Core Insights - The article discusses the collaboration between Xiaohongshu and the 2024 Spring Festival Gala, highlighting the challenges and expectations faced by the company in this partnership [6][8][23]. Group 1: Collaboration Background - Xiaohongshu's first collaboration with the Spring Festival Gala aimed to enhance daily active users (DAU) and penetrate lower-tier markets, aligning with the event's massive viewership potential [8][9]. - The company faced high expectations internally, with significant investments made for the event, including over 1 billion yuan in sponsorship rights [11][22]. Group 2: Challenges Encountered - Xiaohongshu employees experienced a steep learning curve regarding the operational rules of the Spring Festival Gala, which differed significantly from their usual practices [17][20]. - The company struggled with technical issues during the live broadcast, such as sound quality and control over the event's pacing, which were not anticipated [19][22]. Group 3: Internal Reflections - Post-event, the mood within Xiaohongshu was reportedly somber, as the anticipated surge in traffic did not materialize, leading to a reassessment of their marketing strategies [22][23]. - Despite the challenges, the company recognized the experience gained as valuable, leading to a more realistic approach for future collaborations, including the 2025 Spring Festival Gala [23][24].

Core Viewpoint - The collaboration between Xiaohongshu and the Spring Festival Gala in 2024 faced unexpected challenges, highlighting the difficulties of integrating a young internet company into a traditional cultural event [1][4][19] Group 1: Collaboration Expectations - Xiaohongshu's initial expectations for the Spring Festival Gala included significant DAU growth and increased market penetration, aligning with the event's historical success for internet companies [7][8] - The project was highly prioritized within Xiaohongshu, with founder Mao Wenchao personally overseeing the initiative, indicating a top-down emphasis on its importance [9][10] Group 2: Challenges Faced - The collaboration revealed a stark contrast between Xiaohongshu's community-driven approach and the rigid, traditional structure of the Spring Festival Gala, leading to difficulties in executing their vision [13][16] - Technical challenges arose during the live broadcast, including issues with audio levels and the inability to control the flow of the program, which deviated from Xiaohongshu's original plans [15][17] Group 3: Outcomes and Reflections - Post-event reflections indicated disappointment within Xiaohongshu due to lower-than-expected traffic and engagement, prompting a reassessment of their approach to such large-scale collaborations [17][18] - Despite the challenges, the experience was deemed valuable, with the company planning to continue its partnership with the Spring Festival Gala in 2025, adopting a more realistic and community-focused strategy [18][19]