"There are no gifts for this year's festival, and only brain platinum will be accepted for gifts."
This "brainwashing" advertising slogan of Brain Platinum can be described as a household name. The picture of two gray-haired animated villains dancing is deeply imprinted in the minds of many consumers.
Recently, related topics such as "brain platinum capsules are melatonin" have caused heated discussions on the Internet, and some netizens posted that "I always thought that brain platinum is ginseng antler protein that replenishes the brain of the elderly, but I didn't expect that it was melatonin that forced people to shut down." ”
Red Star Capital Bureau noticed that since its establishment, brain platinum has not caused controversy because of the problem of ingredients, but in recent years, with the disappearance of brainwashing advertising, brain platinum has gradually faded out of consumers' vision.
But it is undeniable that it has indeed left a "strong color" in the mainland health care products market. In addition, companies are also trying to make some changes and want to return to their former glory.
(i)
Brain platinum and marketing genius Shi Yuzhu
When it comes to brain platinum, we have to talk about its founder - Shi Yuzhu.
In 1989, Shi Yuzhu, who obtained a master's degree in soft science from Shenzhen University, began to start a business in the sea.
In 1991, Shi Yuzhu established Giant Company in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, mainly engaged in software development and other related work.
After that, Shi Yuzhu is ready to invest 1.2 billion yuan to build a 70-storey building to become a landmark building of Giant Group. At the beginning of 1994, the construction of the Giant Building began, and it was planned to be completed in 3 years.
However, the construction of the building did not go smoothly, and in 1997, the Giant Building faced serious financial difficulties, and finally collapsed due to the rupture of the capital chain, and Shi Yuzhu became the "first burden in China" with a debt of 250 million yuan.
But Shi Yuzhu, who owed a huge amount of money, did not give up, and he once again found a market opportunity in the health care products business.
In 1999, Shi Yuzhu registered and established a biomedical enterprise producing health care products - Shanghai Jiante Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
Since then, the advertisement of "no gifts will be accepted for the New Year this year, and only cerebral platinum" has been broadcast on major TV stations, and it has been broadcast on CCTV's advertising prime time (19 o'clock to 21 o'clock), which became a household name for a while.
Source: Cerebral Platinum official website
According to the Bohai Morning Post, in 2000, Cerebral Platinum created a sales miracle of 1.3 billion yuan, becoming the champion of the health care products market.
By 2014, Cerebral Platinum had won the first place in single sales of health care products for 16 consecutive years, and had a huge sales network of more than 200 sales points across the country, surpassing the giant in its heyday.
In addition, in 2001, in order to further seize the cake of the health care products market, Shi Yuzhu launched another brand with a wider target group: Golden Partner.
Like the brain platinum, the advertising slogan of the golden partner is also very "brainwashing" - "the golden partner sends the elders, the waist is good, the legs are good, and the spirit is good; The golden partner sends the lady, delicate and rosy and shiny; The golden partner sends the child, grows tall and studies well. ”
According to data from Southern Metropolis Daily, from January to October 2003, the sales revenue of the two major products of cerebral platinum and gold partner exceeded 1.2 billion yuan.
In general, Shi Yuzhu's marketing concept has always been inseparable from the word "gift", advertising words focus on emotional expression, vigorously promote "filial piety" and "family" and other cultures, but also take advantage of people's follow-up psychology, and finally achieve product sales.
(ii)
There are many controversies about cerebral platinum
After the launch of Cerebral Platinum, the market has been controversial about it.
On the one hand, there is the controversy of advertising content, Brain Platinum has been playing "brainwashing" advertisements on the TV loop, high-density repeated advertisements, almost "bombardment" of consumers' vision and hearing.
Consumers also gradually feel bored and uncomfortable from the very beginning. The advertising of brain platinum has even been rated by netizens as "the first of the top ten vulgar advertisements".
On the other hand, there is the controversy over the composition of cerebral platinum.
As early as 2015, an article titled "Brain platinum was revealed that the sleep aid ingredient is melatonin, and melatonin has no fewer side effects than tranquilizers" circulated on the Internet.
