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[VIC] Free Messages on Telstra’s Lunar New Year Billboard (Melbourne)

550

Wish your friends and family overseas or interstate good luck and good fortune from 1-5 February by texting your first name and then the first name of a family member or friend to 0484 800 800 (for a standard national SMS charge), and a personalised Lunar New Year greeting will appear on the outdoor Telstra Discovery Store billboard on Bourke Street, Melbourne.

Once approved, we’ll also send you a text with an MMS picture message of your personalised billboard that you can share via social media – so it doesn’t matter if your family member or friend is in Sydney or Shanghai, they’ll be able to see your BIG billboard greeting.

Happy New Year for the Year of the Pig.

Telstra’s Lunar New Year billboard will be active from 9:00AM on 1 February to 11:59PM on 5 February. Please note that names need to be in English, and SMS must be sent from an Australian mobile phone. Max 160 characters.

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    • +34

      Lunar New Year is actually a thing. it is based off Chinese New Year and has established itself prominently in other South East Asian countries. It's not about being politically correct, it is about being multicultural and just enjoying the festivities. I myself celebrate it as Tết but I'm not going to be up in arms because Telstra didn't mention it.

      Your example of Australish is stupid because that doesn't exist whereas Lunar New Year is an encompassing term for all festivities that fall under that category. Furthermore, the ''personalised' banner is actually in Mandarin so should I be complaining to Telstra for not being politically correct?

      • -5

        do it, i also would like to see what are they gonna put in 2023, year of the rabbit for Chinese, or year of the cat for Vietnamese.

        • +5

          If calling it Lunar new year will get more people on-board to celebrate it, it should be a good thing - at the end of the day - if people doesn't engage it, it is of less meaning , and if people does celebrate - inevitably people will appreciate what comes naturally. They will wan to know where does it come from,how it comes to today's shape etc. It is a promoition of East Asian culture in Australia, should be good for all Asian-Australians to bring festival feeling to the community.

        • +1

          But the cat was too lazy so didnt participate in the 12 animal race therefore its not a lunar animal.

        • Year of the Mao, problem solved.

        • @optusprime - By your reasoning, there are at least two different new years: rabbit for Chinese New Year and cat for Vietnamese New Year. So why are you arguing about one (Chinese) New Year ?

          • @z28: because they are different, we shouldn't be celebrating together, they will be pissed again when the street is all showing design of rabbit rather than cat comes 2023. so why even bother changing it to lunar new year

            • @optusprime: So as you said: they are two different types of new year, why called it Chinese ? What is the reason called it Chinese if there is a Vietnamese one as well ?

              Lunar NY will include Chinese and Vietnamese when Chinese only for Chinese, NO ???

              • @z28: no cos the chinese new year is not really a Lunar new year, whoever changed it didn't research too well, it's false political correctness

      • +1

        I dont identify myself with either the western or lunar/chinese calendar. There is no calendar its just society making it up. Im non-binary, gona get a medical certificate to delete the birthday field on my licence.

        • Good luck with that, it's often used for identity verification on databases. I've dealt with offenders with, no BS, the same first, middle and last name… only thing separating them was the DOB.

      • Lunar New Year is actually a thing. it is based off Chinese New Year and has established itself prominently in other South East Asian countries

        I know nothing about Chinese and Lunar New Year, could you elaborate on this point?

        Optimus prime made this point, is it correct?

        sure a lot of other cultures also celebrates Chinese new year, that's because they were all basic Chinese to start with,

        • +3

          The Lunar New Year is celebrated today in many countries that (so called the 'Sinosphere World') were historically heavily influenced by the Chinese culture. Comprising countries such as Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc, these countries adapted Chinese cultures such as the Confucianism ideology and the Chinese 'hanzi/characters' writing system into their own kingdoms. Along with these, the New Year was also adapted and celebrated slightly differently in each nation due to geographical, linguistical, mythological, historical, cultural factors. Optusprime's opinion is that these celebrations essentially came from China and so we should call it the Chinese New Year instead of the Lunar New Year (which recognises the different names and celebrations the other countries call the New Year).

          • @Hamlet: Awesome, thank you for explaining

          • -1

            @Hamlet: I agree with Optusprime

            The roots is Chinese new year, just leave it as is

            These countries stop calling it lunar new year. They are just being stupid and selfish claiming it as lunar

            The history is there and evidence is clear everyone knows for thousands of years is called Chinese new year.

            Stop trying to change history being political. Optusprime is correct and should not be negged.

            Too many haters on ozbargain

            Renaming to lunar doesn't make it peaceful

            It makes it more furious for Chinese to tell them it's no longer your festival. Your history means nothing now

            Also need to face the moon to be lunar. It's screwed up

            • @neonlight: just like the freaking left, people can't debate without down vote you, great freaking system!

