NEW DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH TOPIC
How can brands grow beyond price competition?
Evidence and cases on product strategy, category innovation, marketing, and channel coordination in China’s consumer market.
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4701 articles · Page 158 of 196
In the Post-Depth-Distribution Era, FMCG Enterprises Think and Change
There are no successful enterprises, only those that keep pace with the times. In an era of rapid change and uncertainty, FMCG companies must embrace change and adopt lean marketing. This article reviews the three historical stages of China's FMCG marketing and proposes three system upgrades for the post-depth-distribution era.
陆兴元After Two Failed IPO Attempts, Can Xiangpiaopiao, Whose Cups Circle the Globe Four Times, Still Be Saved?
This article examines the challenges facing Xiangpiaopiao, a leading Chinese cup milk tea brand, after two failed IPO attempts. Despite its early success and market dominance, the company struggles with high advertising costs, a single-product strategy, channel attrition, and intense competition, raising questions about its future viability.
胡二伙China Resources Beer, Now Fully Owned, Kicks Off M&A Spree with €5 Billion Bid for Eastern European Brands
According to Reuters, five bidders, including China Resources, have advanced to the second round of bidding for SABMiller's Central European beer brands, with offers exceeding €5 billion (approximately RMB 36.82 billion). The assets include Czech Pilsner Urquell and Polish Tyskie and Lech, and other bidders include Asahi Group Holdings, Bain Capital, Advent International, PPF Group, and Jacobs Holding AG.
界面新闻Marketing Executives Talk (16): How to Communicate with Key Distributors?
Business executives often need to establish contact with key distributors and communicate with them at appropriate times. However, distributors are normally visited by sales representatives, so what should executives pay attention to when interacting with them? How can executives control most of the market by managing the 20% key distributors? Key distributors have a different mindset from ordinary ones, and executives may feel cautious when dealing with them. Therefore, thorough mental and material preparation is essential before such visits.
谭长春A 6-Yuan Donkey-Hide Gelatin Snack, Sold in Only 3 Cities in Shandong, Achieves Daily Sales of 100,000!
In 2016, the FMCG industry faced significant challenges, with major brands like Wahaha and JDB being hit by negative news. Amidst this, a donkey-hide gelatin snack from Shandong, priced at 6 yuan per stick, has become a phenomenon, selling 100,000 units daily in just three cities, driven by its appeal to young women and its value proposition.
New DistributionSales Reps, Tell Your Boss Why CRM Is Useless for You!
Despite the recent buzz around new CRM products from major vendors, salespeople remain indifferent because current CRM tools are management-focused rather than performance-enhancing. Salespeople need a system that genuinely helps them generate results, not just a monitoring tool.
谭长春Your Greatest Enemy Is Inertial Thinking
This article argues that many companies claim to be result-oriented but are actually method-oriented, relying on habitual approaches. It advocates a 'from results to methods' thinking model, illustrated by examples like Ford's pricing strategy and the construction of Nagoya Airport, to break free from inertial thinking and achieve goals more effectively.
小马宋Sales Exceeded 100 Million in 2015? Why Did He Avoid the 'Multi-Level Distribution' Path in WeChat Business?
China's WeChat business market was once extremely hot, with low entry barriers making it accessible to everyone. Amid the wave of mass entrepreneurship, recruiting WeChat sellers became a panacea. Driven by herd behavior and profit, a pyramid-like 'multi-level distribution' scheme was promoted. However, a Shandong company, instead of following this trend, leveraged its years of accumulation and local specialties in Dong'e Town, Pingyin County, to gather nearly a thousand WeChat sellers nationwide, creating a niche brand based on 'best friends' (闺蜜).
New DistributionClearing Bad Inventory: A Table and Ten Steps to Manage New Product Distribution!
