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As I compiled our popular annual list of best CNY red packet designs this year, I realised that the ancient tradition of giving ang bao has evolved into something much bigger.
For many brands, especially in F&B, retail and finance, they’ve become a quiet but powerful touchpoint: something customers hold, keep, post on social media, and associate with the brand long after the festive period ends.
A generic red packet design that blends into the stack is a missed opportunity.
Rather than relying on basic templates, more brands are commissioning fully customised red packets that reflect their identity, values and customer experience. This shift is especially visible among lifestyle-driven and consumer-facing businesses, where aesthetics and detail matter just as much as the product itself.
weio, a Singapore-based studio specialising in custom CNY red packet design and production, understands this trend. Their projects exhibit a clear design philosophy: red packets should feel intentional, tactile and brand-accurate.
They manage the entire process from concept and design through to production and delivery, so your team can focus on strategy.
Visual tales
For food and beverage brands, visual storytelling often plays a central role. The collaboration with Kikkoman features the brand’s mascot, Kikona reimagined in a festive CNY setting.
Instantly recognisable, playful, and aligned with its family-friendly identity, the concept includes envelope flaps that double as hats for the character.
In rare moments, a concept is so unique and creative that you stop and stare. That was the case with weio’s design for Columbia Threadneedle Investments. From a simple flat ang bao, it transforms into a 3-D cage, complete with a fluttering butterfly inside.
Columbia Threadneedle Investments can rest assured that their name will be front and centre, with their custom red packets designed as keepsakes worthy of display.
Red and gold abound in the custom ang bao from Infineon, but the real beauty is in the details, where festive tradition meets a contemporary corporate aesthetic. Notice how each space has its own design, yet they come together harmoniously? It’s a subtle nod to the fabric of our families.
Premium positioning can also show up in the materials and structure of a custom ang bao.
This concept by weio for L&G features a rigid box with dynamic, layered visuals, demonstrating how packaging alone can signal quality and intention of a corporate CNY red packet.
Also presented in a luxurious box are the ang bao from Alpine Motors, Singapore’s exclusive dealer for Corvette supercars. The real magic is inside, where refined silk paper red packets await, each embossed with the Corvette logo in gold lustre.
Premium hotel brand Fullerton commissioned a set inspired by traditional pingfeng divider screens. The intricate laser die-cut detailing is a visual and tactile delight.
Not every collaboration starts with design. In some cases, brands arrive with their own creative direction.
For groups like RE&S and TANGS, weio handled production while preserving the original design vision — proof that execution quality matters just as much as concept when it comes to customer-facing materials.
Across these examples, one thing is consistent: the most effective custom red packet designs are not treated as afterthoughts. They are designed with the same care as menus, packaging or store interiors, because customers notice.
As companies begin planning for the next Chinese New Year cycle, red packets are once again becoming a canvas for storytelling, craftsmanship and brand aura. Approach them less like seasonal merchandise and more like a natural extension of your brand.
*This post is brought to you in partnership with weio.
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