Danish-owned Tuborg Beer has joined hands with five major Chinese rappers to create Tuborg’s Why Not! Rap alliance. The rappers featured include VAVA (also known as China’s Rihanna), Kkluv, Kungfu-Pen, Narchy Wolff and Metaverse singer K. The creation brings an innovative interpretation of the burgeoning street culture in Chinese cities like Sichuan, Chongqing, Hunan, Xinjiang and even the Metaverse.
On August 12, the alliance released its first rap single “Wild West” by Narchy Wolff and Kkluv. The song explores the rhythm of Xinjiang while endorsing the beer brand through its lyrics and visuals. So far, the music video has garnered 2.37 million views on Weibo. Meanwhile, the hashtag “Why Not Rap League” amassed a staggering 920 million views and sparked 720,000 online forum discussions.
In order to establish a closer relationship with young consumer groups who avidly follow the booming rap trend, Tuborg Beer additionally decided to launch its own music festival with the group of rappers. Freestyle rap competitions in collaboration with hit TV show “The Rap of China” will also be held throughout the summer.
Rap in China has been on the rise since the late 80s, but it was not until the 2010s that the hip-hop scene burst into vitality with the reality TV show “The Rap of China”. That being said, as current C-rap artists and listeners are predominantly Gen Z, brands can channel their relatability as a marketing tool for young consumers.
Overall, Tuborg Beer has created an alliance right up the alley of China’s youth culture. The rise of C-rap artists presents a promising route for global brands to promote their products to the coming-of-age Chinese Gen Z market.
