Chapter 62 Marketing Case "Lucky" Iced Tea

The recipe for Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by Dr. John Pemberton of Georgia, USA.He mixed carbonated water with sugar and other ingredients in a large iron pot in his backyard to make the brown liquid that has been popular around the world for more than 100 years.A very interesting marketing proposition is: If Dr. John Pemberton patented his formula and "Coke", then Pepsi would not be available. Will Coca-Cola still have a brilliant future? Coincidentally, there is a case related to this proposition in China's beverage market. In 1993, Rising Sun Group launched "Rising Sun Ice Tea", which was the first shot in China's tea beverage market.In the next few years, Rising Sun quickly became popular all over the country. By 1997, its sales exceeded 2 billion yuan, becoming a new star in the field of beverages.It was also at this time that beverage giants such as Wahaha and Master Kong were also optimistic about the tea beverage market and launched iced tea series one after another.

In 1999, Rising Sun suddenly filed a lawsuit with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, applying for protection on the grounds that "ice tea" is the "unique name" of Rising Sun's brand, and citing the relevant provisions of the "Anti-Unfair Competition Law" to request Wahaha and others to stop " Infringement".Rising Sun Group believes that "ice tea" is a scientific research invention of Rising Sun Group, and it is a unique "aerated tea beverage" in the world. Therefore, no company is allowed to produce "ice tea" products.

As a result, a dispute over the name of iced tea was provoked. Wahaha and other companies believe that "ice tea is a kind of tea drink and a common name for tea products".In an official letter submitted to the relevant functional departments, Wahaha provided evidence that as early as 1904, Americans invented "ice tea", and companies such as Nestle sold a variety of ice tea products; while in China, in 1985 The name "ice tea" has already appeared. In 1993, at least two companies in Hunan and Beijing launched ice tea series. In such a dispute, both parties provided their own basis and reasons, and the real reason behind it was naturally driven by commercial interests.Rising Sun obviously does not want anyone to take away a piece of the "cheese" it has made so big.In the autumn of that year, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce finally ruled that "ice tea" is a unique name of the Sunrise trademark, and no company other than the Sunrise Group is allowed to use it.

After the dust settled, Xurisheng, who was lucky enough to win, was overjoyed. The iced tea was "lucky" to become its "exclusive cheese", and no one could share it with it ever since.However, Wahaha and Master Kong were forced to turn around and launched their own series of iced black tea, iced green tea and lemon tea. However, after a lapse of more than three years, the direction of the market has greatly exceeded the expectations of Rising Sun.As a number of brand companies focus on "ice black tea" and "ice green tea", it has become the mainstream consumption concept in the tea beverage market, while the "ice tea" concept developed by Xu Risheng's family has been rejected because it can't be slapped. Left out a corner.The rising sun, which has become popular rapidly, has become another shooting star in the Chinese beverage market.

The decline of Rising Sun is due to its outdated marketing model and improper internal management on the one hand, and the failure of its marketing strategy on the other.It is undoubtedly an impossible task for a company in the early stage of growth to be in a market in the early stage of growth, but it hopes to build a conceptual barrier and enjoy all the "cheese" to itself.A financial reporter who is familiar with Rising Sun regretfully commented on this once brilliant company: "Facing a blank market, Rising Sun was not so lucky: it had no rivals at its most glorious time, and its body gradually became weaker. collapsed."

If you make an assumption: at the beginning, Rising Sun did not seek protection, but actively competed to expand the concept of "ice tea" with Wahaha and Master Kong. What will be the future of its marketing? How did Rising Sun's "luck" slip away from his clenched hands?