gamuda Land’s video hits home with a very relatable topic: nosy relatives asking nosy questions. We won’t spoil the video for you, but it provides a different perspective for all those questions and comparisons with other married/successful cousins and even has a nice teladan at the end. As a bonus, we forgot that we were actually watching an ad until the Gamuda branding was shown at the end.

So when are you getting married ah?

3) Pepsi – CNY Save the Drama

Pepsi’s video starts off with some HK TV drama vibes, with a bunch of triad guys peer-pressuring a girl to finish her drink before she leaves the club… except it doesn’t go where you think it’s going to go. The drink is a can of Pepsi and… let’s just say it ends on a wholesome twist. In fact, you might even call it a Pepsi Twist.

This one stuck out to us because we were internally giving props to Pepsi for addressing an issue that might otherwise be good for their business – people opening multiple canned drinks and not finishing them. It brings across the argument that a 1.5L bottle would be much more cost-efficient compared to cans, and also prevents wastage. And on top of that, there’s also a game that you can access by scanning a QR code is on the cup (which you get when you buy a bottle, we think?) to encourage everyone to finish the bottle.

4) Taylor’s University – Torn

While there were a few dramatic storyline-driven ads, most of them were so on-the-nose that we could see where the plot is going within the first 30 seconds. Call us jaded, but the poignant moments become a lot less effective when you know the tearjerker moment is coming.

We’re giving Taylor’s the win for storytelling here, because we didn’t see what the poignant moment was until midway through the video. Even then, that moment is so subtle that you aren’t crying as much as you’re trying to control that feeling of tears welling up behind your eyeballs. 10/10 watch for the plot.

5) Etiqa – Pretty Little Things

We know we just went all artsy about storylines and predictable plot, but Etiqa’s video deserves a place in this list because it’s done. so. well.

You can kind of predict where the storyline is going, but you’re watching it because you want to see the a-hole Psy lookalike get his redemption moment and you want to see misunderstood auntie get justice. Not really a tearjerker, but leaves you feeling kinda warm. As a bonus point, it makes you think about our disposable consumer culture and how one (wo)man’s trash is really another (wo)man’s treasure.

6) Mr. Potato – Truffle-rific music video

Ah yes. The CNY music videos, or MTV as what Chinese people call them. We have a more traditional entry right below, but this Mr. Potato one stood out for being the most different. It’s got the RGB lights, a very non-traditional song (it’s actually a rap), and sleek visuals.

7) Nestle – 全新 KITKAT PINK 桃粉冰淇淋

If you found the Mr. Potato MTV too Gen-Z for your liking, then Nestle’s one might be more to your liking. It has all the hallmarks of a traditional CNY music video – daylight, single location shoot, red clothing, people having fun in a choreographed manner – and even the song bears all the hallmarks of what you’d expect from a Chinese New Year tune.

In case you’re wondering, the translated title of this video is New KitKat Pink Peach Powder Ice Cream.

And here’s the ad that made us go WTF (What the Fattchoy)…

8) Cetaphil – Radiant Skin for a Prosperous Year Ahead

We’re gonna give Cetaphil the benefit of the doubt by assuming that they knew EXACTLY what they were doing. At first, we pegged this as an entry in a list of bad CNY ads but… we just couldn’t stop laughing. Everything about this video is ridiculously OTT:

• The red, blotchy skin on the actors
• The acting
• The blatant product placement
• The scenario (finding wife for unmarried 30-year-old son)

Our favorite moments were the product placements, where the aunties would just point out a skin flaw and the corresponding product to fix it in the same breath. It was more on the nose than a pimple on prom night, which you can prevent with Cetaphil PRO Acne Prone Oil Control Foam Wash with zinc technology to reduce oil and shine.