The second-hand market has seen a surge in 'CCD camera fever,' the new generation loves vaporwave songs, and classics like 'My Own Swordsman' and 'Empresses in the Palace' are endlessly rewatched. For many consumers, memory is the shortest emotional path to the heart, and there are always those willing to pay for nostalgia. Now, some classic flavors regarded as 'white moonlight' are returning to the public eye through a bold move by Master Kong. On November 14, Master Kong launched the 'White Moonlight Return Plan,' opening a voting campaign for the return of over 200 classic products. In no time, a variety of familiar flavors, accompanied by the hashtag #白月光回归计划# , quickly trended on social media, activating the 'taste memories' of countless consumers. Many netizens began reminiscing about the good times these classic instant noodle flavors brought, with fans enthusiastically commenting: 'Does no one remember Master Kong's legendary oil chili sauce from over a decade ago?' and 'I can't help but miss the pork rib noodles.' Screenshot source: Weibo blogger @刚刚 Last month, the return of 'Black and White Pepper Noodles ' and 'Mianba ' sparked a wave of 'youth is back' discussions. This time, the 'White Moonlight Return Plan' followed closely, further activating emotions through a user co-creation mechanism. However, Master Kong's series of moves is clearly not just about 'nostalgia consumption '. How does classic reproduction activate emotional and commercial potential? 1. Emotional Activation: From Black and White Pepper Noodles to the White Moonlight Return Plan In recent years, the nostalgia trend has been heating up in the consumer market, driven not only by consumers' emotional needs but also by broader social and cultural trends. Many people are seeking familiar symbols from their memories to soothe the stress and anxiety of fast-paced life. This trend reflects consumers' desire for 'certainty,' and those brands and classic products that once accompanied their growth naturally become bridges connecting emotion and memory. 'Black and White Pepper Noodles,' as one of Master Kong's most representative innovations, caused a stir in 2016 with its unique flavor and bold packaging, only to fade from the market in 2021. 'Mianba,' on the other hand, returned to the market after a decade-long hiatus. These moves not only satisfy consumers' nostalgic needs for classic products but also demonstrate Master Kong's keen insight into market trends. Leveraging the 'Double 11' marketing node, Master Kong launched the Black and White Pepper and Mianba products on JD.com on October 16. This strategy not only established opportunities for deep dialogue with consumers but also strengthened the emotional connection between the brand and its consumers. According to statistics, during the Double 11 period, the Weibo topic #黑白胡椒霸气回归# garnered over 10 million reads, and the products became bestsellers on e-commerce platforms as soon as they launched. After receiving positive market feedback, Master Kong quickly followed up with the 'White Moonlight Return Plan.' This time, Master Kong opened voting for over 200 classic products, and consumers immediately expressed their anticipation for the return of these classics, evoking deep brand emotions. Screenshot source: Weibo blogger @刚刚 comment section As of the time of writing, Master Kong's White Moonlight Return campaign received over 600,000 votes from consumers within one week, with consumers visibly choosing to pay for their activated nostalgia. Although Master Kong has not yet announced when the voted products will return to the market, there is reason to believe that these consumers who are willing to vote for nostalgia will also be willing to generously order the 'white moonlight' products when they return to the shelves. 2. Commercial Potential: Stock Activation and Incremental Expansion As a 'leading player' in the instant food market, the instant noodle category has always been at the forefront in terms of new product launches. According to statistics from the FMCG big data agency '马上赢,' as of Q3 2024, the instant noodle category has launched 1,574 new products this year, a number that other categories cannot match, highlighting the intense competition in the instant noodle market. Image source: 36Kr, 马上赢情报站 Against the backdrop of 'fierce competition in new products,' Master Kong's classic reproduction strategy is far more than a 'one-time nostalgia consumption.' Behind it, a clear dual strategy of 'stock activation ' and 'incremental expansion ' is evident. In terms of stock activation, classic products like 'Black and White Pepper Noodles' are undoubtedly the most representative case. Launched in 2016, the Black and White Pepper Noodles quickly won over a group of consumers with their stylish black-and-white design and rich pepper flavor. However, due to a short product life cycle, they were discontinued, leaving many with regret. For this revival, Master Kong not only retained the familiar flavor but also optimized the packaging design and formula to better align with current consumers' pursuit of 'quality ' and 'health .' For example, the upgraded Black and White Pepper Noodles feature a Chinese-style simmered broth, black/white pepper in the noodle cake, and over 20 black and white pepper meatballs in the cup. This not only brought back old users with emotional memories of the product but also turned the classic into 'social currency ' through emotional dissemination on social platforms, further expanding its influence. In terms of incremental expansion, Black and White Pepper brings a fresh twist to the 'nationwide chili craze' market. Unlike the common spicy, mala, sour-spicy, and sweet-spicy flavors, Black and White Pepper Noodles attack the taste buds of young chili lovers with a 'pungent spice ,' injecting new vitality into the 'hot and spicy ' food market. In the voting return list, New Distribution also observed the presence of the '千椒百味 ' series. Originally a regional flavor limited to Central China, the '千椒百味' series focuses on 'gathering the world's chili aromas and spiciness,' offering a differentiation from common spicy products on the market. If it successfully returns, it is believed to inject new vitality into spicy foods and attract young consumers seeking novelty. These diverse categories echo the classic products in the 'White Moonlight Return' plan, from 'Black and White Pepper Noodles ' to 'Spicy Braised Beef Noodles ' to 'American Ginseng and Black Chicken Flavor Noodles .' By revitalizing the brand assets of these classic flavors regarded as 'white moonlight,' Master Kong is simultaneously igniting a market nostalgia craze and expanding into younger, more diverse consumer groups. Digital Synergy: How to Add Wings to Classic Reproduction? 