On April 21, according to the content of Deng Qingxu, CEO of Sina Finance and Economics, on his microblog, Zhong Xuegao, the legal person, and Lin Sheng, the executive director and general manager, took a green train to Beijing one night after being restricted from taking high-speed trains. Zhong Xuegao, once known as "Hermes in the Ice Cream", an online red ice cream brand rising from the high-end line and Internet marketing, is now in trouble. (April 22, Jimu News)
Objectively speaking, Zhong Xuegao has really innovated the ice cream marketing method, breaking the inherent market pattern, so that ice cream can also participate in the high-end market competition as an independent category and brand. However, Zhong Xuegao also has many hidden dangers and shortcomings in his own operation, publicity and marketing. Its inaccurate control of audience positioning, careless use of ice-cream materials, untrue online marketing, and uncontrolled production expansion determine that the brand will eventually go down the altar. Reviewing the process of Zhong Xuegao's "transformation from prosperity to decline", whether Zang has succeeded or not, and summing up its gains and losses, will undoubtedly be of great significance for the development of similar brands later.
Mother Yong said that Zhong Xuegao's approach to online marketing was commendable - through the extensive publicity of the We Media platform, the product attracted the attention of the public when it was launched, aroused consumers' taste interest, and made Zhong Xuegao earn enough traffic and income in the early stage. At the same time, its pricing in the high-end market and careful marketing towards younger and more fashionable consumer groups have also helped it gain the favor of groups with higher consumption capacity. But everything will turn against the extreme. While enjoying the traffic dividend brought by Internet marketing, Zhong Xuegao, the brand, will inevitably accept the public's doubts and challenges from peers. As a result, the publicity stunts and high profile that used to be, later became Zhong Xuegao's own burden.
Soon, the brand scandals related to Zhong Xuegao were exposed one after another. First, the public is disgusted with the pricing of "ice cream assassins" and "priceless ice cream"; Secondly, Zhong Xuegao blew the high-end materials of his own products to the skies, but was pointed out to add the "additive" of carrageenan in the ice cream; In addition to the negative public opinion caused by various events such as the popular "fire can't melt" and "love or not" on the Internet, Zhong Xuegao, a once popular online brand, quickly fell from the height.
Some people said that Zhong Xuegao's failure was mainly caused by the market. Its pricing is too high, but it is blinded by temporary traffic, leading to its own disorderly expansion, and the society does not have such a large high-end consumer group to help it digest capacity, so Zhong Xuegao will naturally be unsustainable. That sounds reasonable. But the most important factor that caused Zhong Xuegao to step down from the altar was the attitude of ordinary consumers ignored by Zhong Xuegao. Ice cream is supposed to be a popular product, which can help people cool down. Zhong Xuegao created it as "people can't afford it" according to the template of a luxury brand. Admittedly, if a product wants to take the high-end line, it is justifiable, but the premise is not to oppose itself to the public. Zhong Xuegao is worried that no consumer pays attention to himself. On the other hand, he tries to draw a clear line with ordinary consumers with a high posture, so the masses will not "buy your account."
At the same time, Zhong Xuegao "fell off the altar" because of his own attitude. If a product wants to change from "online popularity" to "everlasting popularity", it should keep the "original intention", stick to the "ingenuity", gather the "heart" and ensure consumers' peace of mind. Products have always served consumers, and no brand can be superior to consumers, even no luxury brand. Zhong Xue's high price is high-end. If there is real talent, correct service attitude and provide some added value like the cultural and creative ice-cream in the scenic spot, it will still have a market. But the fact is that Zhong Xuegao, who spent dozens of yuan each, does not seem to have brought consumers a good or different consumption experience.
In order to achieve sustainable development, brands should not only formulate scientific development plans and clearly screen their target audiences and consumer groups, but also ensure product quality, respect consumers, truly consider them, and actively invest in R&D from their perspective, so that products can meet consumer needs. The brand side should keep in touch with consumers, listen to opinions modestly, and cultivate its own good image and reputation, rather than being "headstrong" and isolated from the outside world like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. If a brand, like Zhong Xuegao, loses the trust of consumers, it must call itself "cold" to teach consumers to "warm their hearts". Wouldn't it be a sad and regrettable thing?
To evaluate Zhong Xuegao, it is hoped that some brands in the future can really think for consumers, be worthy of consumers' trust, and not make great efforts in gimmick creation and excessive marketing. It is self-evident that "shopping around" and "reputation" are the two magic weapons of brand evergreen. Zhong Xuegao's dilemma should arouse the attention and thinking of some enterprises to avoid the regret that "future generations mourn and ignore it, and also make future generations mourn for future generations".
