In recent years, with the coming of IP marketing boom, the big IPs representing “high popularity and high revenue” have become an essential marketing element of Internet enterprise.

 

This summer, the hottest IP was definitely the “World Cup”. After all, the World Cup is a super IP that is the most mature, most profitable and most influential among all sports events.

 

In June this year, depending on the “World Cup”, the snacks brand BESTORE launched the cold pot skewers called “Lulabei” customized for soccer fans which can be held in hands. 

 

Depending on big and hot IPs to enhance product identity 

 

Centering on big IPs to enhance product identity is what BESTORE has adhered to from beginning 

 

Duan Wen, the brand director of BESTORE introduced that IP is generally divided into three types: the first is cartoons, such as Peppa Pig and Angry Birds; the second is films and TV series, such as Mr. Right and The Flame’s Daughter; the third is hot events, such as Marathon and World Cup. 

 

 

Why did “Lulabei” choose World Cup? 

 

Because the World Cup is hot enough, and it fits perfectly with the product’s usage scenarios and design elements. 

 

“Spicy is its most intuitive feeling, and the World Cup nights are inseparable from skewers.” Duan Wen introduced the origin of the name “Lulabei”. 

 

This “Lulabei” is an instant snack that BESTORE has created in a year. 

 

On account of the night-time watching scene during the World Cup, BESTORE has chosen a 170-gram “paper cup” package for “Lulabei”, which is convenient for eating at night. 

 

 

However, the “World Cup theme” is just one attempt of BESTORE. 

 

In the first half of this year, the online series The Flame’s Daughter began to broadcast, becoming the broadcast champion in the first quarter with 6 billion view counts. In it, the love token of the hero and heroine was Frozen Greengage produced by BESTORE. 

 

“The embedded marketing of snacks should not be done in traditional ways that are simple and crude, but should be implanted subtly and softly combining with the plot and scene.” said Duan Wen. He believes that the integration of subject tonality and strategy is essential when using IPs. 

 

Then, is it worth to develop customized products for the big IP? Duan Wen’s answer is yes. 

 

“To develop heavily customized product has certain risks, but the health attributes of Frozen Greengage plus the appealing content of The Flame’s Daughter, we think it will be loved by consumers.” 

 

 

He believes that the appeal and recognition of big IPs cannot be underestimated. To develop products combining a good IP can enhance the product’s life cycle and brand value, and can also derivative product categories. 

 

“Peppa pig on bodies, big hand to rowdies.” In the first half of 2018, the figure of “Peppa Pig” that became a hit overnight swept through major shopping malls, and BESTORE also became the exclusive sales channel for the web star watch of Peppa Pig. 

 

 

Whether it will be the hot cake is one of the most important factors in screening and predicting an IP. In addition to the above hot IPs, BESTORE has also reserved dozens of IPs for use. 

 

Regarding the successful use of a big IP, product sales is the most straightforward consideration. Duan Wen said that they would estimate similar products and measure the conversion efficiency, and generally only reaching 120% could be viewed as achieving the goal. 

 

The new retail and big IPs are supplementary to each other 

 

People often say that the new retail is a redefinition of people, goods, and scenes, in which people are the center. Stores should be located where people are concentrated; retailers should also supply goods based on people’s needs and preferences. 

 

For the new retail industry, promotion activities based on IP+ offline stores are not unusual: the well-known original comic platform “U17”, together with Yonghui Superstores, launched the theme event combining with the popular comic IP School Shock; JD’s 7FRESH and Guangwei Theatre jointly launched the first immersive modern drama of fresh food called Zhaohua Xishi; Hou Yi, the CEO of Hema Supermarket even said, “Location is not important to us because Hema Supermarket itself is a big IP.” 

 

Then how does BESTORE, who is reputed as a new retail pioneer by the industry, combine IP-related products with the new retail? 

 

“By combining the big data with IP customization, BESTORE develops products using new retail methods and firmly targets the potential consumer group.” 

 

In the early years, BESTORE used digital information to connect online and offline stores and achieve a complete tracking of consumer behaviors. In this way, it can more clearly understand the inner needs of consumers, reconstruct the “consumers, goods and shops” centering on consumer demands, and finally improve the business operation efficiency featuring “consumer experience-oriented”. 

 

Through the big data of consumption, companies can accurately understand the behaviors and preferences of core consumer groups and segment consumer scenarios before developing new products. Further, IP customization is like giving the product a specific label, which will make the product more easily identified and accepted by the target customers. 

 

Duan Wen said that BESTORE mainly integrated food into social scenes, and created exclusive activities depending on big IPs and its own characteristics to enhance the shopping experience, thus realizing the sinking of retail channels and digital transformation and upgrading of the brand. 

 

“In turn, the data will affect our selection and way of display. For example, to promote the TV series snacks, BESTORE will set up the sofa scene in the store and put on snacks that consumers like most when watching TV series.” 

 

Taking Ode to Joy II as an example, BESTORE will provide shopping guides in the store based on the plot and character images, and set DIY window display and three-dimensional theme and special cabinets for different store types. 

 

The scene layout of “Lulabei” was equally eye-catching: BESTORE will set up a watching area in a large flagship store with an area larger than 100 square meters, where customers can play H5 Games online or play football directly. 

 

According to Duan Wen, the efficiency is an advantage; while improving the quality of service, the new retail has also improved the feedback mechanism for the store’s pain points. 

 

In 2018, BESTORE’s omni-channel sales exceeded RMB 265 million yuan during the 618 Shopping Carnival. Behind the number was BESTORE’s further updating of diversified application scenarios of the new retail. 

 

It can be said that for BESTORE, this year’s 618 Shopping Carnival was not only a big promotion, but also a test site for the new retail and a new port for precision marketing.