Creative Dive: Inside Lee Kum Kee's First Global Campaign with Jared Daperis

Earlier this year, for the first time in its 137-year history, Lee Kum Kee launched a global brand campaign, ‘Flavors That Bind‘, celebrating the power of food to connect people across generations and cultures. Collaborating with DDB Group Hong Kong and The Sweetshop, the campaign brings the brand’s legacy to life through a heartfelt film directed by Jared Daperis.

Debuting during Lunar New Year—a time when families and friends gather over shared meals—the campaign is more than a celebration of Lee Kum Kee’s sauces. It’s a tribute to culture, tradition, and the enduring values that bring people together.

The film sets out to capture this sentiment with warmth and elegance, showing that every dish made with Lee Kum Kee isn’t just about great taste—it’s about the stories, memories, and connections forged around the table.

As Adrian Tso, CSO at DDB Group Hong Kong, said of the strategy behind the campaign, “‘Flavors that Bind’ is about bringing people together. And as intuitive as it is to picture a gathering at a dinner table, the ambition was to show flavors and recipes afford us shared experiences regardless of where we are in the world or the era we live in.”

“As a brand with Chinese roots going back a century, Lee Kum Kee carries more than a selection of globally distributed products, but a responsibility to represent and diffuse our culture across the world. And it was a true pleasure to help kick that journey off with this New Year campaign.”

To learn more, we caught up with Jared Daperis and Jamyan Dudka, Global Marketing Strategist at Lee Kum Kee, who share insights into the creative process, the importance of authentic storytelling, and what shaped the campaign. From capturing the emotional resonance of shared meals to ensuring cultural authenticity, they discuss what it took to translate Lee Kum Kee’s rich heritage into a global message.

Branding In Asia: What market insights drove the creative inspiration behind the campaign?

Jamyan: As a 137-year-old brand selling sauces and condiments, Lee Kum Kee has a rich heritage, but we recognized the need to shift the conversation from being purely product-centric (which can feel commoditized) to something more emotionally resonant.

Food is more than just sustenance—it’s a way people express love, creativity, and connection. We wanted to celebrate the moments that matter, where food plays a central role in bringing people together.

To differentiate Lee Kum Kee and leverage its 137-year legacy, we landed on the core idea of timelessness—a concept that deeply resonates across cultures.

In a world that is constantly evolving, certain things remain unchanged: family, tradition, values, and the familiar flavors of home.

This insight became the foundational narrative of the campaign, woven through every element, including the brand film.

BIA: What was it about Jared’s directing style that made him the right choice for this project, and how did his vision align with what you wanted to achieve?

Jamyan:

From the very beginning, Jared’s deep level of preparation set him apart. His pitch wasn’t just about visuals—it was clear he had taken the time to truly understand the story we wanted to tell.

This allowed us to dive deeper into his creative process, ensuring alignment on both the vision and execution.

Another key factor was his collaborative approach. Instead of simply executing a brief or pushing his own creative agenda, Jared focused on understanding the intent behind our feedback. He didn’t just take comments at face value—he unpacked them, making sure he grasped what we were really trying to achieve before integrating it into his vision.

This was particularly valuable for me, as someone balancing both strategy and creative. Too often, I find myself mediating between strategy & creative teams that aren’t fully aligned, where the strategic intent behind feedback gets lost in execution.

With Jared, that wasn’t an issue. His ability to bridge strategy and creativity made the collaboration effortless, resulting in a film that was both emotionally powerful and strategically distinctive.

BIA: Every director brings a unique energy to the set. What was it like working with Jared during the shoot? How did his approach influence the atmosphere and performance on the day?

Jamyan: One of the standout aspects of working with Jared was his openness to spontaneity on set. He was upfront about the fact that things would evolve during filming, and that he would embrace a certain level of free-styling.

Typically, this can make clients uneasy, but because we had already built a foundation of trust and alignment, we felt comfortable letting him explore in the moment. This resulted in genuine, unplanned moments that added emotional depth to the final film—moments that simply couldn’t have been scripted.

Another strength was his ability to connect with the actors and bring out their most authentic performances. It was clear that people enjoyed working with him, which translated directly into the natural warmth and chemistry on screen.

His direction wasn’t just about perfecting the technical aspects—it was about creating an atmosphere where people could genuinely inhabit their roles.

BIA: This commercial captures such an authentic sense of family and tradition. How did Jared’s approach to storytelling help bring that authenticity to life in a way that resonated with your brand’s values?

Jamyan: What made Jared’s approach truly special was that before jumping into creative execution, he took the time to deeply understand Lee Kum Kee’s heritage, values, and cultural significance.

Concepts like tradition, family, and authenticity are universal, yet they can mean very different things depending on one’s background and experiences. Jared ensured that we were all speaking the same language and aligned on what these ideas meant within the context of the brand.

Beyond that, his creativity in building a world within seconds—through storytelling, composition, color, and human interaction—helped make the film feel instantly relatable and emotionally resonant.

One of the most striking creative choices was the use of Polaroid shots. This wasn’t just a stylistic decision; it was a brilliant way to create a sense of nostalgia and personal connection. Those moments felt real and familiar, allowing viewers to see their own family celebrations reflected on screen.

BIA: Family connections can sometimes feel staged in commercials, but this spot feels genuinely warm and intimate. What was your process in working with the cast to ensure their interactions felt natural and real?

Jared: Authenticity is vital in a film like this. Without it, the audience sees through the veneer, tuning out or seeing only a “commercial” instead of feeling an emotional connection to the story—and the brand.

In an ensemble piece, my approach to directing talent is never one-size-fits-all.

