Adorable Rabbits Rediscover the Joy of Togetherness in Coca-Cola's Chinese New Year Ad

According to the Lunar New Year Zodiac, the Rabbit is the luckiest of the twelve animals – and it’s been Hornet's good fortune and joy to reunite with Ogilvy Shanghai for the second Lunar New Year in a row, bringing the real magic of Coca-Cola’s Year of the Rabbit campaign to life with director Yves Geleyn and his talented team of artists.

Yves’ poignant storytelling and command of narrative details magnify the emotional intimacy of the Rabbit family’s journey to overcome their differences, culminating in a particularly arresting moment of reunification and belonging – when Coca-Cola, the catalyst of joy and togetherness, reminds the Rabbits and the audience of this season’s powerful campaign message: Lunar New Year may change, but celebrating together is magic.

“A compelling narrative, cinematic whimsy, and rich textural details. It’s everything you could want in a film like this, and more.” – says Yves.

Yves heightens the film’s underlying message through contrast and a macro lens, pulling us down into the rabbit’s perspective while deftly juxtaposing Chinese-inspired landscapes and fine details. The soft, organic touch of the traditional home stands in stark contrast to the hard angularity of the modern one, yet there’s a surprising warmth brought in by the lighting that helps them feel connected.

With the help of Peter de Sève, feature film illustrator and character designer extraordinaire, Grandma and Grandson Rabbit’s designs feel connected yet allow their distinct personalities to shine through.

Yves comments, “Peter has an unparalleled ability to express emotions with the flick of a pencil’s line. His contours and features bestow a human-like manner that allows these anthropomorphised animals to carry the weight of this story’s dramatic arc.”

Additionally, the character’s fuzzy felt material and embroidered silk patterns evoke a whimsical tribute to the past that’s both charming and tactile.

We see this nod to the past in the food, as well, alongside contrast to further illustrate our theme of the old and new worlds uniting. The time-honoured dumplings made by Grandma are served in a traditional bamboo steamer, unadorned and simple – the way they should be. Surrounding the dumplings, the elegantly plated modern food is a feast for the eyes. Yet the same ingredients are used for both. Once again we see that we are all the same, even if we at first appear different.

Tying the story together is the film’s true hero, Coca-Cola. The iconic bottle has been miniaturised to fit into our macro world, yet its details and power remain the same. It’s through the power of Coca-Cola that our Rabbit family rediscovers their sense of belonging, and it’s been there all along – in the pops of red seen throughout the film, in the flashback memory of Grandma, and in the final hug to end all hugs. Now that’s real magic.