Tiger ‘Bring on the ONG’ CNY 2021: Unboxing the Tiger ONG Box
Chinese New Year 2021 was another festive season shaped by the pandemic, so instead of its usual big launch party, Tiger Beer sent the party to guests’ homes. The “Bring on the ONG” campaign welcomed the Year of the Ox with a launch-in-a-box, and I got to unbox one at home.
The Tiger ONG Box
The box was designed to recreate a Tiger CNY launch on your coffee table, with festive greetings, games, goodies, snacks and, of course, beer. It started with an augmented reality (AR) welcome: scanning the box brought up a virtual stage where HEINEKEN Malaysia’s managing director appeared to wish guests a happy new year. It was a creative idea at a time when we could not gather in person.
Limited-Edition Festive Cans
The highlight was Tiger’s first limited-edition CNY cans in Malaysia, in auspicious red and gold. There were two sets across Tiger Beer and Tiger Crystal, and when lined up together, the characters on the cans spell out “Wang Shi Ru Yi”, meaning “may everything go as you wish”. Scanning some of the cans with a phone unlocked AR greetings, a fun touch for a reunion table.
CNY Snacks With Meaning
The box also came with classic Chinese New Year snacks, each chosen for its lucky meaning:
- Pineapple tarts – “ong lai” in Hokkien sounds like “prosperity arrives”.
- Bak kwa – sweet, smoky dried meat that is a must at every CNY open house.
- Peanuts – known as “longevity nuts” in Chinese.
- Pistachios – called “happy nuts” because the shells look like they are smiling.
Final Thoughts
Brands had to get creative during the pandemic, and this was one of the more thoughtful launches I received. The festive cans and the snack selection made it feel like a small celebration at home, even when we could not visit family the way we usually do.
