SHANGHAI, CHINA — ONE Asia Creative Awards, part of the global nonprofit One Club for Creativity, announces the launch of the inaugural ONE Asia Chinese New Year Awards, a new platform dedicated to recognizing the very best creative work emerging from across the APAC region during the year of the Horse.
For the first time, ONE Asia will spotlight the extraordinary body of storytelling that appears each year around Chinese New Year, a cultural moment that has become one of the most creatively competitive and emotionally resonant advertising periods in the world.
Chinese New Year is more than a festive occasion. It is a cultural reset. It’s a time when brands move beyond transactional messaging and enter the emotional lives of people-exploring ideas of prosperity, belonging, reconciliation and hope.
The ONE Asia Chinese New Year Awards 2026 was created to recognize brands across the region who invest in high-quality, emotionally resonant films that reach mass audiences and generate real cultural conversation. The season is one of the rare moments where commercial storytelling becomes part of everyday life, consistently producing some of the most cinematic, culturally nuanced and strategically bold campaigns of the year.
The inaugural awards will be judged by a distinguished panel of creative leaders:
- Masaya Asai, CCO, Co-Lead, Droga5 Japan
- Graham Drew, CCO, Ogilvy Group Malaysia
- David Guerrero, Creative Chairman, BBDO Manila
- Jung A. Kim, CEO, CCO, Innocean Korea
- Pierre Loo, ECD APAC & China, Omnicom Health
- Charu Menon, Managing Director, Executive Producer, Heckler HQ
- Theresa Ong, Head of Creative Shop, Meta SEA & India
- Phannika Vongsayan, CEO, TBWA/Group Thailand
Ten standout commercials representing the breadth of APAC’s Chinese New Year creativity have been selected. From global brands to local powerhouses, the shortlist spans emotional storytelling, humor, and cultural reinterpretation.
The jury will select two finalists and one winner. Separately, the creative community can go to the ONE Asia LinkedIn page and vote for the People Choice winner.
Below are the 10 selected works:
- Apple-Glad I Met You: A 12-minute film shot entirely on iPhone 17 Pro, blending live action and handcrafted stop-motion. A quiet story of companionship between a woman and a stray dog that gently redefines emotional “home” during the festive season. Watch.
- Grab-Wait… Whose CNY Ad Is This?:A brilliantly self-aware meta film that mimics multiple CNY brand tropes before revealing itself as a Grab ad. A playful commentary on festive advertising conventions. Watch.
- McDonald’s –The Blessing: A heartfelt continuation of the Prosperity platform, reframing wealth as shared care and responsibility. A sibling conflict softens into reconciliation through memory and love. Watch.
- Lululemon-Spring Repeats, Yet It’s Always New: Featuring Yo-Yo Ma and athlete ambassadors, this film explores renewal through repetition — aligning movement, tradition and personal rebirth. Watch.
- Nike CNY – Use Sports to Break the Paradox (Campaign): A trilogy of films including Tennis Paradox, The Monthly K, and CEO vs MVP — challenging status pressure and redefining success during reunion season through sport. Watch: Tennis Paradox, The Monthly K, CEO vs MVP.
- Adidas-Next Generation Football: A celebration of China’s rising youth football culture. Intimate moments of training, family, and ambition align sport with hope and collective dreams for the new year. Watch.
- BMW-The Best Horse – Installation Art Campaign: A culturally rich installation-led activation using visual wordplay around the “Horse” symbolism, blending art, language and automotive storytelling. Watch.
- Airland- Sleep Well Tonight: Marking 60 years, Airland reflects on 21,600 nights shared with families. Inspired by a true journey home on horseback, the film is quiet, human and deeply resonant. Watch.
- Marrybrown-Crafted for Love: A beautiful generational story told through the endangered craft of Chinese paper cutting. A poetic metaphor for legacy, memory and familial bonds. Watch.
- Prudential Malaysia-心结 The Promise: A reflective film redefining prosperity through commitment and care. Featuring a symbolic ruyi knot, it explores how true wealth lies in enduring bonds. Watch.
“Chinese New Year has quietly become one of the most important creative seasons in APAC,” said Tay Guan Hin, APAC Regional Director, The One Club for Creativity. “Every year, we see work that is deeply human, culturally specific, and emotionally powerful. The new ONE Asia Chinese New Year Awards gives this body of work the recognition it deserves. This inaugural year is about celebrating that confidence. We hope this becomes an annual benchmark that pushes the industry to go even further.”
Winners will be announced shortly on One Asia Awards LinkedIn page once the Lunar New Year period concludes.