In the daily operations of distributors, attention to the market front line often outweighs attention to the warehouse, leading to neglect of warehouse management. The author observes that inventory problems often surface suddenly, and once bad inventory appears, it directly drags down the profitability of trading companies. When distributors carefully count remaining stock and calculate its value at a price that can be digested, they find that the profit originally designed to be earned is exactly the value of the inventory. Therefore, any mishandling of inventory makes losses inevitable. How should we prevent inefficient management or even eliminate bad inventory to improve profitability? The author believes that instead of organizing large-scale promotions after the fact or negotiating returns with manufacturers, it is better to solve inventory management from the source, starting with distribution management.
于秀伟Procter & Gamble Is Overly "Talked Down"—The Problem Isn't That Serious
On August 10, Procter & Gamble, the world's largest advertiser, announced it would stop using targeted ads on Facebook due to limited effectiveness. Its CMO Marc Pritchard said the company hasn't reduced overall Facebook ad spend but has cut ads on small websites, shifting from targeted and small platforms to larger media. This reflects that targeted marketing in mass marketing has limited effect, and brands should focus on reaching all customers, especially light users, to grow their shopper base.
文森Everyone Knows Oishi, but Few Know Its Helmsman Carlos Chan
Carlos Chan, honorary chairman of Oishi Group and special envoy of the Philippine President to China, successfully introduced Oishi products to China and expanded into Southeast Asia. Known as 'Mr. Oishi' in the Philippines, he is also a philanthropist and advocate for Sino-Philippine relations.
张燕摄Huiwanghang: A Leader in the Regional FMCG Market - The Path of Shareholding Operation
Tangshan Huiwanghang Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. is a commercial distribution enterprise with 37 years of history, registered capital of 21 million yuan, and annual revenue of 250 million yuan. It was listed on the Shijiazhuang Equity Exchange in December 2015. Under the leadership of Chairman Li Guojie, the company has become a leading player in the FMCG distribution industry, with strong brand partnerships and a modern logistics center.
New DistributionThree Basic Principles for Marketing Personnel to Operate Terminals and Build Vivid Point-of-Sale Displays
Marketing has three transformations: terminal mediaization, sales communication, and PR implementation. These are the three basic principles for FMCG marketing personnel to operate terminal retail stores and build vivid point-of-sale displays. In increasingly fierce market competition, achieving these requires good customer relations and sufficient market expenses, but almost all sales personnel feel funds are insufficient. Fan Xianguo, chairman of Jinmailang, once joked: 'If I give 2 jin of beef with every pack of braised beef noodles, what do we need marketing personnel for?' Indeed, a marketing person's value lies in maximizing sales with minimal market resources.
张宇Marketing Supervisor Talk 14: How Can Business Supervisors Earn the Trust of Their Subordinates?
In an internal training session for marketing supervisors, the author posed the question of how to manage salespeople effectively, but was disappointed by the answers, which focused solely on control and punishment. The article argues that supervisors must take on multiple roles—leader, builder, responsibility-taker, pioneer, friend, conductor, supporter of informal groups, and guide for employee development—to earn subordinates' trust and support.
谭长春Off-Season Marketing Weapon: These "Warm Drinks" Heat Up Beverage Consumption!
On cold winter days, a warm beverage often stimulates consumers' purchasing desire. Starting from "Lulu should be drunk hot in winter," selling heated beverages in winter has become an opportunity for many companies to boost sales, and the term "warm drinks" has gradually spread. What exactly are "warm drinks"? Industry insiders say that beverages that can be heated externally to reach a temperature of around 45-65 degrees Celsius without changing their state or nutritional content are called "warm drinks." From the terminal perspective, "warm drinks" are products that have been heated in warm cabinets or warm pots and can be directly consumed, which can promote winter beverage sales to a certain extent.
New DistributionThe Revelation of Jianlibao: How a Can of Magic Water Lost Its Magic
The decline of Jianlibao can be attributed to internal management chaos and blind diversification, ultimately leading to organizational failure and the end of its glory.
