What we learned about Localization this Lunar New Year

By Eve, Artstash Creative · Published 11 February 2026 · Last updated August 2026

Quick answer: Localization fails when it stops at translation. Entering Asian markets properly means four things: research how the market and its ecosystem actually work, build region-specific foundations such as local sites and social accounts, run targeted campaigns through the channels that region genuinely uses, then measure with an attribution model suited to it. Transcreation — rebuilding the creative idea for the culture rather than swapping the words — is what separates campaigns that land during moments like Lunar New Year from campaigns that read as foreign.

Lunar New Year ads aren’t just festive. They’re one of the clearest reminders that localization isn’t decoration – it’s strategy.

How Do You Enter Asian Markets? Nicolas Chu’s Four Steps

With the upcoming Lunar New Year on the 17th, keen advertisers may see an opportunity to expand their portfolio into Asian markets. Nicolas Chu, the Professor of Practice at UNSW Business School’s School of Marketing, put together an insightful review on the topic complete with guides and case studies. The article concludes with four actionable steps for marketers looking to broaden their horizons. It is important to note that while the article and steps are provided within the context of Asian markets, similar steps can be taken when expanding to any market.

1. Understand the market and local ecosystem

Here Chu suggests performing market research to establish the ways the market operates within its niche. As mentioned in the first paragraph, this is where any differences from your current market or markets will become apparent, in aspects such as consumer behavior or other cultural nuances. Digital platforms and other forms of communication should also be audited, as the efficacy of a certain channel that works in one market is not guaranteed to map across all markets. And, naturally, every region has their own legal requirements and regulations, so it is recommended to stay abreast of these in order to operate legally.

2. Build robust foundations

In this section Chu recommends building up region-specific websites and social media accounts dedicated to the regions that will be targeted. This way the regional accounts can provide dedicated content to the markets of choice – content that is not just localized but culturalized, as will be discussed later in this article.

3. Grow your base through the right channels

With the target market research completed, and the appropriate channels created, targeted campaigns can now be run. In this section of the article Chu emphasizes the importance of using the right digital channel for the target audience in order to leverage their preferences and interests.

4. Measure performance and apply the right attribution model

Finally, in order to assess the success of the campaign, analytics tools are recommended to monitor activity. Selecting the appropriate attribution model is critical to understanding the individual performance of each touchpoint with respect to acquisition and conversion. But the work doesn’t stop here – Chu advises monitoring your campaigns continuously over time and using the gathered performance data to refine and optimize your marketing strategy over time.

What Is Transcreation, and Why Does Translation Fail?

Localization comes in many shapes and sizes. And while many translation managers offer a variety of scalable services, the end result is just that: translation. To maximize performance, in depth localization must also be considered to provide an ad that knows the consumer’s culture, not just their language.

The concept of transcreation is the solution to this problem. As described by The Game Marketer, transcreation is the process of adapting content from one culture to another, taking all aspects into account rather than simply language:

Imagine a witty slogan in English. It may make sense to you, but those who speak Spanish or Japanese, for example, will not make any sense from it. Instead of translating it word-for-word, a transcreator would craft a new slogan that delivers the same feeling and excitement in the target language.

For an example within the marketing world, imagine being tasked with translating creative from English to Arabic. While some might translate to Modern Standard Arabic (the dialect with the highest mutual intelligibility across the Middle East and North America), our research has shown the efficacy of being more strategic: deciding first in which regions the creative will be served and then localizing to the dialect of Arabic most spoken in those regions, in this case Egyptian Arabic. Creative feels more personal this way, and the results speak for themselves:

Comparison between international and localized ads for Garena Free Fire, with the localized version performing over 650% better. Source: Artstash Creative

Transcreation is the secret weapon of localization, and it pays to dig deeper – literally.

How Do You Seize a Cultural Moment Like Lunar New Year?

A cultural moment can be one of the most effective ways to boost creative performance when expanding your markets. In the example of Free Fire above, our research revealed a spike in app downloads during Ramadan in the Middle East and North Africa region:

App downloads (in millions) over one year in UAE and Saudi Arabia, with a visible spike during Ramadan. Source: Artstash Creative

This spike informed our team on how to proceed and guided the success of the campaign in the MENA region by revealing optimal times for creative to go live. Similarly, Adjust found similar spikes around Lunar New Year:

Percentage increase in app installs from January to Lunar New Year in 2025, divided by app genre and region. Source: Adjust

Advertisers looking to capitalize on the Lunar New Year can take advantage of these trends and deploy their content accordingly. Cultural moments are important – not just for society, but for marketing too. By leaning into current events in a way that is respectful and relevant, your strategy can be taken to the next level.

Conclusion: How markets respond differently

It should come as no surprise that different regions of the world behave differently than others. In order to maximize your marketing strategy’s success when targeting abroad, discovering, understanding, and leveraging these differences becomes key in determining a successful outcome.

We recommend determining the appropriate channels through which to distribute your creative, making sure your creative is culturalized, and capitalizing on cultural moments such as the Lunar New Year to ensure your strategy is one that stays in people’s minds, no matter where in the world they are.

Works Cited

AB Localization. “Localization vs. Culturalization: Boost Your Conversions.” AB Localization, 10 Mar. 2025, www.ab-localization.com/localization-vs-culturization/. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

Chu, Nicolas. “Blackmores’ China Success: A Digital Strategy Guide for Asian Expansion.” Unsw.edu.au, 2019, www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/articles/blackmores-china-expansion-wechat-strategy.

Shrestha, Prashansa. “Lunar New Year App Usage Trends for 2026 | Adjust.” Adjust.com, 2026, www.adjust.com/blog/mobile-apps-lunar-new-year-celebrations/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.

The Game Marketer. “Best Practices for Localizing Game Marketing Campaigns.” Thegamemarketer.com, 2025, www.thegamemarketer.com/insight-posts/best-practices-for-localizing-game-marketing-campaigns. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.

Trudgill, Peter, and Jean Hannah. International English : A Guide to the Varieties of Standard English. London, Hodder Education, 2008, pp. 4–6.

Ustinov, Nick. “Best Practices for Localization: Process and Workflow.” Lokalise Blog, 30 July 2018, lokalise.com/blog/localization-workflow-best-practices/.

Frequently asked questions

What is transcreation?

Rebuilding a creative concept so it works natively in another culture, rather than translating the existing copy. The intent and emotional effect are preserved while the references, humour and visual language change to suit the audience.

Why is direct translation not enough for localization?

Because meaning sits in cultural context, not just vocabulary. A translated line can be technically correct and still land as generic or foreign, which undermines the trust the campaign was built to create.

How do you start expanding into Asian markets?

Research the market and its local ecosystem first, then build region-specific foundations such as dedicated websites and social accounts before running campaigns. Skipping the foundation stage means paid spend drives traffic to an experience that does not fit the market.

How should you measure localized campaign performance?

With analytics in place and an attribution model chosen for that market specifically. Channel mix and user behavior differ by region, so an attribution approach carried over unchanged from a Western market will misread what is working.

Is Lunar New Year worth building a campaign around?

It is one of the highest-attention moments in the markets that observe it, which makes it valuable and crowded. It rewards work that is culturally specific and punishes anything that looks like a translated Western campaign dropped into a new calendar slot.