Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the rise and fall of a successful beverage brand, Wahaha, and its founder, Zong Qinghou, highlighting the contrast between his business success and the failure of his personal brand building efforts [38]. Group 1: Company Background - Wahaha was founded in 1987, initially named "Hangzhou Shangcheng District School-run Enterprise Distribution Department" [5]. - Zong Qinghou started his career selling textbooks and ice cream before developing a children's oral rehydration solution, which became the basis for Wahaha [5][6]. - By 1991, Wahaha's revenue exceeded 200 million yuan, with a profit of 40 million yuan, leading to the acquisition of the struggling state-owned enterprise, Hangzhou Canned Food Factory [6]. Group 2: Key Events and Strategies - The acquisition of Hangzhou Canned Food Factory allowed Wahaha to quickly turn around its operations, launching Wahaha Fruit Milk and achieving profitability within three months [6]. - In 1994, Zong introduced the "Production and Sales Joint Body" model to address issues with distributors, which helped stabilize Wahaha's financial situation [11]. - Zong's marketing strategies, such as "rural encirclement of cities," significantly influenced Chinese marketing practices [12]. Group 3: Personal Brand and Public Perception - Zong Qinghou's attempts to build a personal brand through nationalism and simplicity ultimately backfired, leading to a distorted public image [25][36]. - His lifestyle choices, such as traveling in second-class train seats and wearing simple shoes, were used to craft a narrative of humility and patriotism [26][32]. - The article critiques the gap between Zong's public persona and the underlying complexities of his business dealings, particularly regarding his relationship with foreign investors like Danone [17][21]. Group 4: Legacy and Impact - Zong's marketing genius contributed to Wahaha's success, but his failure to manage his personal brand led to a tarnished legacy [38]. - The article reflects on the societal implications of Zong's constructed image, suggesting it has contributed to a broader misunderstanding of entrepreneurs and wealth in society [35][37].