Core Insights - The report outlines the "2026 Xiaohongshu Double Festival Node IP Investment Proposal," emphasizing the theme "Celebrate Every Small Leap" and aims to connect brands with users through emotional resonance during the marketing campaign from December 10, 2025, to February 9, 2026 [1][4] Marketing Strategy - The campaign is structured into five phases: advocacy, collection, gift hiding, ceremony, and outlook, focusing on creating a sense of ritual and emotional connection [1] - Key highlights include the release of the "2026 New Year Message" and "Top Ten National Small Leaps" in collaboration with official media, enhancing individual growth's social value [1][20] - The campaign targets young individuals aged 19-30 in high-tier cities, who are willing to invest in emotional experiences and rituals [1][7] User Engagement - The campaign aims to enhance user participation through interactive gift-hiding activities involving celebrities and brands, creating a complete experience of "online praise + offline gift-seeking" [1][21] - The report notes a significant increase in user engagement, with over 2.1 billion new year wishes and 51.6 million gift exchanges recorded [9] Global Reach - Xiaohongshu aims to create a global celebration atmosphere, with a core New Year party and multiple international sub-venues, utilizing landmark fireworks and themed flights to enhance the immersive experience [1][22] - The campaign integrates online and offline resources, leveraging the platform's extensive traffic and hard resources to create a communication loop from brand awareness to conversion [1][22] Brand Collaboration - The campaign is designed to accommodate various industries, including beauty, food and beverage, fashion, and digital products, offering diverse collaboration formats such as gift lists, custom posters, and interactive tasks [1][24] - Brands are invited to participate as gift partners, promoting emotional connections with users through the celebration of small achievements and wishes [1][24]

Core Insights - The phenomenon of "the first cup of milk tea in autumn" has evolved into a significant cultural and marketing event in China, transcending its initial status as a social media trend [3][4][26] - The event has become a national consumption symbol, reflecting the desire for ritual and emotional connection among consumers [26] Group 1: Evolution of the Event - The rise of "the first cup of milk tea in autumn" has gone through three stages: spontaneous user engagement, brand follow-up, and proactive industry planning [4][11] - In 2020, the trend began with a viral social media post, leading to significant engagement and sales growth for various milk tea brands, with some reporting sales increases of 300-400% [7][11] - By 2021, brands shifted from passive participation to actively leading the conversation, with marketing campaigns starting earlier and becoming more strategic [8][10] Group 2: Marketing Strategies - Since 2022, the event has transformed into a standardized marketing ritual, with brands treating it as a key promotional node similar to traditional festivals [11][12] - Brands have increasingly focused on product innovation and collaborations with popular IPs to enhance engagement and sales, with significant sales spikes reported during the event [12][13] - In 2024, over 200,000 beverage stores participated, selling more than 53 million cups of milk tea, marking a 34% year-on-year increase [13] Group 3: Consumer Engagement - The event has successfully symbolized emotional connections, allowing consumers to express care and affection through the act of purchasing milk tea [15][16] - Low participation costs and simple engagement methods have contributed to the widespread adoption of the event, making it accessible to a broad audience [21][22] - The phenomenon encourages user-generated content (UGC), emphasizing the importance of authentic consumer engagement over traditional brand-driven marketing [22] Group 4: Implications for Brands - Brands are encouraged to create emotional significance around their products, transforming ordinary purchases into meaningful rituals [15][26] - The integration of products with specific seasonal contexts enhances consumer motivation and justifies purchasing behavior [23][24] - The success of this event highlights the need for brands to find unique emotional connections with consumers, establishing their products as essential elements in significant life moments [26]