Xiangfiaopiao was founded in 2005 as a milk tea brand. It was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on November 30, 2017, becoming the first listed company in the milk tea industry in China. The product became known on social media and became a “jackpot,” with daily sales rising more than 400 times.
According to Chinese media and social media on Wednesday, it is hard to find the product in stock. Chinese consumers showed favorable attitudes, saying that Xiang Piao was “head-to-head,” leading to the sale of the product. This incident marked a turning point for the brand’s sales, which had deteriorated its performance since 2020.
The hot-talked-about nectar cup holders wrote, “Ask Japanese politicians to drink nuclear waste-treated water,” “You can live without Japan, you can’t live without the sea,” and “The sea is not Japan’s sewage system.” The words were printed in both Chinese and Japanese. The incident caught the attention of mainland Chinese netizens and once made Weibo’s list of popular search terms.
According to some reports, the cup holder with the phrase was made by an employee’s personal action. President Xiang Piao said, “I will not fire the employee,” and promised to pay 100,000 yuan in bonuses.
Chinese netizens welcomed the release of nuclear wastewater, “Make it pay,” “This behavior deserves attention and praise,” and “Good job, I will drink this juicy tea sweet from now on.”
Over the weekend, more than 10 million people bought the product during a live broadcast of the official flagship store in Xiangfiaopiao. Daily sales jumped 400 times from 2,500 yuan to 1 million yuan. At one point, the company’s shares rose to the daily limit.
Writing phrases on a cup holder is good marketing for declining brands. However, you will need to think carefully about marketing that has taken place in foreign countries rather than in your own country. This is because, while marketing has had a significant impact and was able to inform the world, it can raise issues in Japan where it has occurred.
JENNIFER KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
