100 Nights in China

On New Year’s Eve, Absolut Vodka hosted 100 parties in 100 different cities acrossChina to celebrate culture and creativity. Fanny Magnusson, Frida Hyséus and Rebecca León from the global brand team was invited to the celebration involving over 10 000 participants and 4.9 million online viewers.

Where did you celebrate New Year’s Eve?

Fanny Magnusson: I celebrated New Year’s Eve in Shenzen. I knew there were many big cities in China, but I had no reference of what a city like Shenzhen could look like. This city – a fishing village with 30,000 inhabitants in the 70’s – is now China’s Silicon Valley with a population of more than 12 million.

Frida Hyséus: Yinchuan. It’s a relatively ‘small’ city in China. With a population of 2 million it is roughly the size of Sweden’s capital, and my hometown, Stockholm. 

Rebecca León: I went with Frida to Yinchuan.

What’s your lasting impression of Chinese youth culture after your visit?

FM: I found the digital savviness of all young people very fascinating – not only during this night but throughout the stay. We definitely have some stuff to learn overhere! One of the people I met said “Why would I bring my wallet? I have my phone”. 

It’s also cool to see how globalization and the impact of social media makes everything travel so fast these days – the fashion style and music could have been just the same as in a party somewhere else in the world, like my hometown Stockholm. 

FH: I was also fascinated by their love of mobile phones. They always have it in their hand – even when they are out partying.

RL: Chinese youth are really cool. Everyone in the club wore the latest streetwear fashion. They are basically cooler than any of us visiting (but let’s be honest, most kids are!).

So how does the Chinese youth party?

FH: My overall impression is that they are out and about a lot, but they don’t necessarily drink that much, or even get drunk. Many people drank beer in the places we went to, and in the ‘smaller’ city of Yinchuan, cocktail culture was almost non-existing.

FM: I went to a party hosted by a group of young creative entrepreneurs, which featured various performances. There were duets, rap duels, even a fashion show. They also organized a lottery for shoes, beautifully decorated by an illustrator. 

I also noticed a difference from most of the parties with younger audiences I have witnessed – the very responsible drinking amongst everyone at the party. No drunkenness in sight. It was so cool to see how these trendy young people are pioneering the trends of being more mindful and moderate in drinking.

RL: They are really creative. I went to an 80’s themed party which actually incorporated 70’s hippie props and 90’s music. It was the perfect storm of fun.