Click 'Read Original' for details. Manufacturers rack their brains to give products 'strange names' just to make consumers 'take a second look.' 'Xiao Xiao Huo,' 'Li Zhi Soda,' 'Ci Ning Ji'... In this summer's beverage market, these names can truly be described as 'bizarre.' A closer look reveals that 'Xiao Xiao Huo' is just a plum juice drink, 'Li Zhi' is a homophone for 'lychee,' and the odd-sounding 'Ci Ning Ji' is simply a newly developed lemon drink under the Wanglaoji brand. Manufacturers go to great lengths to name their products, all in an effort to make consumers 'take a second look.' Racking Brains to 'Name' for Attention Recently, a Beijing Youth Daily reporter visited supermarkets and noticed a herbal tea called 'Xiao Xiao Huo' prominently displayed in 'end-cap' displays, attracting attention with its 'fire extinguisher' packaging. In the beverage section of a supermarket in Fangzhuang, a row of red 'fire extinguishers' was very eye-catching, and staff were frequently restocking. The 500ml 'Xiao Xiao Huo' plum plant drink sells for 12.5 yuan per bottle. A store employee said, 'This is a new product that just arrived; it's been selling very fast these days, so we have to restock often. The name is catchy, and the fire extinguisher shape is unique. People buy it to try, and the bottle can be given to kids to play with.' The reporter noted that this product is essentially a 'plum juice' drink; the name 'Xiao Xiao Huo' might be a clever 'clickbait' joke on consumers. Carbonated Drinks No Longer Dominant With increased purchasing power and health awareness, more young consumers are seeking alternatives to carbonated drinks. The reporter's market survey found that in major supermarkets and convenience stores, carbonated drinks like Coke and Sprite are no longer in the 'C-position' in beverage coolers; instead, sparkling water, tea drinks, sports drinks, herbal tea, and coffee now fill entire coolers. For example, in convenience stores like 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Bianlifeng, there are several types of sparkling water, including 'internet-famous' brands like Genki Forest and Erchang Soda, as well as high-end sparkling natural mineral water like Perrier, with prices ranging from 5 to 12 yuan. 'The best-selling product this year is a white peach-flavored sparkling water, promoted by many internet celebrities for its '0 sugar, 0 calories, 0 fat' gimmick,' said a convenience store manager. Sales of this sparkling water series have nearly tripled compared to last year. She believes the popularity of sparkling water is related to changes in young people's lifestyles; they are increasingly health-conscious and may prefer low-sugar, low-calorie products. According to the recently released '2019 China Beverage and Cold Drink Industry Annual Report,' the industry showed signs of recovery in 2019, with health, high-end, and functional drinks becoming trends, and quality and brand becoming top choices for consumers. Consumers' demand for functionality is also becoming more evident. Weird Flavors to 'Make People Take a Second Look' To 'make consumers take a second look,' manufacturers are also going to great lengths. A lychee-flavored soda is named 'Li Zhi Soda' (homophone for 'inspirational'), Mizone has added 'cactus' flavor, and coconut and pineapple are 'wonderfully' mixed together... 'After drinking cucumber-lime and cactus flavors, I feel I can accept any strange flavor Mizone comes up with,' said one netizen, expressing that they are no longer surprised by Mizone's odd flavors. According to a supermarket beverage promotion staff member, many major brands are developing new products to capture market share, and this summer alone, supermarkets have introduced over a dozen new beverage products. Additionally, convenience store channels have even more new drinks, with some products updating faster than supermarkets. Three New Attributes of 'Hit' Beverages In response to these new phenomena in the beverage market, Zhu Danpeng, a Chinese food industry analyst, stated that China's beverage industry exceeds one trillion yuan in scale. The 'hit' beverages of 2019 will simultaneously possess three new attributes: first, health, nutrition, no additives, and high-end; second, cute, interesting, and adorable; third, entertainment-oriented, fan-based, differentiated, and childlike. Whoever possesses all three attributes will be the market winner. Source: Beijing Youth Daily