New DistributionFood Lecture Hall | Distributors Operating Private Brands: Quick Money, Hard Brand Building
Distributors, as key links between manufacturers and consumers, are increasingly establishing their own brands to diversify profits and gain more control. However, experts debate whether this shift is sustainable, as it requires significant brand-building efforts and may face challenges in competing with established manufacturers.
李娅AB InBev's Craft Beer Sales Slow: Product Problem or Brand Problem?
Craft beer, which has been very popular in recent years, seems to be selling less well now, at least according to AB InBev. Recently, AB InBev stated that over a period of more than three months, the sales growth of their craft beer division has been slowing. The third-quarter earnings report also showed that AB InBev's sales in the U.S. market declined as a result. Their CEO Carlos Brito explained: "There are only so many shelves for craft beer, and the abundance of choices can attract some consumers to other options."
李莉蓉Is Low Price Really the Best Marketing Strategy?
In 2016, low-priced electric vehicles were a hot trend in the market. While brand companies were busy strengthening their core competitiveness and consolidating their market positions, low-price brands seemed unstoppable in capturing market share, leaving brand companies struggling to protect their interests. Some thus argue that 'low price is the best marketing,' but is that really true? Low price is often seen as a lifeline for the desperate.
New DistributionMarketing Executives Talk (13): How to Operate County and Township-Level Markets?
Due to China's market duality, the county and township-level FMCG market exhibits unique marketing methods. However, since China's marketing theories are entirely imported from the West, they are based on Western urban-rural integrated market operations and are largely inapplicable to county and township markets. As we have been focused on urban markets, we have not studied the practical foundations of county and township markets, so operating county and township-level FMCG in China is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, although research is just beginning, many enterprises have already been selling in these markets for years and have summarized some basic approaches and methods, some of which have produced unique market tactics. Therefore, it is feasible and necessary to summarize these experiences and apply existing marketing concepts to develop operational models with Chinese county and township market characteristics.
谭长春From Bricklayer to Industry Leader: 20+ Years of Entrepreneurship, Product Becomes 'State Banquet' Water
Zhong Shanshan, founder of Nongfu Spring, rose from humble beginnings as a bricklayer to become a leading figure in China's bottled water industry. His brand, known for the slogan 'Nongfu Spring is a little sweet,' gained national prominence and was served at the G20 Hangzhou Summit, showcasing Chinese manufacturing.
龙台In Defense of JDB: Is Industry 'Asking for Trouble' While Fighting Lawsuits?
A critique of a financial author's article claiming JDB's marketing myth has collapsed, arguing that the author lacks market and marketing experience and is gleefully ignorant. The piece defends JDB's innovations, its gold can rebranding, and its legal battles, while criticizing those who attribute its success solely to positioning.
蒋军Wen Dao Qi Wu: Everyone Knows Jing Jiu Tastes Good, But Do You Really Understand It?
After a decade of observing the health wine industry and a decade of pessimism about it, the author now offers an outsider's perspective on Jing Jiu. The article revisits the brand's rise from near-bankruptcy to over 8 billion yuan in annual sales, highlighting its strategic focus on a niche category, innovative health culture, and fast-moving consumer goods marketing tactics.
邹文武This Round of Consumption Upgrade May Disappoint You
This round of consumption upgrade, due to limited incremental growth, is not a carnival and requires more effort to sustain. It is unlikely to allow for opportunistic gains like previous bubbles. Since the second half of last year, the concept of 'consumption upgrade' has increasingly appeared in various occasions, articles, and forums. The author has also expressed views on this topic several times. But recently, the author increasingly feels that the consumption upgrade may not have arrived with the tide, or even if it has, most of the dividends are being captured by overseas brands. It's just that the previous model of overseas dominance was introducing outdated production capacity into China at the beginning of reform and opening up. This time, it's launching several high-end product lines simultaneously into the Chinese market.
沈帅波