              • @optusprime: Yeah too many freaking people just neg without thinking.

                Perhaps they love lunar and Telstra

                • @neonlight: Are you of Chinese heritage? I'm not, but I do know that the direct translation of what native speakers call it is not "Chinese New Year".

                  As far as I understand it, in China it's generally referred to as "Spring Festival", and less commonly as "Agricultural Calendar New Year" or "Lunar New Year".

                  That, and the fact that the countries that celebrate it now are no longer greatly influenced by Chinese culture, is why I assume it's more frequently being called Lunar New Year.

    • +8

      How about letting people celebrate it however they want to celebrate it? Someone choosing to celebrate Lunar New Year has no impact on you choosing to celebrate Chinese New Year.

      The "outrageous" part is demanding people recognise it based on your personal belief system only.

    • +1

      Is it really a political correctness thing?
      I am familiar with the two terms. I use both but prefer Lunar New Year, I think it sounds cooler and is easier to say.

    • +1

      It should be a time for everyone to light illegal firecrackers equally.

    • Friend, Australia doesnt actually have an official language, it just defacto is english. also its Australian-english that is spoken in australia

      • we may call it Auglish?

    • Fark settle down dude and go get some fresh air. (And try replacing all instances of the words 'politically correct' with 'respect' or 'respectful' and reread what you've written).

    • +1

      I agree with you. They are stupid to change to lunar

  • +14

    I would prefer free chinese new year massages.

    • -5

      TEAM CNY

    • +8

      That's what I read…free massages

    • +5

      With a fairy tale ending?

      • With a "happy" chinese new year "ending".

    • Mvp

    • You better not call it free Lunar New Year Massages because you might not get happy endings

      • You both got downvoted lolll

      • I support you.

        Some people know Jack all about CNY

    • +1

      You can use the report feature if you want the title or description changed.

    • +2

      Why is this downvoted so much…? I honestly didn't realise saying "Chinese New Year" wasnt PC…. Is it offensive?

      • clearly there are a lot of people trying to change our cultural to just become a general Asian thingy, in a few more generation, all the Chinese children born in Australia will not even know that this is a CHINESE NEW YEAR, and they won't even realize chopstick is not something that as just associated with all Asian food, it's Chinese in origin.

      • It's not because apparently Lunar is more widely accepted by all Asians but like I said Chinese new year is named for thousands of years. What rights do people rhave to rename it without thinking it through?

      • It can be construed as offensive for the cultures that celebrate a New Year that's based off the lunar calendar that aren't Chinese (especially ones that are in clash with mainland China in today's political climate). The reason it's called Chinese New Year is because non-Chinese people differentiated between the traditional New Year celebrated following the Gregorian calendar and the lunar calendar. It just so happens that the majority of people who celebrated the lunar new year were Chinese and so it was described as such.

        It's not even called Chinese new year in China, and it's not uniquely Chinese. Although most (if not all of them) celebrate a new year based of a lunar calendar there are subtle differences between why it's celebrated, how it's celebrated and how the date to celebrate it is worked out (that being said various versions of the lunar new year will usually fall on the same day because they're off the same calendar base). The traditions behind the various lunar new years may have all originated in what is modern day China because they were culture and knowledge centre of Asia in ancient times, those traditions have changed to fit the local cultures that have incorporated these celebrations and continue to do so with every year. So to blankly call every lunar new year Chinese New Year is a bit narrow minded and potentially offensive (and not just in a snowflake way either because of current SE Asia political issues as those nations try to distance themselves from China).

        • -1

          The Chinese calendar is more complicated than what you're calling as lunar calendar.

          and yes, you're still snowflake and SJW about it.

  • Whether it's Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year is entirely up to each person to decide. No one has the right to make others change how that refer to it.

      • +4

        We already do. They can get (profanity).

        Just cheer up and celebrate your weird late new year. Honestly, if you want to get this riled up about the name then you can get (profanity) too. I doubt China does a damn thing to honor the traditions of the foreigners in their country, so the only noise I want from you is banging on your drum or setting off firecrackers to at least pretend that you appreciate our hospitality.

        As far as I can see, you're the one in here insisting that this becomes a political issue.

        • +2

          they celebrate foreigner's new year, valentine's day they are even picking up thanks giving now. :)

          • +2

            @optusprime: they celebrate almost all the foreigners' festivals as they want to accept the culture, which is good.

          • @optusprime: Really? I thought they (businesses) only celebrate it as an excuse to make more sales :)

            • @b-t: isn't that the same for city of sydney?

    • +2

      Tell that to people who just didn't like it to be called Chinese new year forcing lunar new year to everyone

      They got no rights to change history and forcing lunar new year to everyone

      Bunch of idiots

  • +17

    is this OzBargain?
    I thought I was reading the comments section of a Herald Sun article for a minute.

