Group Discussion Week 10_Group 9

 

Group 9

GUO, Jiawen 

ZHAO, Ruoqi 

HUANG, Wanting

YE, Xiaotong

The collaboration between Heytea (喜茶) and the Jingdezhen Chinese Ceramic Museum (景德镇中国陶瓷馆) is an example of a fusion between modern beverage culture and traditional Chinese ceramics. The partnership involved the launch of a special series of drinks along with three uniquely designed cups and fridge magnets. However, the collaboration faced significant backlash, particularly due to the inclusion of religious elements in the packaging design, which led to public controversy and criticism.

Reasons for the Failure

1. Lack of Cultural Sensitivity: Heytea failed to show adequate respect and understanding of Buddhist culture. The use of religious elements in a commercial product was seen as disrespectful and offensive to the religious community.

2. Ignorance of Legal Regulations: The campaign violated Chinese law, which explicitly prohibits the use of religion for commercial publicity. This oversight demonstrated a lack of legal diligence on the part of the marketing team.

3. Inadequate Market Research: The company likely did not conduct thorough market research or risk assessment to anticipate the negative reactions to the campaign.

 

How to Improve:

1. Enhance Cultural Sensitivity: Before undertaking co-branding activities, it is crucial to deeply understand and respect the cultural background of the partner. This ensures that the campaign respects and aligns with cultural customs.

2. Compliance with Legal Regulations: Adhere to national laws and regulations, particularly those concerning the use of sensitive elements such as religion and ethnicity in marketing.

3. Strengthen Market Research: Conduct comprehensive market research to understand consumer attitudes and potential risks before launching new products or campaigns.

4. Crisis Management: Establish effective crisis management protocols to respond swiftly and effectively to issues, taking remedial actions when necessary.

5. Creative Review Process: Implement a robust creative review process to ensure that all marketing activities and product names are vetted thoroughly to prevent the release of inappropriate content.