We are happy to announce that NBH has been honored as “The Best Chinese Web Designs” by DesignRush, a leading platform for discovering and connecting with creative agencies.
This recognition emphasizes NBH’s commitment to developing innovative and visually stunning web design solutions for China.
DesignRush evaluates agencies worldwide, and NBH’s inclusion in this exclusive list reaffirms our dedication to excellence. Our team at NBH continues to push the boundaries of web design, creating immersive digital experiences that captivate the Chinese audiences for our clients.
This month, NBH CEO Jonathan Kullman revisited Umeå University, not as a student but as a guest lecturer. Sharing his extensive business experience wroking with China, Jonathan emphasized crucial business and cultural considerations and highlighted differences in the digital landscape between China and the West.
We’re thrilled to announce this exciting news and extend special thanks to Umeå School of Business, Economics, and Statistics (USBE) for hosting this valuable topic!
NBH Welcomes Jyri Lintunen as Finland Country Manager and Senior Advisor!
NBH is delighted to announce the addition of Jyri Lintunen to our team as the Finland Country Manager and Senior Advisor since November 2023. Jyri brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role, overseeing business development, account management, and providing expert services to NBH clients in Finland.
A native Finn, Jyri has over 20 years of experience in China and East Asia. He holds a Master’s degree in International Business and Finance from Aalto University and a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. During his nine years in China, residing in both Beijing and Shanghai, Jyri gained extensive knowledge in social media, strategic communications, public relations, crisis management, and brand management.
Jyri’s background includes leading the Public Diplomacy Unit of the Finnish Embassy in Beijing for five years, where he played a crucial role in managing Finland’s country image, external communications, and media relations in China. He also spearheaded projects in the cultural and creative industry sectors between Finland and China.
With a diverse career spanning international media communication, brand management, and visibility initiatives, Jyri has collaborated with leading Finnish companies, startups, and Chinese social media platforms. His experience also extends to academic research on corporate strategies in China and East Asia.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Jyri hosts the “Kiina-ilmiöt” (China Phenomena) podcast, the only regularly operating China-related podcast in the Finnish language since September 2023.
We are thrilled to welcome Jyri to NBH, confident that his extensive background and skills will contribute significantly to our continued success.
The Mid-Autumn Festival also known as the Mooncake Festival, is one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, usually in September or early October. This festival holds deep cultural and historical significance in China and is celebrated with great enthusiasm by Chinese communities all around the world.
This year, the Year of the Rabbit, is even more special as China’s National Day (october 1st) and national holiday coincide with the Mid-Autumn Festival. Yes, you heard it right, China is gearing up for a dazzling celebration and a wonderful holiday! 2023 Mid-Autumn Day & China National Day holiday also known as the Golden Week will last from Sep.29 – Oct.6.
And as usual NBH brings you a brief overview to the festival and what stands out in the special year of 2023!
One of many legends
The origins of the Mooncake Festival are deeply rooted in Chinese mythology and folklore. One of the most famous legends associated with this festival is the story of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess. According to legend, Chang’e consumed the elixir of immortality and, as a result, was banished to live on the moon. People believe that on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the moon shines its brightest and clearest, and Chang’e can be seen the most clearly from Earth.
Traditionally, the festival is a time for family reunions, much like Thanksgiving in the United States or Christmas in Europe. Families gather to appreciate the full moon and celebrate the abundance of the harvest season. The round shape of mooncakes, a traditional delicacy eaten during this festival, symbolizes completeness and unity within the family.
Some cultural elements
Mooncakes
Mooncakes are a central feature of the Mooncake Festival. These pastry-like cakes come in various flavors and fillings, such as lotus seed paste, red bean paste, and sometimes even salted egg yolks to represent the moon. Mooncakes often have intricate designs on their outer crust, showcasing traditional Chinese symbols and characters. Gifting mooncakes to family, friends, and business associates is a common practice during the festival, signifying well-wishing and gratitude.
Lanterns and Moon Gazing
Another cherished tradition of the festival is carrying colorful lanterns and strolling outdoors under the full moon. Children, in particular, enjoy parading with their lanterns, which come in various shapes and sizes. In parks and open spaces, people gather to admire the moon, share mooncakes, and participate in various cultural activities, including traditional dances and performances.
Dragon and Lion Dances
Dragon and lion dances are also performed during the Mooncake Festival. These lively and vibrant dances involve dancers wearing elaborate costumes, often resembling dragons or lions, and mimic the movements of these mythical creatures. These performances are believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits.
Modern Celebrations
In contemporary times, the Mooncake Festival has evolved, incorporating modern elements such as lantern exhibitions, musical performances, and even mooncake-making competitions.
So, how do brands and companies use the festival in their marketing?
Mooncakes and festive decorations start appearing in store windows weeks before the festival! The mooncake has truly become an iconic symbol of this holiday, and brands are vying to create the most innovative mooncake gift boxes.
In 2022, NBH delved into how international brands have chosen to promote their mooncakes, read last years mooncake insight here. Get inspired how brand choose to target their mooncake marketing.
When we explore social media and eCommerce platforms, our feeds are filled with images of gift boxes, mooncake tutorials, photos, and mooncake hauls, and the year of 2023 is no exaption.
NBH presents our favorites for 2023:
Gucci, as usual, has put thought into it and presents an elegant collection ahead of this year’s festival. Style overrules tradition, they say, so why not combine?
Picture taken from the lifestyle social media platform Little Red Book.
Cartier elegantly incorporates cultural elements, drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese architecture and featuring a tiger under the moonlight.
Picture taken from Little Red Book.
…and for the children! Cute retro mooncake boxes, perhaps this may be a future collector’s item from Disney.
Image: Little Red Book.
Finally, we reveal our own unique approach. NBH embraces the fascination with outdoor and leisure activities. Table tennis feels like an obvious choice, especially as Sweden, for the first time in many years, has the chance to compete with the world’s foremost table tennis nation! We’ll see how it turns out!
NBH Mid-Autumn giftbox for 2023.
The Mid-Autumn Festival provides an excellent chance to establish connections with your followers, clients, and customers. Mooncake gifting offers limitless opportunities for creativity and serves as a narrative for your brand. If not a mooncake giftbox, posting and send a greeting card for the holiday is always appreciated.
How does your brand align with Chinese cultural festivals?
Navigating China – a full day conference on doing business with a constantly developing Market
To meet the growing demand for information, knowledge sharing, and networking in the Chinese business landscape, the Sweden-China Trade Council invited to ‘Navigating China,’ a full-day conference scheduled for September 21, 2023, in Stockholm.
This event was designed to address crucial aspects of China trade, catering to the needs of both SMEs and large Swedish corporations, ensuring an insightful exploration of current trade dynamics with China.
Our CEO, Jonathan Kullman, CCO and partner, Richard Hårdänge, and Client Director, Johanna Atterby, attended the event as representatives of NBH. It was a packed day with numerous insightful presentations and networking opportunities.
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