Summer is often times a slack season for the liquor industry. Over the past four years, Lidu Distillery Co., Ltd. has been setting about in a roundabout way by boldly opening up a targeted sales market segment. It makes a breakthrough with “teacher appreciation banquet” in the summer and creates a cultural activity named “jar sealing of top gaokao scorers” in the liquor industry in Jiangxi. This creation successfully reverses the often slack season.

On July 3, Lidu invited the top scorer of science, Fu Linke, as well as other 7 top scorers from Jinxian County, Nanchang County, and Dongxiang District in Jiangxi Province to attend the "2018 Jar Sealing of Top Gaokao Scorers" at its distillery. This event attracted the attention of national media in Jiangxi and local official media. In just three days, Lidu became a topic because of the jar sealing of the top scorer of science. Consumers in counties and cities around Jinxian County also had a deeper understanding of this jar sealing event.

Breaking into the market of teacher appreciation banquet by engaging top gaokao scorers

In July 2014, Lidu found from a survey that competing products almost monopoly the “teacher appreciation banquets” in Jinxian County and it is even more difficult to break in the fringe market. How to break through this dilemma to have access to the market segment of “teacher appreciation banquets” and awaken the purchase desire in consumers?

"There are four pleasures in life, and passing an important examination is one of them." Tang Xiangyang, general manager of Lidu Distillery Co., Ltd., thought of the ancient saying that" Linchuan is the hometown of talents” and made use of the “cultural symbol” of “jar of top gaokao scorer” to adapt to the traditional custom of throwing banquet to celebrate.

In July 2015, as soon as the college entrance examination scores were published, Tang Xiangyang immediately searched for the top scorers in Jinxian County and surrounding counties. He invited them to attend the jar sealing ceremony at the distillery and experience the Chinese liquor culture, and as exchange he would offer them liquor products for their “teacher appreciation banquet”. Once the news was released, it quickly attracted local top scorers and those in surrounding counties. With careful design, the retro-styled jar sealing of top gaokao scorers became a sensation in the local areas. According to media reports, Lidu products were made into a symbol of“good luck” at the “teacher appreciation banquets” and quickly became well-known in Jinxian County and surrounding counties.

Then, Lidu’s product “Dayuanjiufang” that came in red bottle as an auspicious symbol and yellow bottle as a royal symbol became best sellers in Jinxian County and surrounding counties. They were not only served on the tables of “teacher appreciation banquets”, but also regarded as an “auspicious liquor product” for weddings and other wedding banquets due to its festive package, retro style, good taste, and cost-effectiveness.

Enhance the viscosity between business and consumers through a sense of ceremony

A good start does not mean lasting good development. Lidu further explores the added value of this event and enhance the viscosity between business and consumers through constant upgrading.

After taking over Lidu, Tang Xiangyang has always regarded "telling the story of Lidu" as a magic weapon to improve its brand influence. Since the launch of the jar sealing campaign with top gaokao scorers, Tang Xiangyang plans to enhance the viscosity between business and consumers by telling “the stories of top gaokao scorers”. 

"When you make the top gaokao scorers feel proud of attending the jar sealing ceremony, you influence their classmates and relatives; when you make their teachers gratified, you influence their students...” With the concept of “influencing influential people”, Tang Xiangyang continuously enhances the sense of ceremony and influence of the “jar sealing of top gaokao scorers”.

Then, how to turn the top gaokao scorers who participated in jar sealing into long-term messengers and life-long consumers? Through continuous surveys and visits, Lidu chooses to enhance its appeal and influence by constantly upgrading the sense of ceremony in this activity. From retro clothing to imitated ancient means of transportation...the activity has kept introducing novelty over the past four years. More and more retro elements are shown. The parade of top gaokao scorers changes from walking, taking sedan chair to horse riding... They are received in better and better ways year by year.

The ever-increasing sense of ceremony deeply impressed the top gaokao scorers who participated, and they would speak well for Lidu brand because they were invited to participate in the jar sealing activity.

Upgrading the activity and enhancing the influence

When the “jar sealing” activity with top gaokao scorers has achieved good social and economic benefits for three consecutive years, Lidu thinks of breakthroughs and transcendence.

As the influence of the company's self-media continues to expand, the corporate culture is also continuously developed and upgraded. How to turn the "cultural symbol" into a "cultural business card" becomes another starting point for improving the activity. Early before the college entrance examination this year, Lidu had begun to plan the "2018 Jar Sealing of Top Gaokao Scorers”.

After the college entrance examination scores were published, Lidu learned that the top scorer of science in Jiangxi Province, Fu Linke, is the grandson of one of its retired employee. Tang Xiangyang immediately sent his people to extend an invitation at Fu’s home.

Upon the gracious invitation of Li Shangnan, deputy general manager of Lidu Distillery Co., Ltd., Fu Linke refused similar invitations of many liquor companies and showed up at the Lidu distillery for the “jar sealing” ceremony with his grandfather and parents. That was a worthy gift for his coming of age and also a touching story about the incomprehensible relationship between the three generations of Fu Linke’s family and Lidu...

In order to increase publicity, Lidu also invited seven top gaokao scorers from Nanchang County, Jinxian County and Dongxiang District of Fuzhou to participate in the opening ceremony. The “jar sealing of top gaokao scorers” was not only expanded in scale, but also upgraded in quality. The activity embraces historical and cultural elements in the original“immersive experience” to increase the cultural connotation of the corporate brand. With the continuous expansion of the market segment of “teacher appreciation banquet”, the jar sealing of the first top gaokao scorer in Jiangxi Province may become the next starting point for Lidu in its journey of continuing to extend and expand the targeted market segment in neighboring provinces and cities.

The college entrance examination (or “gaokao”) is the hottest topic in summer. Over the past four years, Lidu has grasped this hot spot and closely combined traditional cultures and historical celebrity allusions with it to tell its own story and constantly shape and enhance the glory of the "jar of top gaokao scorer".