The 24 solar terms are worth revisiting for every brand

Holding an old map, you can't find a new world. At present, traditional festivals are no longer enough for brands to use for festival marketing. In this regard, Jiaoxia, Audi, and OPPO have given a new answer - the 24 solar terms. How do these brands do it specifically? What kind of role transformation has been carried out in this process? This article will answer these questions one by one. Welcome to read if you are interested in brand marketing innovation solutions.

In recent years, there have been endless new ways of holiday marketing.

Brands are no longer simply taking advantage of festivals, but are trying to continuously output creativity and create a deep bond between brands and festivals.

For example, when we mention Thanksgiving creativity, we think of Durex, and when we mention Mother’s Day advertisements, we think of Procter & Gamble…a memory code is automatically formed in the consumers’ minds.

However, there are only so many traditional festivals, and many brands are trying to share the traffic. Just like during Women’s Day, Neiwai and Proyaki took up a lot of the voice, and it was difficult for you to make a brand voice.

You can’t find new continents with an old map.

When people are focusing on festivals, some brands have turned to another local traditional culture - the 24 solar terms. Digging deep into the traditional culture behind the solar terms, finding the commonality that matches the brand, and organically binding the brand and the solar terms, thus forming a process from "knowing the season" to "knowing the brand".

Recently, Jiaoxia launched a video called "Qingzhe Order", presenting a powerful Jingzhe solar term.

This film has a stunning temperament, but what is even more amazing is the clever integration of the Jiaoxia brand and the Jingzhe solar term, which has a natural beauty. Looking inside, the characteristics of the Jingzhe solar term just vividly depict the brand expression of Jiaoxia.

Image source: Jiaoxia "The Sting Order" official video

The Spring Breeze begins. All that is dormant will eventually break out of the ground. This solar term corresponds to the brand action of Jiaoxia, which launched the first pair of lightweight all-terrain outdoor shoes. Jiaoxia has been dormant in the outdoor track for several years, from the black umbrella in 2013 to the all-terrain outdoor shoes in 2023, a new "lightweight outdoor brand" has also broken out of the ground.

Image source: Jiaoxia "The Sting Order" official video

The Spring Thunder brings life to the world, and everything starts to grow.

Here, Jiaoxia uses imagery to express itself, using the song "Awakening of Insects" as thunder to awaken those who are awakening and let them step into the spring and walk towards the earth. It can be seen that this short film closely interweaves Jiaoxia and Awakening of Insects in terms of form and meaning. For a long time, Jiaoxia has been able to leave a deep brand imprint on the solar term of Awakening of Insects.

In addition, the lyrics of the song, "I want the world to be revived, there is no road that cannot be walked on", elevates the entire creative idea to the level of the brand and then returns to the specific product. The Jiaoxia lightweight all-terrain outdoor shoes, with its goat hoof outsole, banana leaf bionic shell, and wild cat three-layer pad... can support you walking on any land.

Whether the road is hard or cold, it can grow on it.

Image source: Jiaoxia official image

As a traditional Chinese culture, the solar terms are a good entry point for brand expression.

Each solar term not only describes the vitality of nature, but also contains the simple life principles of people. In the past, many brands simply produced a poster to take advantage of the situation, which simply served as a calendar.

Nowadays, there is a phenomenon trend that the role of brands is slowly changing from a "reminder" to an "interpreter". Many brands have begun to dig deep into the value of solar terms and carefully interpret and explain the cultural connotations behind each solar term.

Audi previously released a short film called "Life Xiaoman" during the Xiaoman solar term, which reinterpreted the connotation of the "Xiaoman" solar term and gave it a simple philosophy of life. Although it was suspected of plagiarism, the work itself is really great.

In addition, OPPO launched the "Send You a Rain" brand campaign during the Grain Rain solar term, allowing people to see the beauty of rain in different cities.

Image source: OPPO official image

In fact, traditional festivals are no longer sufficient for branding, and solar terms are still an uncultivated land.

Brands can find their own solar terms based on their own temperament and product characteristics, and use their own brand language to describe the Chinese culture behind it.

This may be difficult, but it is worth every brand trying.

Author: Black Little Finger, WeChat public account: Shock Copywriter (ID: SHOCKCW)