Instagram Releases New Stickers and AR Features to Celebrate the Lunar New Year

Instagram has released new Lunar New Year-themed stickers and a custom AR effect to help users celebrate the holiday.

The new stickers, as seen here, celebrate the Year of the Tiger with artwork by Hong Kong-based Ophelia Pang. The stickers make it easy to commemorate the event, which will take place from January 31st to February 15th.

Instagram has also included a #MyLNY2022 AR effect, which gives users another option to participate in the event. In fact, the app has a number of Lunar New Year effects that you can access by utilizing the search feature at the end of the effects carousel.

Last year, Instagram unveiled a similar set of Lunar New Year features as part of a larger push to increase engagement around cultural holidays.

According to Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri:

“When it comes to celebrating cultural moments, we want to be a platform where creators showcase their work.”

As it seeks to differentiate itself from TikTok, which is primarily built on communal expression and meme-based sharing, Instagram is increasingly attempting to associate itself with showcasing talent. If Instagram can focus more on creative production, it may be a way to tap into the growing Web3 movement, in which creators could potentially be more compensated and honored for their efforts.

These Lunar New Year tools highlight the work of a few creators, but Instagram's wider aim is that it may be better positioned to give a platform for more artists in the same manner, which could help it recover its pace in the wake of the TikTok challenge.

Check out Instagram’s Lunar New Year tools in the app!