Enter the Dragon, Marketing and Advertising News, ET BrandEquity

1973. A new star and a new style of action have taken the whole world by storm. Martial arts and Bruce Lee both became international sensations with the movie “Enter the Dragon.” This movie not only helped bring martial arts to the world, but also has a lasting appeal even 50 years after its release.

Then, on February 10, 2024, another dragon entered the lives of more than 2 billion people. The Lunar New Year, which celebrates the so-called Year of the Dragon, has begun. The event is celebrated across China, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam, and by the diaspora of these countries living in different parts of the world.

This is the year of the Wood Dragon, which symbolizes power, generosity, luck, prosperity, and success.

While the Great Migration to return to family is well known, Lunar New Year celebrations also create some interesting categories, sub-categories and merchandising options that drive brand preference and brand conversion.

Unique watch designs depicting dragons in creative ways are already hitting the market at all price points. Luxury watch brands such as Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Longines, and Tag Heuer have released special Year of the Dragon watches. Chopard used lacquer to create a beautiful and memorable handcrafted watch dial depicting a golden dragon holding a pearl.

Always a pioneer when it comes to capitalizing on marketing opportunities, Swatch has launched Dragon in Motion, a bright red watch with a bold red dragon dial design, and a watch topped with a towering multicolored dragon head. We've created not one, but five unique commemorative watches, including the Dragon in Cloud. Toward the clouds, implying that the sky is the limit. There are also wave dragon, wind dragon, and gold dragon designs. Their descriptions encourage consumers to find their inner dragon and let that dragon roar. I'm sure Bruce Lee would approve of that.

Royal Selangor, a luxury pewter brand based in Malaysia, has a complete range of products, including a very interesting Dragon Year chopstick set featuring a coiled dragon and a chopstick rest stand in the shape of a brave dragon. Empower every bite with the spirit of the dragon. Bruce Lee may have even figured out how to use these as weapons.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore has launched the official Year of the Dragon Almanac coins in a variety of denominations and shapes. The $5 coin also features a full-color dragon and comes with a serialized certificate of authenticity.

The Royal Mint has also announced six limited edition Year of the Dragon coins, featuring a mighty dragon on one side and a portrait of King Charles on the other.

Singapore Post Office also offers Year of the Dragon commemorative stamps from various denominations. These stamps are designed by famous animators and illustrators.

Commemorative watches, coins, stamps and pewterware created by luminaries from their fields to create festive, iconic and memorable limited edition designs for various family gatherings in India It can be applied. Brand new subcategories that can be updated regularly create more purchasing opportunities.

Jewelry designs based on the Year of the Dragon also shine and shine with creativity and uniqueness. Japanese jeweler Mikimoto has transformed a traditional gold ring into a ruby ​​red eyed dragon beautifully wrapped around a sparkling pearl. The Dragon and the Ring both literally breathe fire without the need for the ubiquitous fire emoji. Flash your finger for others to see and use the fire emoji.

Always innovative, Lego has also launched a special 214-piece year dragon building and display set. Capturing cultural nuances, this set not only features a dragon with a movable tail, but also a pedestal symbolizing the sky and clouds. Besides being a great gift option, this is also something the whole family can put together while celebrating the New Year together.

Family bonding activities in India revolve around having feasts and performing antakshari, perhaps as performed in the timeless hit song 'Hum Aapke Hain Kaun'. Bringing your family together to assemble Indian-designed building blocks may help create a whole new and fulfilling family bond.

Luxury lifestyle brand Shanghai Tang has launched a stunning special edition Tang jacket featuring a dragon motif intricately designed by a calligrapher. FabIndia and many other ethnic brands have adapted to the space, creating commemorative limited edition designs for special occasions and potentially increasing repurchase frequency.

For cigar lovers, Davidoff also released a special edition cigar that comes in a dragonskin box with a pearl holding a dragon icon in the center. The cigars inside the box are also separated by a silky red ribbon symbolizing the dragon's tongue.

Mainstream cigar bars and lounges in India can also consider requesting customized designs from Davidoff or directly from Havana.

In India, the arrival of the Year of the Dragon could be an opportunity for Warner Bros. to restore and re-release the popular Bruce Lee classic “Enter the Dragon” with additional footage. And wait for the innovative provider to bring back his 70's craze nunchaku after this movie. Even though I have zero martial arts skills, I will definitely buy the special edition version of these Year of the Dragon themed nunchakus.