Youcai grew up in rural Shandong province. His mother died when he was young and his dad sent him to live with his aunt while he went off to start a new family. Over the years, Youcai began doing odd menial jobs to survive, including busking and livestreaming outside a nearby abandoned railway station.
Though in the past he had very few people view his videos, his rendition whatsapp australia number of “Promise” caught on and led to him becoming a sensation, so much so that netizens began traveling to the town to see him.
In response, the local government repaired a nearby road and telecoms operators made sure the area had a good internet connection.
Youcai’s story highlights a few things about China companies may want to keep note of.
First off, Chinese citizens enjoy a story of humble beginnings. Second, when something goes viral online, anyone or anything in proximity to that event will do whatever they can to profit from it. The government’s quick moves to repair the road are similar to our earlier tale of Harbin making potato keychains for tourists.
Granny Wang
By day, Granny Wang is a worker at a glass factory, but she also runs a blind date show at a local kung fu theme park where she gets men to compete for young women.
Earlier this year, a livestream of her act went viral. Just like with Youcai in my previous example, Granny Wang’s performance led to tourists heading to Henan in large numbers.
She is known for matching 40 to 50 couples every year.
Though Granny Wang’s show may appear to have nothing to do with marketing, it highlights how Chinese people want to see results. Granny Wang may be just a worker at a factory and a small town theme park, but she understands what people want and how to connect the needs of different people.
Jiang Ping