    • freebie, it is a free digital postcard for your and your lover/partner.

  • +1

    Is this from any phone or only Telstra mobile?

  • So I sent a txt with names got a mms back?
    Typed a txt with message got the same mms back?
    Press on picture closed mms???

    • You can only personalise the names, not the message.

  • +4

    Just sent "Stop pricejacking eBay (P.S. eBayPlus sucks!)"

    Hope they display it

    • -1

      The cash rewards rep won't be pleased

      • What has this to do with CR?

  • +2

    time to put in

    "Gerry Harvey has Ligma"

  • +1

    I only celebrate Festivus.
    A Festivus for the rest of us!

  • +7

    unzips pants…

    Sir, free messages. NOT massages !

    I know. I want to send a message.

    • Gold.

  • Happy ending for the year that it was.

  • From Telstra
    Thanks for your message, it's in the queue for our team to process.
    You'll receive a MMS preview if your message is approved.

  • -1

    Why does any one care with those messages?

  • Another event celebrating nothing more than superstitious jiggery-pokery.

    Every day is one more time around the sun depending on where you choose to start counting from. That's a concept we can all get behind.

    • -1

      Wow. Just wow.

      This is the LUNAR New Year. It has nothing to do with one trip around the Sun and everything to do with the Moon going around the Earth 12 times.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_calendar

      • +3

        You quoted the wrong Wikipedia article. It's a common mistake people make to equate Lunar New Year with a pure lunar calendar. In fact, most "lunar" calendars are actually lunisolar calendars which include adjustments such as leap months to bring them in line with the solar year. The traditional Chinese calendar is lunisolar, as are the Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Tibetan etc. calendars.

        Unless we're talking about the Islamic calendar, which is a true lunar calendar (and we're obviously not because this year the Islamic calendar new year isn't until the end of August 2019 in Gregorian calendar terms), the sun most definitely plays a part in the Lunar New Year that this deal pertains to.

        So my point still stands, and I look forward to your apology. :)

        • I have no problem whatsoever with apologising when I'm proven wrong, which you have done, and that was interesting information, so sure, I apologise for the incorrect information and thank you for correcting me.

          I assumed that a lunar calendar was a lunar calendar not a "lunisolar" calendar. It should be called Lunisolar New Year :P. As they say, I stand corrected. I know better now, and for next time. Again, thanks.

          I honestly never understood why people dig in their heels when they're wrong, which just makes them look petty and stupid. When someone corrects you they're doing you a favour. It doesn't feel bad if you're an adult about it.

          p.s. First down vote for one of my comments in quite some time that I've felt is deserved.

  • Always Melbourne billboard, there is no Sydney billboard is there?

  • I can remember trolling the sign on Valentine's day once. Was PG-rated and was a reference to the 1980's. Not the obvious troll joke…

  • +2

    Oops!
    We couldn't find 2 names in your message.
    Please try again with only your first name, a space, and the first name of one family member or friend, to be included in the Telstra Lunar New Year Billboard.
    Please note that your message needs to be in English.

    Way to miss your target market, Telstra.

  • I thought it read massages :(

  • Knowing my luck my sms won't get sent because the Telstra network was down.

  • Okay so who is going to make the friends name 'OzBargain' and the message read 'FREE ENELOOPS'? Go on I dare you.

  • Also

    Complimentary Piggy Bank at speciality stores
    Telstra is celebrating the Year of the Pig with complimentary premium Piggy Banks for community members who come in and say hello to our teams, at 41 special stores (while stocks last).

  • Yup

  • Remember to face the moon when you are sending such message because I agree with Optusprime

    This is not lunar it's chinese new year. It is almost to be confused with moon festival

    Stop forcing lunar new year to everyone, and basically the roots, idealogy, history are being removed by renaming

    Australia is getting too political trying to make everyone happy but in fact they have started anti China everything now including CNY celebration

    How about start hanging all decoration everything with lunar and moons. Stop using decorations with Chinese writing on it and stop using zodiac from Chinese calendars

    Bunch of hypocrites

    Stop pretending is not chinese new year at its roots

    Stop trying brainwash new generations not knowing the history

    Stop trying to be peaceful just cause other cultures do not like it to be called Chinese new year

    It is what it is and shall not change

    You might as well remove queens birthday holiday and call it something else. Because we do not have a queen for God sakes

    Telstra for supporting it to be called lunar should be a disgrace just like their outages all over the place. And Sydney is being discriminated along all other cities except Melbourne.

