Douyin is Baixiang’s recipe for success

Although cilantro is a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine, it has always been ‘controversial’ due to its unique taste – loved by some and hated by others. The prolonged cilantro debate on the internet has created a strong user engagement momentum, with lively discussions between lovers and haters appearing under almost every cilantro-related food video.

The hashtag #Cilantro on Douyin (TikTok in China) has accumulated over four billion views, indicating significant market potential and consumer interest in cilantro-related products. Confirming this insight was the data analysis performed on Super Brand Day (Douyin’s one-day brand-specific sales event), indicating cilantro belongs to the category of ‘high demand, low supply’ products.

As part of this year’s Collaborative Creation of Super Products program, Douyin’s Super Brand Day partnered with brands to transform popular products and make them even more popular via eCommerce platform. This day not only provides business insights but also fully utilises Douyin’s unique insights and creativity in product customisation.

Baixiang Food, an established domestic brand with a long history and a diverse product line, still faces intense market competition and the challenge of catering to diverse consumer tastes and refined demands. Baixiang collaborated with Douyin to launch Super Captivating Cilantro Noodles. This choice was based on the fact that cilantro pairs well with noodles, aligning with the everyday scenario of people enjoying cilantro. Additionally, instant food products are convenient and affordable, catering to the fast-paced lifestyle of young people and appealing to the mass market.

Baixiang’s new product with the help of Douyin’s promotion saw the product’s popularity soar. On the day of its release, all units of the new product were sold out, with thousands of people waiting in the brand’s live broadcast room for the cilantro noodles. Influencers and ordinary users on various content platforms shared their reviews and showcased their purchases, making it an undisputed hit product across the entire internet.

Douyin’s user base consists mainly of young people, which aligns perfectly with the consumer group that Baixiang aims to reach. Furthermore, Douyin’s content-driven nature allows brands to attract users’ attention through creative videos and topical content. The collaboration between Baixiang and Douyin’s Super Brand Day drives continuous innovation for Baixiang and garners more love from young people.

The marketing campaign for Baixiang’s cilantro noodles has yielded multiple achievements. The product quickly sold out upon its release, with a total GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) of over 28 million RMB, and a surge factor of over 460%. In terms of brand influence, the brand’s live broadcast room attracted over 8.6 million views, with an average of 47,000 bullet comments per session, and the brand’s self-broadcast account gained over 200,000 new followers. The cilantro noodles topic sparked extensive discussions across the internet, accumulating over 1 billion impressions.