From as early as auditions, I make one thing clear: “Action” doesn’t mean “act.” When the camera rolls, there’s often an instinct to perform, but what we’re really searching for is the reaction, not the action.

My job is to give the cast the confidence to simply interact — to forget, at some point, that we’re even recording. That only works with the full support of the client, agency, and production team, who help create a set where talent can just be.

I’ve also learned when to step in and when to let actors find their way. Restraint, I believe, is one of a director’s most valuable skills.

BIA: Authentic storytelling often comes down to the smallest details. Were there any specific moments or performances in the commercial that felt particularly real or unscripted to you?

Jared: One of the great joys of directing is being surprised by what the cast brings to their performance. Witnessing them fully understand the moment and immerse themselves in the scene is incredible. Despite guiding them, I’m often blown away by how these amazing actors — sometimes working together for the first time — deliver humble, nuanced performances, bringing something even better than I could have manufactured.

A moment I particularly love is when the chef hands out the “ang pao” to his team. This was the first scene we shot, and I wanted it to feel free of cliché — playful yet reflective of a real workplace in 2025.

Our actor completely outdid himself. It balanced leadership, wisdom, and humour in one simple interaction. And of course, the final family reunion dinner. We’ve seen that scene on screen countless times, yet our talent brought humility, radiating joy, and genuine affection, making it feel completely spontaneous—a moment that truly defines the film.

BIA: The Lee Kum Kee commercial beautifully captures the essence of family during Lunar New Year. How did you approach translating that deep cultural tradition into a visually and emotionally authentic piece?

Jared:

The first task—and I commend both the global team at Lee Kum Kee and DDB in Hong Kong— was to ensure this wasn’t just another “typical” Lunar New Year film. The reunion dinner scene is everywhere—mega smiles, bright colours, and a checklist of traditions. We’ve seen it all before.

Our goal was to honour the brand’s history and traditions, celebrate the heritage of the product and Hong Kong, and present it in a way that families worldwide could genuinely see themselves on screen.

Family connection, love, and joy were non-negotiable, but authenticity meant avoiding insincere interactions, overly manufactured performances, or a level of polish that stripped away the charm of humble human connection.

While Lunar New Year is deeply rooted in Asian culture, you’re directing this from an Australian perspective. How did you bridge that gap and ensure the cultural nuances were honoured while still bringing your own creative voice to the project?

Jared: To truly honour the cultural traditions and nuances, this was never about bringing an Australian perspective — that’s not why I was hired. My role was to bring an honest and heartfelt tone to one of the most significant celebrations in Asian culture.

So without hesitation, and with invaluable support from The Sweetshop’s Asia team, I spent days—if not weeks—researching Lunar New Year traditions, their heritage, and what the celebration means to people not just across Asia, but globally.

What quickly became clear was that Lunar New Year traditions are deeply personal. Each country— and even each family—has its own, and to them, they are unbreakable. That made the storytelling more intimate. Instead of depicting broad traditions, we were honouring real families and their unique ways of celebrating.

For everyone involved—the creatives, the client—that became essential. We needed to be truthful to each moment on screen. Who is this family? Where do they live? What makes Lunar New Year meaningful to them?

Beyond that, this was a campaign for the world—not just for Shanghai or Hong Kong, but also London and New York’s Times Square. So while respecting the occasion was paramount, having an objective perspective as a director helped bring a broader, global resonance to the campaign.

BIA: Food is such a powerful symbol of love and tradition, especially in Asian culture. How did you use cinematography, lighting, and composition to enhance that emotional connection between the family and the meal they share?

Jared: Food is the centerpiece of the story, the celebration, and often what brings people together.

The initial brief was clear though — this shouldn’t look or feel like a food commercial. Food needed to be the main character while remaining incidental, with Lee Kum Kee as a supporting presence in each moment.

When authenticity and realism are the goal, restraint in terms of product and food styling is essential. Our production design team, led by Anthony Chan, did an incredible job making everything look delicious yet perfectly imperfect.

Flour and mess surrounded the dumpling-making tradition. A daughter rushed into her parents’ place with a pot of soup—one you’d find in any household. A toddler messily scoffed congee with her hands, to her grandma’s endearing shock.

These moments were made to feel accidental, but they were carefully crafted to maintain authenticity.

BIA: Your directing career has been gaining traction in Asia. What do you think it is about your storytelling style that resonates so well with audiences in that region?

Jared: I love working in this region.

There’s a real creative bravery emerging in the commercial world here, and the sheer depth of talent across so many countries is constantly inspiring.

I’d love to say I know exactly why I’ve been so busy in this market, but I’m still a director riddled with self-doubt — so I’ll leave that for everyone else to decide! Haha.

If I had to guess what resonates, maybe it’s that I love telling stories with heart — ones that feel uplifting and joyous without relying on cheesiness. I aim for a balance of visual elegance and honest, unforced interactions, which perhaps feels refreshing in this space.

On a more practical level, I’m an incredibly collaborative director. Working alongside creatives in Asia—who have an unmatched work ethic—means we can refine and hone ideas together, always pushing each other to make it the best it can be.

BIA: Were there any creative challenges in making this film?

Jared: As every director will tell you — creative challenges are constant on every job, at every moment.

This wasn’t necessarily a challenge, but I remember wrapping the stills shoot for the final reunion dinner and feeling that inevitable wave of fear. These were stills to exist within the film itself, as the final scene. It was crucial to me that these images had a sense of timelessness, so we shot them on film rather than digital—something that would make them feel like real moments from a dusty family album on a grandparents’ bookshelf.

And then, of course, came the nagging thoughts: Had I exposed everything correctly? I used flash—was it too much? There’s no going back. The wait for those negatives to be developed felt like its own challenge. But when we finally saw the results, it was all worth it.