Lloyds opens immersive Firehorse Lunar New Year experience

To celebrate the 2026 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse, Lloyds has opened the doors to a one-of-a-kind pop-up experience on Greek Street, London, named ‘Year of the Horse X Year of You’. The toy store activation saw hundreds of visitors engage with the brand’s iconic horse in a celebration of the Lunar New Year’s promise of energy and passion.

The creative concept blended the nostalgic charm of a traditional British toy shop with Asian cultural aesthetics, creating a highly shareable environment with shelves adorned with horse plushies. Inside the store, visitors were invited to participate in an immersive digital journey through interactive displays. Guests submitted their zodiac signs along with their personal ambitions for the year ahead, ranging from buying their first house to funding international travel.

They were then each gifted manifestation charms representing their ambitions to place upon their limited-edition Firehorse toy, as well as a bespoke zodiac prediction, both acting as physical reminders to inspire them on their journey to achieve their 2026 goals.

Suresh Balaji, CMO of Lloyds Banking Group, commented: “For this Lunar New Year, we wanted to move beyond simple messaging and create a genuinely meaningful experience for consumers. The Year of the Horse X Year of You store allowed us to connect with people on an emotional level, using our iconic brand asset to inspire hope and ambition for the year ahead. The fantastic engagement, both in person and through creator content online, reinforces our commitment at Lloyds to the power of creative, experiential marketing to build brand affinity.”

The experiential activation was supported with influencer attendance, digital out of home displays and social amplification to bring the magic and strength of the of the Horse to audiences across the UK. The Lloyds East and Southeast Asian network worked on the campaign and associated execution to ensure an authentic Lunar New Year experience. Celebratory messages are being projected onto the Lloyds office buildings up and down the country in Birmingham, Bristol and London.