5 Campaigns that rocked China in 2016

See all our 2016 year-in-review features across Asia-Pacific: Brand crises; major appointments and departures; big launches; the best, worst and strangest ads; and more.

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"Leftover Women" stand up to marriage pressure and #ChangeDestiny

The Marriage Market Takeover campaign by Forsman & Bodenfors resonates with a powerful message about the pressure on Chinese women to live up to societal expectations.

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Happiness without borders

Beer is the language of diplomacy that breaks boundaries between Chinese citizens and their neighbours along China's vast borders in the Olympic-themed campaign by Harbin Beer and BBH Shanghai.

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Union Pay's non-existent ad

Viewers are first warned not to waste their time on an inconsequential ad. Those who scan the QR code are treated to a lethargically slow five-minute narrative. The entire exercise is an out-of-the-box exercise by the banking institution and W to sell its contactless payment feature QuickPass.

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Kobe Bryant: Are you hungry?

Much hype was already created before food delivery app Ele.me confirmed that it had signed on Kobe Bryant to be its spokesperson. The retired basketball superstar appeared in a teaser video saying "Are you hungry?" with the hashtag #KobeIsBack, highly suggestive of his then imminent association with Ele.me which literally means are you hungry in Chinese. Much praise was afforded to the posters which tie up Bryant's sporting spirit with the zeal of the food deliverymen in the app's campaign with McCann.