Panda Express Invites Fans to Celebrate Lunar New Year with the ‘Good Fortune Scratcher'

Creative agency The Many’s new digital Lunar New Year experience educates around the traditions of the holiday and ethos of the Panda brand with a celebratory interactive game.

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, American Chinese fast food restaurant Panda Express is out with a new campaign from creative agency, The Many that offers fans, and fans-to-be, a chance to win delicious food and gift cards.

Running nationally through February 21st, the ‘Good Fortune Scratcher’ is a digital game in which players unlock trivia about Lunar New Year and Panda Express through a fun scratcher experience. To repeat engagement and purchases, the scratchers are updated weekly over the campaign’s six week run, each with a unique design that leans into a different theme of the holiday. Players can win a lucky food-centric promotional offer, $8 off of a family meal, or gift cards worth $88 or even $888. The campaign features a web-based mobile and desktop game.

There are over 40 pieces of social content promoting the scratcher via organic and paid social media on Instagram and TikTok as well as email, interactive display and the Panda Express website. The recently launched campaign has already surpassed one million users.

Based in Los Angeles, The Many has been Panda Express' agency of record since 2020. With this latest work, they set out to demonstrate Panda Express' legacy as a cultural bridge-builder by educating people about the traditions and customs of Lunar New Year while encouraging ongoing engagement with the brand and driving repeat purchases, both in-store and online, of Family Meals and other lucky foods during the holiday.

"Nothing says Lunar New Year like a delicious meal filled with family, traditions, good food and good fortune," said Jacque Vavroch, associate creative director at The Many. “And nothing says good fortune like a good ol’ fashioned scratcher — so we were thrilled to bring all these elements together in one celebratory, gamified experience."

With over 2,500 locations, Panda Express is the largest Asian dining concept in the United States.