Panda Express launches informational website for Chinese New Year, and makes heartwarming film in partnership with PepsiCo
Chinese fast food chain Panda Express has teamed up with PepsiCo, the longtime exclusive beverage partner for the restaurant, in the spirit of the Chinese New Year to promote inclusion and good fortune with a short film showcasing the power of family, food and love.
The film, produced by PepsiCo’s new Creators League Studio in partnership with Madison + Vine, is meant to bring people together from all backgrounds. It shows a little Chinese girl being welcomed by her adoptive parents, who embrace her background through food and gatherings. The film then shows the girl growing up through the years, learning how to make noodle dishes, with cutaways to joyous gatherings of family and friends, and the mother and daughter bonding over the phrase “long noodle, long life,” until the girl, now grown shares gatherings of her own through video chats with the parents.
The film can be seen on YouTube but is also a part of the Celebrate Chinese New Year website from Panda Express, with agency Bailey Lauerman, which invites people to join them in celebrating the Year of the Rooster during the 15-day holiday and learning more about the annual festival and its rich and historic traditions.
"The spirit of Chinese New Year is at the heart of what Panda Express commits to doing every day in our restaurants and communities, which is to bring family and friends together through food and shared experiences," said Peggy Cherng, co-chair and co-chief executive officer of Panda Restaurant Group. "The hope for our Chinese New Year celebration is to broaden the understanding and appreciation for a holiday that honors respect for others and time with family. We believe this is a universal message to which everyone can relate."
The interactive website features an animated Fortune Tales video about the 15-day Chinese New Year festival and also includes Panda Express' Learn with Me program for teachers and parents, which features downloadable activities for kids and a classroom curriculum for educators. Created in support of the restaurant's mission to motivate children to learn and appreciate other cultures, more than six million students have learned about Chinese New Year through Panda's educational materials and in-class sessions led by the company's associates.
Panda Express invites its guests to discover the joy of Chinese New Year at one of its 1,900 locations from now until 21 February. In honor of longstanding Chinese New Year traditions, the restaurant will offer special promotions, including a 'celebration kit' containing party supplies and red envelopes also known as Hong Bao - a symbol of fortune for the new year.