2021 has been a mixed bag for the Ox. But with a new chapter of the Chinese Zodiac about to begin, it’s time to look ahead to the Year of the Tiger, which will start on February 1, 2022, and end on January 21, 2023. As each of the 12 Zodiac animals form part of a 12-year cycle, the Tiger was last welcomed in 2010. This was a ‘Gold Tiger’, whereas the ‘Water Tiger, a symbol of adventure, courage and determination, is now set to take centre stage. So what does this mean for the year ahead? What traits does a person born in a Tiger year possess? Also, from a marketing perspective, will the Year of the Tiger be prosperous for businesses and how can the Zodiac influence your Asian marketing strategy? As an agency dedicated to following global customers and traditions, we’re delving into the details. Sharpen your claws and get ready to pounce on the important stuff… Welcome to 2022 – the Year Of The Tiger!
The Year of the Water Tiger – A Year for Determination and New Challenges
It’s been a tough couple of years, but as a determined, confident and calm adventurer unafraid to navigate new paths, the Water Tiger encourages innovation and bravery. Even during times of trouble or insecurity. In fact, the Tiger is known as the ‘King of all Beasts’ in China and is the ultimate symbol of strength and courage.
The Tiger is also a symbol of good luck and children often wear tigers on their shoes to improve their fortune. The Tiger encourages risks and refuses to conform to the rules of others. Those born in the Tiger year like to be free to act as they decide and at some point in their life are likely to have a spontaneous outbreak and do things exactly how they want. So could this be a year to make the moves you’ve been putting off in business? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to try but haven’t had the confidence? Maybe you want to pursue your own business or a freelance career? The Year of the Tiger is all about venturing down untrodden roads and embracing new challenges.
If you’re marketing to an Asian market, find your tiger stripes and get competitive. You need to fend off anyone nipping at your heels and voice your roar. Water Tigers have a strong sense of self-esteem and learning ability. So adjust to these post-Covid surroundings and adapt quickly. This might mean improving your online presence with a website revamp and regular blog updates or taking your social media interaction up a notch.
Fun Fact: Lucky days for Tigers include the 16 and 27 of any Chinese lunar month. Lucky numbers include 1, 3 and 4. So if you’re running any kind of business competition or event, keep this in mind and perhaps make reference to the Zodiac year where necessary to fuel interest. If you work in the trading sector, you could offer deposit bonuses on those days or access to a new trading tool. Other industries could offer random giveaways to people who like and share their social media posts, again reiterating the Tiger year theme.
The Year of the Water Tiger – A Year for Creativity and Originality
With many businesses now online, there’s no better time to showcase creativity and originality. After all, it’s essential to stand out from the crowd. Tigers are extremely alert and quick-witted which aligns with their personality in the jungle. They’d go hungry if they couldn’t find and catch their prey in a clever and forward-thinking manner. Tigers are also original thinkers and are always crammed with new ideas or full of interest for some sort of new project or scheme. If a tactic or technique can make the life of a Tiger easier, they’re going to action it. The Tiger is always enthusiastic to take part in something that has an interesting future or that catches his imagination.
So, calling all entrepreneurs, this is your chance to shine. Innovation, originality and creativity will help you to craft the future you want and deserve. Look at how to streamline your business. This might mean improving business workflows or taking on more staff to help reach your goals. It might also mean using all the new marketing tools at your disposal. From live, ‘in-stream’ shopping opportunities to shoppable ads and Instagram Reels, there are loads of refreshing ways to be seen and heard digitally. Of course, working smarter also means outsourcing to a top content marketing agency. See what we did there?
Can you lean into AI or deliver personalised, immersive experiences which audiences love? Think about Gen Z too. The younger generation is obsessed with brands that give back to society and are more likely to buy from companies that are socially and environmentally responsible.
Fun Fact: A Tiger’s lucky colours are blue, grey and orange. Perhaps this could influence your branding. You may even want to use the tiger in a new business launch for good fortune. Maybe it could be incorporated into your logo or taglines and become a key element of how you business began. Remember, fans love storytelling elements as it helps them to relate to a specific companies goals and ethos.
The Year of the Tiger – Be Self-Aware and Know Your Downfalls
Tigers are brave, bold and super self-confident. But they’ve had their ego blown before and this shouldn’t be forgotten. Legend has it that before the Chinese Zodiac was formed, the Jade Emperor wanted to select 12 animals to be his guards. He sent an immortal being into man’s world to spread the message that the earlier one went through the Heavenly Gate, the better the rank one would have. The next day, animals set off towards the Heavenly Gate. Rat got up early and upon encountering a river, jumped onto Ox’s ear. The diligent Ox didn’t mind and simply continued, racing towards the palace of the Jade Emperor. Suddenly, the rat jumped off the Ox’s ear and won first place. Ox came second and Tiger came third, swiftly followed by Rabbit.
Used to being number one, Tiger wasn’t thrilled. But there’s a lesson to be learnt here. Tigers can be very rebellious and often too egotistical to want to coordinate or communicate with others. This can leave them lonely or isolated from the work community. While they’re charming and tend to have lots of friends, Tigers needs to work on building a reliable network of professional contacts without being overly stubborn or brash. Coming across too domineering and single-minded may get in the way of potentially prosperous opportunities. Water Tigers, in particular, can make great career progress with plenty of hard work and self-awareness. While they may find others’ advice off-putting, they must get over this hang-up in order to succeed in business.
Fun Fact: Unlucky numbers for the Tiger include, 6,7,8 and any numbers including them such as 67 and 87. So remember this whenever you’re marketing to an Asian audience as the fine details of the Zodiac are still respected today.
The Year of the Tiger is rapidly approaching, so contact us today for content in the New Year and beyond. As well as daily, weekly and monthly reporting of the financial markets, we also provide high-quality whitepapers, PR, video scripts, social media management, strategy and more. Enjoyed reading about the Year of The Tiger? Hit the share button or send it to a tiger you know!
We want to wish a very Happy New Year to all of our clients and colleagues! 新年快乐! Xīnnián kuàilè!
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