Chinese food delivery platform Meituan has been mired deeply in the “takeaway war” unfolding in China between itself, Alibaba’s Ele.me, and JD.com’s JD Takeaway. Last weekend, Meituan introduced the “0 RMB” coupons, which created buzz and shock among consumers and competitors. Now its follow-up is already here: a collaboration campaign with Vogue magazine for the July occurrence of the “18 Coupon Day” (18神券节), which takes place on the 18th of each month.
It might be counterintuitive for a food delivery platform engaged in a race-to-the-bottom price war to collaborate with a fashion magazine. However, looking closely, the campaign does warrant the speciality from Vogue, especially with fashion shoots. For the feature, Meituan gathered industry leaders from brands and companies to participate in its “Coupon Day” with a photoshoot.
The photoshoot is titled “一把好手” (lit. “good hands”, as in “in good hands” with “一把” sounding similar to “一八” or one-eight in Chinese). From McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Caltrate, Burger King, to IHG Hotels and Resorts and pharma group Haleon, the guests come from diverse backgrounds. Interestingly, all the photos show the guests sailing in boats, highlighting management as the “helmsman” of the operation.
The campaign comes as a follow-up to the same “18 Coupon Day” campaign last August, also in collaboration with Vogue. The difference was that there wasn’t a unified theme, such as the boats, and the guests were mostly managing directors and executives. This time, the roles range from marketing chiefs to chief growth officers. Another key difference is the increase of non-food brands, signalling Meituan’s continued move into “local life” services.