1. JD.com Collaboration: Strong Alliance for a Seamless Shopping Experience During last year's Double 11, Master Kong partnered with Tmall Super Brand Day to launch the first-ever 'cross-brand co-branded product' 'Iced Black Tea Flavored Braised Beef Noodles' , which sold 1,000 sets within 5 minutes of launch and sold out within half an hour, sparking heated discussions and quickly becoming a hit. This Double 11, Master Kong chose JD.com as the launch platform for the 'Black and White Pepper's Grand Return.' Through the collaboration with JD.com, Master Kong significantly strengthened its deep penetration into Tencent's ecosystem. From my observation, on Tencent platforms such as QQ Browser, Tencent Video, and Tencent News, the frequency of Black and White Pepper advertisements has noticeably increased. Additionally, when opening iQiyi and Douyin during meal times, I frequently saw Master Kong's splash screen ads. It is understood that JD.com, as the main platform for this campaign, used its powerful big data capabilities to outline the consumer profile for Master Kong's core categories, from purchasing habits to taste preferences, helping the brand achieve precise product push and marketing content customization. JD.com's reverse customization model (C2M), based on data insights, helps Master Kong accurately grasp consumer needs and, leveraging the e-commerce ecosystem's traffic-driving capabilities, converts emotional value into actual sales. This model not only improves sales efficiency but also deepens the connection between the brand and consumers. For users with fixed instant noodle consumption patterns, JD.com captures the price bands of different consumers' long-term purchases, precisely pushes corresponding Master Kong promotions, and pairs them with platform coupons—a smooth set of tactics that has undoubtedly helped Master Kong reach many consumers' shopping carts and even delivery boxes. 2. Content is King: From Interest Exposure to Conversion Currently, Generation Z is leading the charge in instant noodle consumption. While ordering on e-commerce platforms, they are keen on 'meme-driven consumption '—whether it's the 'first cup of milk tea in autumn' trending on the day of Liqiu or 'scallion and preserved egg tarts,' using content to activate interest and drive purchases has become a proven conversion secret for brands. Beyond JD.com, Master Kong has also demonstrated a deep layout in content marketing across multiple platforms, creating content that resonates emotionally with consumers and enhancing the brand's cultural connection. For example, on Douyin, Master Kong's Black and White Pepper 'pungent literature ' fermented on social media, attracting many KOLs to self-propagate and create derivative content. Workplace burnout complaints, couples bickering, and other scenarios of 'pungent literature' spread the emotion and the exciting, punchy selling point of Black and White Pepper Noodles, achieving breakout through memes and triggering emotional resonance. On Weibo, trending topics focused on emotional discussions. The first wave of the return of Black and White Pepper Noodles and Mianba generated emotional discussions, strengthening social buzz. The second wave guided consumers to participate in voting, enhancing their sense of participation and the satisfaction of helping 'white moonlight' products return. Finally, through the organic combination of e-commerce platforms and social media, Master Kong has built a complete marketing loop from 'content resonance' to 'consumer action.' From Nostalgia to Growth Momentum: Systematic Operation of Brand Assets From a third-party perspective, Master Kong's 'White Moonlight Return' case provides new ideas for brand operations in the FMCG industry. Its core lies in integrating emotional value, digital capabilities, and commercial innovation. This strategy not only enhances the brand's market competitiveness but also offers the industry a new growth approach. On one hand, by reproducing classic IPs and incorporating contemporary consumption trends, Master Kong extends the lifecycle of its brand assets while meeting the emotional expectations of old users and the diverse needs of new users. For example, the revival of 'Black and White Pepper Noodles' evokes nostalgia while enhancing dialogue with younger consumers through flavor innovation and packaging design. It is worth mentioning that this return plan covers over 200 products, encompassing the taste memories of multiple generations of consumers, showcasing Master Kong's product advantages accumulated over years of market cultivation. As a leader in the FMCG industry, Master Kong has a strong product asset base, which is a core barrier that other brands cannot easily replicate. Thus, behind the reproduction of classics is not just a short-term marketing tactic for a hit product, but a brand asset reshaping project. On the other hand, digital and platform synergy constructs a new growth model. Through deep collaboration between e-commerce platforms and social media, Master Kong uses big data to precisely depict consumer profiles, achieving more targeted marketing placements and providing insights for category innovation. This series of practices demonstrates that the stock value of a brand is no longer limited to product reproduction, but extends through technology empowerment and emotional connection to achieve chain-like value expansion, serving as an important reference for innovative operations in the FMCG industry. Conclusion Currently, the FMCG industry is gradually entering a new stage of 'brand return ' and 'customer orientation .' Against the backdrop of diminishing traffic dividends, Master Kong has explored a growth path of 'classic + innovation + digitalization' by deeply mining its own brand assets: from reviving nostalgia to activate the stock market, to expanding increment through innovative strategies, to precise full-domain marketing, completing the leap from emotional connection to a commercial closed loop. This exploration is not only a successful practice of brand rejuvenation in FMCG but also provides the industry with new growth ideas.