The Youthful Transformation of the Brand Image for "Ne Zha 2: The Demon Boy's Sea Adventure": Reimagining a Cultural IP for the Z Generation

Ne Zha 2, another major Chinese traditional culture animated film, premiered during the 2025 Spring Festival season. Building upon the success of its predecessor Ne Zha: The Birth of the Demon Boy, it further integrates traditional Chinese cultural elements while implementing innovative approaches to rejuvenate its brand image. This strategy has resulted in a more widely appealing and profound cinematic work. This paper examines how Ne Zha 2: The Demon Boy Rages at Sea transformed its brand IP image to appeal to younger audiences. Using case study methodology and analyzing data from social media platforms alongside audience feedback, it explores how traditional Chinese cultural animation films attract Gen Z viewers through brand image innovation. Following the case analysis, the study reveals that Ne Zha 2 implemented numerous innovative adjustments in character development, narrative techniques, and visual style. This leads to the conclusion that modernizing cultural IPs through innovation and diversifying promotional strategies are key to attracting Gen Z audiences. Simultaneously, this research provides theoretical foundations for the innovative development of the cultural and creative industries and offers directional guidance for the youth-oriented transformation of traditional Chinese cultural IPs.