The 3D animated film Ne Zha 2 has become the hottest topic of the Year of the Snake Chinese New Year. According to box office monitoring agencies, as of February 8, Ne Zha 2 has surpassed RMB 7 billion in ticket sales, making it the highest-grossing film in Chinese cinema history and placing it among the top 60 highest-grossing films worldwide. The Ne Zha film series (Ne Zha, released in 2019 with a box office of over RMB 5 billion, and Ne Zha 2) is based on the legendary figure Ne Zha from the classic Chinese mythological text Investiture of the Gods. The films present a captivating fantasy story of a character "born as a demon but defying fate."
Ne Zha 2 box office
The phenomenal success of Ne Zha 2 has led to a surge in stock prices of related companies. As the film’s producer, Enlight Media saw its stock soar by 20% on the first trading day after the Chinese New Year (February 5), adding RMB 5.88 billion in market value to reach RMB 33.56 billion. By February 8, its market value had surpassed RMB 40 billion.
As one of China’s top domestic animation IPs, the Ne Zha film series has drawn widespread attention across industries. Outside cinemas, brands are racing to collaborate with the Ne Zha IP, leveraging its popularity to boost brand awareness and sales. Among them, Mengniu’s partnership with Ne Zha stands out as one of the most prominent marketing campaigns in the 2025 Chinese New Year season.
Mengniu and the Ne Zha team co-created three creative commercials, featuring beloved characters delivering humorous New Year greetings that left a lasting impression on audiences. Additionally, Mengniu launched limited-edition Ne Zha-themed packaging across multiple product lines, which have been widely distributed both online and offline. The brand also set up immersive Ne Zha-themed displays in offline retail stores, driving in-store engagement and boosting sales conversions during the peak gifting season.
Beyond food brands, a diverse range of industries has leveraged the Ne Zha IP to capture the Chinese New Year traffic, spanning figurines, cards, and household items. For instance, Pop Mart’s Ne Zha collaboration products sold out across all channels, with online pre-orders extending beyond 100 days.
Chinese New Year is a peak season for consumption, making CNY marketing a strategic focus for consumer good brands. However, in today’s digital era of information overload, homogeneous marketing approaches often struggle to leave a lasting impact. By tapping into trending topics, leveraging cultural relevance, and delivering engaging and seamlessly integrated creative content, brands can have the opportunity to strengthen their presence in the highly competitive Chinese New Year market.
Disclaimer: All images used in the article are from the Internet.