    Only those who don't care about history will call it lunar

    It is the same as China using simplified characters and remove all meaning of all traditional writing. Very sad. Example the character "heart" does not have a "heart" in it anymore

    I expect negs on me however I stand firm for the above. Afterall this is freedom of speech

    If so much anti China then why Australia is relying so much on China's economy and while denying their culture at its roots?

    So much hypocrites in this country. Face it and leave it.

    If you are going to rename to lunar, do not use any decorations based on Chinese writing or zodiac. Create your own Aussie lunar decorations

    Truly ridiculous

    https://www.sbs.com.au/news/should-it-be-known-as-chinese-ne…

    People like this should be shamed even started a petition to rename to lunar. If they don't like it then don't celebrate. Just want to be anti china again and claiming the celebration as if they own it and knows nothing about history

    Go and eat moon cake every February then. Bloody stupid.

    How about just make lunar not the same as moon then, even better. Change the definition on lunar perhaps that would make people happier

    • +1

      Either call it Chinese new year, or Chinese spring festival, nothing else, take your moon and shove it.

      • +1

        Just call it Spring festival… not like people in china calls it "Chinese spring festival" are you even chinese.

      • Yet we have people in this thread who are Chinese saying that they refer to it as Lunar New Year when speaking Mandarin.

        I'm thinking that you and neonlight are either not Chinese and are taking offence at something for the sake of it (why, I'm not sure) or you're unapologetic Chinese Nationalists who choose to ignore how your own country's people refer to the festival in their own language.

        Which is it?

        • None. the thread you are talking those people are afraid of speaking out like one of those students who cannot understand English at Uni and attempt suicide

          They are afraid they get attacked so therefore they are willing to accept anything you thrown at them. As they appreciate there's a celebration already and they just go "whatever you call it"

          Either you and yourself do not understand the true meaning of CNY. You guys just want to and accept the new name and join the bandwagon. That's it. Go with majority like everyone else in society these days. Forget your origin forget history and don't bother having insights on the matter.

          Renaming to Lunar is huge deal. You are basically wiping the CNY definition.

          You aren't willing to accept its been called many years as CNY and all of a sudden just go with what others think it should be called. The only justification because all other cultures celebrates their own way.

          All this multicultural bull crap. Chinese new year was already accept many years ago as the festival name. So why all of a sudden with such a political move? Makes zero sense

          Go to China and ask them what lunar new year is. Most of them will confuse think you talking moon festival. Nobody use LNY as CNY over there.

          Any how I'm not gonna bother arguing about it. You have your lunar I have my CNY. I appreciate history and you don't. That is it

          You guys need to think for yourself and not accepting governments propaganda

          If you like to be brainwashed in not gonna stop you. Go ahead believe everything government tells you

          • @neonlight: Good work. Instead of dealing with the case presented, you instead resort to spouting conspiracy theories and then continue to repeat your incorrect assertion that the direct translation from the Mandarin used to describe the festival is part of some sort of cultural genocide plot.

            So are you Chinese or not? It's a simple question.

            • @Pantagonist: wow, just wow, you're the one that's trying to make up shyt trying to profile people, and you call others spouting conspiracy theories?

        • I've been citizen here for close to 30 years. so neither

          but which one are you? the snowflake that took offence to it call chinese new year for so many years, and force the government to change it to represent you cos you're a chinese hater? I too can make assumption about you.

          • @optusprime: Haha, no one is forcing anyone to do anything. All I've done is make the presumably correct observation that the festival isn't called Chinese New Year in China, which is something that you refuse to acknowledge.

            There's nothing wrong with changing the historical name of something if we find out that there's a better translation of that thing which better reflects the language that the thing was originally named in. That's why we now tend to use Aboriginal place names for sites that are culturally significant for them instead of what someone decided to call a place post 1788 (e.g. Uluru instead of Ayers Rock).

            As for being a snowflake, based on the comments in this thread it's pretty clear who's getting more triggered by a communications company running a promotion (because at the end of the day, that's all this is).

            • +1

              @Pantagonist: it's not only Telstra, it's many local governments seaking incorrect political correctness since there's a handful of non Chinese asian complainting that they also celebrate Chinese new year, it's just the type of society we are living in correct, it's more important to be politically correct than factually correct. to better serve the snowflakes.

              I for one want future generation kids to understand that this is a Chinese new year, in generated in China, and everyone else took after us.

              • -2

                @optusprime: You do know that the Chinese weren't the first to come up with the lunisolar calendar, right?

                I'm pretty sure that the Egyptians got the jump on you by a fair number of years.

                • @Pantagonist: proof it, proof that egyptians did chinese new year before the chinese, and came up with the chinese zodiac

                  • @optusprime: I'm talking about the lunisolar calendar upon which the festival is based, not the Chinese zodiac.

      • +1

        Tell that to the Koreans, when their celebrations don't always fall on the same day as Chinese New Year.

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