On May 10, the signing ceremony for the official exclusive supplier of the 31st Summer Universiade and new product launch was successfully held. At the event, Blue Moon announced that it would become the official exclusive supplier for the 31st Summer Universiade and launched a significant new product: Blue Moon Sports Laundry Detergent. As an industry leader, what is noteworthy about sponsoring a world-class sports event and launching a new sports laundry detergent? What makes this new product special? New Distribution, as an observer of industry channels, will interpret this first product focused on sweat scenarios in the laundry field from a channel distribution perspective, examining market demand and future prospects. ****Removing sweat odor is becoming a necessity in laundry At the launch event, Blue Moon's Zeng Liqun stated that with societal development, sports have become a lifestyle, and more people are participating in physical activities and fitness routines. Blue Moon noticed that sweat odor has become a major pain point in clothing care that remains unresolved. Beyond sports, there are many daily scenarios involving sweating, such as commuting and shopping, covering all aspects of life. After identifying this need, Blue Moon leveraged its professional advantages in the washing field to develop this new product that removes and inhibits sweat odor, achieving "sweat without lingering odor." From a distributor's perspective, in an era of product surplus and homogeneity, whether a new product is good and has potential to become a hit depends first on whether it has a selling point. Undoubtedly, Blue Moon's sports laundry detergent has strong selling points. The scenarios behind sports are diverse, not just exercise-induced sweating; in real life, "sweating" scenarios are countless, as mentioned above, including commuting, shopping, and even outdoor work. Meanwhile, as consumers pursue a quality life, removing sweat odor is a genuine need for many consumer groups. In the eyes of channel merchants, a good product has distinctive selling points that are easy to perceive and remember, making it easier to persuade consumers to purchase. Looking back at traditional laundry detergents, the focus seems to be on the product's inherent value: "What do I have? My product is good, with raw materials, ingredients, technology, etc." However, in a consumer-centric market environment, why consumers need it and what problems it solves are key to a new product's success. Sports laundry detergent removes and inhibits sweat odor. It is simple and direct, with high alignment between product recognition and usage scenarios. For channel merchants, the key to solving current business difficulties is to have a good product, which is not only of high quality, strong function, and good appearance but also meets new demands, faces less market competition, and has selling points. ****Behind the sports craze, sports laundry detergent may become a new blue ocean With product strength established, consider the timing of market entry. Whether a new product is in a market's growth phase or decline phase is crucial for trend research. As channel merchants say, "Products shouldn't be sold for just a year or two before consumers abandon them due to consumption upgrades." Look at the present: from the Winter Olympics to Liu Genghong's "Herbal Classic" shuttlecock exercise music driving a home fitness trend, and then to the Universiade, whether it's societal promotion of sports and fitness or individual health awareness, "revenge exercise" is sweeping the nation. Additionally, consider two platform data sets. Douyin's March report, "Douyin Sports and Fitness Report," showed that the number of sports and fitness videos increased by 134% year-on-year in 2021. The average annual active users of online fitness members and fitness content in China increased from about 1.4 million in 2016 to 138 million in 2021, demonstrating consumer enthusiasm. Furthermore, JD.com big data shows that during the Spring Festival alone, sales of jump ropes increased by 56% year-on-year, dumbbells by 60%, resistance bands by 109%, rowing machines by 134%, and self-operated yoga mats by as much as 150%. Frankly, sports have transformed from the past "professional sport" perception to a "lifestyle," moving toward the general public and becoming a social consensus. A consulting firm survey found that 91% of Chinese respondents said "paying attention to personal health" will always be part of their lifestyle, and Chinese consumers mainly embrace a healthier lifestyle through two avenues: increasing indoor exercise and choosing safer, healthier diets. Whether from consumption data or social phenomena, sports have become a certain, permanent, and irreversible trend. Sports apparel, food, and beverages are now ubiquitous. Naturally, sports laundry is an inevitable outcome of this trend. The sports washing market may be the next blue ocean in the fiercely competitive daily chemical market. From a distributor's perspective, most products only make money when timing is right; entering too early means the trend hasn't arrived, making consumer education difficult. Only by operating appropriate products at the right time can sales be effective. When a trend emerges, it is the best time window and a business opportunity to capture new demand. It is foreseeable that with the launch of sports laundry detergent, the market will soon see a wave of consumption. ****Brand assurance is the foundation for product sales After a product has sufficiently differentiated selling points and aligns with current and future trends, the remaining and most important factor is the enterprise's strength behind the product and its commitment to it. Blue Moon needs no further elaboration. In 2008, it pioneered China's laundry detergent era; in 2011, it launched a hand-washing-specific detergent; in 2015, it introduced the first metered pump-head "Concentrated+" laundry detergent, Machine Wash Supreme, leading the industry into the concentrated era; and in 2018, it launched Supreme Biotechnology Laundry Detergent, further promoting industry concentration upgrades. From nothing to something, from "washing powder" to "laundry detergent," from "ordinary laundry detergent" to "concentrated laundry detergent," two leapfrog upgrades represent vertical product upgrades; from more to better, from underwear detergent to sports detergent, horizontal product innovation. This fully demonstrates Blue Moon's R&D capabilities and quality assurance. Of course, another point that channel merchants care most about when a leading brand launches a new product is whether sufficient support will be given in the future and whether it is a core strategic product. Although we cannot know internally, the sponsorship of the Universiade and the high-profile launch of sports laundry detergent at the event indicate Blue Moon's emphasis. Simply put, "Whether deliberate or following the trend, with such a big move, Blue Moon certainly has high hopes." Summary: From a distributor's perspective, evaluating whether a new product has potential involves four aspects: First, brand strength: Does the manufacturer have strength and industry leadership? Second, product strength: Does it have selling points and solve real user pain points? Third, market timing: What are the current and future trends for category demand? Fourth, resource support: Can the manufacturer provide sufficient resources and support to bridge consumer pain points and product reach? Based on these four points, Blue Moon's sports laundry detergent clearly possesses all of them. The next step is to wait for the market and await good news! Are you "watching" me?