How AI-Enhanced Design Drove Record Engagement in the 2024 Spring Travel Card Campaign

Creative Setting – Brand DNA Transmission

The campaign built a unique world view around the Spring Festival travel theme, linking users' desire for a safe journey home with the brand’s travel services (train tickets, flights, hotels). A dragon‑themed IP named "Xiao Zhi" was created, featuring traditional Chinese elements and festive attire to reinforce brand recall.

Visual Elements – Cultural Symbols and Dynamic Graphics

Traditional motifs such as the crabapple blossom (prosperity) and the ruyi pattern (good fortune) were integrated to evoke cultural resonance. Special rare‑card designs, like a lotus throne, added a sense of exclusivity.

Atmospheric Motion Effects – Sustaining User Emotion

Immersive card‑swipe animations change background colors to match the card, reducing visual fatigue. Additional micro‑animations include onboarding guides, draw‑card dragon effects, cash‑doubling card bursts, and final synthesis animations, all designed to keep users excited throughout the experience.

Gameplay Strategy – Staged Incentives for Different Phases

Three phases were defined:

Early stage: Friend‑card gifting, invitation rewards, and card‑flip mechanics to drive acquisition.

Mid stage: Monetary draw rewards (0.1–1 CNY), progress‑bar feedback, and instant reward notifications to combat fatigue.

Late stage: Rare cards and cash‑doubling cards introduced to increase challenge and maintain engagement.

AIGC – Leveraging AI Tools for Efficiency and Quality

Designers used Midjourney to generate concept sketches and Stable Diffusion to convert 2D images into 3D renders, dramatically cutting production time while preserving visual quality.

Conclusion

The integrated approach of refreshed branding, dynamic UI, phased incentives, and AI‑assisted creation led to record‑high participation, engagement rates, and user satisfaction, positioning the "Collect ShunShun Card" activity as a flagship spring‑travel promotion for future iterations.