2019’s Chinese New Year celebrations in Manchester mark the sixth successive year that Manchester’s Business Improvement District (Manchester BID), Manchester agency Modern Designers and illustrator Stanley Chow have collaborated to create a progressive identity for the festival with this year’s pig illustration forming the centrepiece of a strong and recognisable campaign.
Designed according to a brief given by the BID, the distinctive and recognisable branding is painting the town red in the lead-up to Manchester’s Year of the Pig celebrations. Taking place from February 7 -10, this year’s city-wide event will be filled with food, fortune, fireworks and fun alongside a whole host of free activities for all the family to enjoy.
In honour of the Year of the Pig, giant installation Piglet by artist Alex Rinsler will be taking centre stage in the heart of the BID district in St Ann’s Square, alongside a Chinese Food Market and thousands of red lanterns, while the legendary Dragon Parade returns on Sunday 10th, starting in Albert Square before weaving its way to Chinatown.
Modern Designers asked Stanley Chow, who is best-known for his distinctive personality-driven portraits for The New Yorker, to build on the strength of their previous campaigns, which have seen him create illustrations for the Year of the Dog, Horse, Ram, Rooster and Monkey.
Stanley Chow said: “This is one of my favourite projects – always a good start to the year, a series of strong and playful characters that have, over the past six years, become an essential part of Manchester’s street and shopping life. Thanks to Modern Designers and the team at the Manchester BID for commissioning me.”
“Stan is one of the city’s best-loved illustrators, for good reason. Over the course of six years he has helped us develop a distinctive, coherent identity for Chinese New Year in Manchester – a style that helps Manchester stand out, and which has become immediately recognisable. It’s always a pleasure to work with him,” said Susie Stubbs, Managing Director of Modern Designers.
The marketing campaign, managed by Manchester BID, is running across a range of media including outdoor digital screens and banners, posters, social media and digital activity with partners Visit Manchester.
Modern Designers is a Manchester-based brand and design agency that has worked with companies including JD Sports and The Factory, and recently developed the name and the brand for SODA, the city’s Danny Boyle-fronted School of Digital Arts, which opens at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2021.
Jane Sharrocks, General Manager of Selfridges Exchange Square and Chair of Manchester BID, which represents over 400 city centre retailers and businesses, said: “Over the last six years, the branding and identity Modern Designers and Stanley Chow have created for Manchester’s Chinese New Year celebrations has become instantly recognisable in the city. The perfect blend of traditional and contemporary Chinese culture, with a powerful and modern visual identity, the branding created is reflective of this year’s programme and brimming with personality and warmth.”
Manchester’s Chinese New Year celebrations are coordinated by Manchester BID in partnership with Manchester City Council, Manchester Chinatown and the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM).
Follow the event:
Twitter/ChineseNYMCR
Facebook/ChineseNewYearMCR
Instagram/ChineseNewYearMCR