In response, Shi Yuzhu posted a long post on Weibo in response: "Just read a vicious article, big mouth can't help but say a few words, in the past ten years, I still insist on eating brain platinum every day before going to bed, 18 years, lie to you I am a puppy..."
Subsequently, the CFDA also said that the results of the study on melatonin toxicology showed that no clear toxicity problem of melatonin was found, and moderate consumption of melatonin products would not cause harm to human health.
It is known that melatonin is a compound containing indole rings. Studies on the biological function of melatonin at home and abroad have shown that it has the functions of regulating biorhythms and improving sleep.
Source: Taobao
However, consumers do not seem to be willing to pay for it, after all, the price of brain platinum as a health product is not cheap.
In the official flagship store of the golden partner Taobao, the price of 20-day brain platinum before the event is 347 yuan, and the price after the event is also 240 yuan, in addition to the main component of the capsule is melatonin, the main component of the oral liquid is oligosaccharides, and the actual price of both is not expensive. Therefore, some consumers said that if they only want to supplement these two substances, there are more and more affordable ways.
After ingredient controversy and marketing controversy, coupled with consumers' choice of health care products in recent years, the former cerebral platinum has slowly stepped down from the altar, and the "golden age" of cerebral platinum is gone.
In recent years, Giant Group has not disclosed any sales data about brain platinum, and the most recent sales data on brain platinum is still 7 years ago. In September 2016, Cerebral Platinum announced on its official website that its cumulative sales had reached 460 million bottles.
Shi Yuzhu himself is still "standing" for the brain platinum. On December 6, 2019, at the 30th anniversary celebration of Giant Group, Shi Yuzhu said: "From the first day of the brain platinum on the market, that is, from the second half of 1997 to today, I have been eating brain platinum every day, and many people say that brain platinum is a lie, which is a great wrong. ”
(iii)
Brain platinum, why is it difficult to do business for young people?
The decline in sales of brain platinum is ultimately due to the increasing prominence of brand aging.
In recent years, Brain Platinum is also trying to rejuvenate the brand, and is moving closer to young people in terms of products and marketing.
In March 2022, Brain Platinum officially announced its youthful brand "Brain Platinum+", which is aimed at young people and focuses on health food.
At the same time, "Brain Platinum +" also launched three major products, "Sleep Well 9", "Big Mouth 7" and "Vitality 8", respectively, starting from the sleep management, physical management and body management that young people pay attention to, and advocating "new forces for health preservation".
At the marketing level, Brain Platinum has successively cooperated with the popular UP master of Station B to carry out public welfare; On the eve of Sleep Day in 2022, it also cooperated with NetEase Cloud Music LOOK Live to create sleep music; Younger peripherals are also emerging: smile series hoodies, hats, eye patches, etc...
In addition, on November 11, 2022, Brain Platinum also opened the country's first coffee shop "Brain Platinum + Café" in Shanghai, wanting to seek brand renewal through coffee.
However, even if Brain Platinum uses a set of combination punches, young people still seem to be unwilling to pay.
Judging from the sales data of the official flagship store of the golden partner Tmall, up to now, the sales of these products are only double-digits, and the overall has not stirred up too much market waves.
Source: Taobao
The reason why brain platinum is difficult to be sought after by young people, on the one hand, from the perspective of industry competition, the health care products industry in the mainland is now fiercely competitive, and everyone is engaged in research and development, marketing, and playing concepts, so the industry is very involuted; On the other hand, the problem of aging brain platinum brands still exists, and the brand image established in the minds of consumers is difficult to change in the short term.
brief summary
The former brain platinum accurately grasped the gift giving complex of the Chinese people and opened up its own market space. However, with the changes in the market environment and user demand, the once explosive brain platinum has also begun to fall into trouble.
In recent years, companies want to survive through youthful transformation, but there are still many tough battles to be fought around products and brands.
Red Star News reporter Liu Yao
Edited by Yu Dongmei
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