Inaugural Horse & Hóngbāo: Student O Week & Lunar New Year Campaign Results

Welcoming students to Auckland

Auckland is New Zealand’s largest student city, with around 50,000 students at the University of Auckland and AUT. Students contribute significantly to the city centre economy, with non-tuition spending reaching hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

With Lunar New Year 2026 aligning closely with the start of the academic year, the timing provided a strong opportunity to welcome approximately 15,000 international students, celebrate the diversity of Auckland’s businesses, and showcase the city centre. This also supports Auckland’s global reputation as a leading student destination, currently ranked 24th out of 150 cities in the QS Best Student Cities Report.

Campaign overview

Horse & Hóngbāo was designed to increase foot traffic and spending in the city centre, particularly in the midtown area, while supporting local businesses and creating a welcoming experience for students.

The campaign featured:

• A hóngbāo-inspired “Special Luck Red Map” with exclusive offers
• 88 participating city centre businesses, including cafés, restaurants, and entertainment venues
• A collect-and-win mechanic where students gathered stamps to enter prize draws
• A programme of events and promotions encouraging exploration of the city

The campaign ran alongside wider Lunar New Year celebrations from 12 February to 15 March.

Business impact

Feedback from participating businesses highlighted the effectiveness of the campaign:

• 68% said Horse & Hóngbāo helped their business
• Total Estimated Impact: $42,000 in incremental spend (based on survey feedback to businesses on the financial impact of the campaign) 
• Increased foot traffic and engagement with student audiences
• Improved visibility among a demographic that can be difficult to reach

Business feedback included:

“It helps us to boost our business and more students coming in to the shop.”

“The map helped drive awareness of our attraction and its location for students, a market we have found difficult to reach. This map will hopefully be kept beyond the limits of the promotion too.”

“Get [sic] more brand exposure to the students.”

Student experience

A key campaign highlight was the Student Welcome Dinner, held on 21 February at Atrium on Elliott Food Hall.

• 200 international students attended, including 100 from the University of Auckland and 100 from AUT
• Feedback from attendees was strongly positive
• Students noted the quality of the food, entertainment, and the sense of belonging created during the event

Wider community engagement

The campaign also engaged the broader public through the Chow Luck Lunar New Year Walking Food Tours.

• Four tours were delivered across two Saturdays
• All tours were sold out, demonstrating strong demand and interest.

Digital performance

The campaign generated strong online engagement:

• “Lunar New Year in the City” ranked as the sixth most visited page site-wide during the campaign
• “Lunar New Year Street Food Market” ranked seventh most visited page site-wide

The inaugural Horse & Hóngbāo campaign successfully connected students, businesses, and the wider community during a key period for the city centre. It supported local businesses, increased visitation, and created a positive welcome experience for international students at the start of their time in Auckland.