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Panda Express launches fans into Lunar New Year via AR

January 15, 2020

American Chinese QSR, Panda Express, is pulling out all the stops this year to help customers worldwide celebrate the Lunar New Year, this time through the use of augmented reality, a news release said. The brand this year is helping fans do things like throwing firecrackers to ward off evil spirits or joining a Lunar New Year parade as a lion dancer to virtually jump into the center of the action around this widely celebrated occasion that comes with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon, 15 days later.

Starting today, fans can immerse themselves into the vibrant Lunar New Year tradition in a mobile AR experience available through Instagram and Facebook, using five AR filters that are available until Feb. 8. Also through that date, customers can enter to win a three-day trip in 2021 to Universal Studios Hollywood to celebrate Lunar New Year.

"Every year, we at Panda celebrate the first day of Lunar New Year by gifting lucky red envelopes to all of our guests, Panda Express CMO Andrea Cherng said in the release. "And this year, we are thrilled to further invite them into this wonder-filled celebration through our themed AR experience.

"The Lunar New Year holiday is at heart about coming together to bring and share joy and good fortune. As a holiday that is deeply rooted in our culture, we are honored to bring millions of people together to celebrate Lunar New Year through our crave-worthy food and our new digital experience."

Panda Express is also using the fireworks-filled occasion to introduce its Firecracker Shrimp with red and yellow bell peppers, onions, string beans, whole dried chilis and shrimp, all wok-tossed in a savory black bean sauce. It will also pass out more than a million red envelopes with a coupon for a free Firecracker Shrimp entrée and a Coca-Cola product, as well as a game for youngsters. 

The brand has also extended the celebration into thousands of local schools with its Learn with Me curriculum for the Lunar New Year, the company said.