Earlier this month, the tech and smart appliances brand-turned-automaker Xiaomi released their latest EV offering, the SU7 Ultra. The sporty sedan in a vibrant lightning yellow has caught many an eye. Can’t afford the 529,900 RMB (72,983.95 USD) electric car? Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s founder and “brand ambassador”, has already prepared something that anyone can get: a Xiaomi stainless steel “paper cup” for 29.9 RMB (4.12 USD).
The cup came from Lei’s frustration over the waste produced from disposable paper cups at Xiaomi HQ, so he created a “lightning yellow” stainless steel cup with the same dimensions as a paper cup. It quickly sold out and became one of Xiaomi’s best-sellers.
- #雷军回应不锈钢纸杯卖爆 Lei Jun responds as stainless “paper cup” sells out: 130 million views on Weibo, ranking number 1 on the Hot Search list
Then Lei asked netizens what it should be called and the internet went wild. From “OK cup” referencing a Lei meme where he asks, “Are you OK” repeatedly to “maybe take a name from the Classic of Mountains and Seas (山海经)”, mocking Huawei’s liberal use of Chinese mythology in their product names. It seems Lei Jun has become what many “CEO marketing” efforts are trying to achieve with many a viral topic.
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