Recently, the well-known domestic milk tea brand Xiangpiaopiao has sparked heated discussions because of the launch of product packaging with the theme of "irony of the sun". Can this kind of "satirical" behavior really arouse the public's patriotic enthusiasm, or is it simply using patriotic feelings for marketing hype?
On the evening of May 6, Hu Xijin, a well-known commentator, issued an article on this matter to clarify the facts and put forward his views. He pointed out that Xiang Piaopiao's use of the theme of satirical Japanese for commercial promotion is essentially "making money", which is no different from "Internet celebrity rumors" and should be vigilant.
Hu Xijin said in an article that Xiang Piaopiao's use of satirical product packaging does not have any substantive significance, but is a form taken for commercial marketing. He criticized Xiang Piaopiao's move as "fooling the public", "pretending to be a hard lever" and "deceiving consumers", which were purely for commercial purposes.
Different from the popular view of "supporting domestic production and satirizing Japan" in the discussion among netizens, Hu Xijin started from the matter itself, he pointed out that the impact of Xiang Piaopiao's move on Japan is actually zero, and it cannot arouse the public's patriotic enthusiasm, but is a marketing tactic.
Hu Xijin also linked Xiang Piaopiao's "sarcastic day" behavior with the popular "primary school students picking up homework books" Internet celebrity incident. He believes that both are essentially fabricated content for the purpose of obtaining commercial benefits, which has no practical significance, and is an "influencer marketing" method to mislead the public. This argument immediately sparked widespread discussion.
Many netizens agreed with Hu Xijin's opinion. They point out that using patriotic feelings for commercial propaganda, rather than motivated by sincere criticism of Japan, is essentially "exploiting" and "misleading" the public. Some netizens also pointed out that Xiang Piaopiao's move does not have any real pressure on Japan, and the impact it can bring to Japan depends on our country's overall national strength, rather than the business behavior of individual enterprises.
There are also netizens who have different views. They believe that as a domestic brand, Xiangpiaopiao's use of satirical packaging to show its support for the national position should be praised. Moreover, as a commercial enterprise, it is a common practice to use hot topics for business promotion, and there is no problem at all. They criticized Mr. Hu as being "too harsh."
Hu Xijin's views remind us not to assume that certain "satirical" behaviors are sincere patriotic expressions overnight. As a commercial brand, we need to distinguish between a sincere patriotic stance and a purely commercial operation when marketing with public sentiment. Only when actions conform to the facts and sincerely convince the masses can we win the recognition and support of the broad masses.
If some marketing behaviors only stay on the surface of "sarcasm" and "support for domestic production", and their actual purpose is only to obtain commercial benefits, then this practice may inevitably be criticized by public opinion. It is difficult for the public to judge the true intentions of a company, and if the original purpose is to "exploit" and "mislead" the public, it will seriously damage the credibility of the company.
If enterprises express their sincere support for the country through actions, such as long-term support for the development of domestic alternative imports, injecting resources into domestic scientific and technological innovation and manufacturing, and even calling for a level playing field on the international stage, such behavior will be more easily accepted by society. In the long run, it is possible for a company to establish a truly reliable brand image in the eyes of the public.
There is also a view that as a commercial enterprise, it is understandable to use hot events for commercial promotion. But we cannot ignore the fact that in a particular historical period, the public's concern for national feelings is so sensitive.
If the marketing strategy uses this to create a topic, and the actual action lacks seriousness and persistence, it will inevitably lead to the suspicion of "eating inside and out". It's also not good for the sustainability of the business.
If companies want to win the trust of the public in the long term, it is better to show their loyalty and dedication to the country through actions, rather than stop at temporary bluffing. Only by being sincere, can the marketing strategy stand up and withstand the scrutiny of all walks of life, which is the smart way of marketing.