Lei Jun's Xiaomi company not only makes mobile phones, but also has a group of fanatical supporters known as "rice fans." These rice noodles are well-known for their loyalty to the Xiaomi brand. From heated social media feuds to open brand rivalries, a litany of incidents has put both Xiaomi and Mifen on the cusp.
The origin of the matter can be traced back to Xiaomi's latest released car - Xiaomi SU7. As soon as the car was released, it attracted a lot of attention, not only because of its performance parameters, but also because of the personal charm of Lei Jun, the CEO, and the enthusiastic support of rice fans.
Just when everyone was commenting on this new car, the famous car critic Chen Zhen had a fierce conflict with Lei Jun because of some comments about SU7 and 800 yuan of labor fees.
Chen Zhen originally had a close relationship with Lei Jun, and the two had a good time, and some technical details and performance evaluations about SU7 made their relationship instantly tense.
Chen Zhen openly questioned the SU7's acceleration performance calculation method on his Weibo, an act that immediately sparked strong dissatisfaction from rice fans. They believe that Chen Zhen is making trouble, and even deliberately slander Xiaomi's brand image.
The reaction from the rice fans was so fierce that they flocked to Chen's social media, leaving a flood of heated and even personal comments. The situation quickly escalated, and Chen Zhen's Weibo became a battlefield.
At the same time as the Chen Zhen incident is fermenting, another public relations crisis for Xiaomi is also brewing. At a product launch event of Zhiji Automobile, Zhiji incorrectly marked the performance parameters of the Xiaomi SU7.
The confrontation between Xiaomi and Zhiji is not only a business competition between the two companies, but also a contest of brand loyalty and corporate image management. In this contest, both sides are trying to use social media to win public support, while also exposing the challenge of how to remain fair and rational in the fierce competition of business.
The presence of rice fans is a double-edged sword for the Xiaomi brand, which can be both a supporting force and a negative impact. Brands need to be more cautious and strategic in their interactions with fans to avoid letting emotional actions damage the brand's long-term image.
Throughout this process, we have also witnessed the power of social media. How does it quickly amplify the incident, so that what might have been a topic of discussion on a small scale quickly escalates to the focus of heated discussions on the whole network. This is a phenomenon that needs to be valued and learned by any enterprise and individual.