Is “Which excavator is the best” a marketing move by Lanxiang?

Recently, Lanxiang has been played to pieces. The two words Lanxiang appear so frequently that you can't ignore its existence. Weibo, WeChat Moments, video sites, forum comments, almost every corner of the Internet, Lanxiang exists like a god?

Especially the sentence: Which excavator is the best? It is even more brainwashing than "Little Apple". So, here comes the question. Is the "Which excavator is the best" sentence trend that has appeared in recent times a professional plan by Lanxiang's marketing department, or is it just a simple prank by netizens? Donglou might as well analyze and interpret it:

"Which excavator is the best" was not planned by Lanxiang alone

First of all, let’s analyze whether the massive outbreak of the sentence “Which excavator is the best?” on the Internet is a marketing plan of Lanxiang?

In fact, "Which excavator company is the best?" is an old joke, and it is not the first time it has become popular this year. This sentence comes from the brainwashing TV advertising slogan of Lanxiang Technical School for more than ten years: "Which excavator company is the best? Shandong Technical School will go to Lanxiang." As far as I can remember, Shandong Satellite TV was broadcasting this brain-burning TV advertisement as early as when I was in middle school. The spokesperson was the famous actor Mr. Tang Guoqiang. This advertisement was also broadcasted for a long time on other major satellite TV stations. In the era when TV entertainment programs were relatively scarce, this TV advertisement occupied the advertising time slots of many satellite TV stations, and it was broadcast day after day, leaving a deep impression (or deep hurt) on the young people of that generation.

In the final analysis, there is nothing brilliant about the shooting of this advertisement. The screen is full of excavators and the production is crude. However, the advertising slogans have not changed for more than ten years, and the energy accumulated by the repeated broadcast has finally been released in the era of social media. It was not until the advent of social media such as Weibo that people were finally able to use a mocking tone to complain about the repetitive brainwashing of Lanxiang advertisements. The joke makers took the lead in becoming the seed users of spreading the "Which excavator is the best", and more post-90s and other people who did not know the truth of the advertisement, caught in the wave of public opinion, followed the carnival and spread it together, turning it into a trend.

In fact, Lanxiang has evolved to the present day, just like the words "diaosi" and "tuhao", becoming a symbol of a certain culture. The two words "Lanxiang" are no longer synonymous with Lanxiang Technical School, but have gradually evolved into a meaning similar to "profound and unfathomable, noisy", which is equivalent to being re-created by netizens. For example, there is a well-known reporter in the technology circle who often claims to be a graduate of Lanxiang Technical School.

Therefore, looking back, let's examine the "Which excavator is the best" that is still being spread vigorously by netizens. Donglou believes that it is impossible for Lanxiang to carefully plan it. Because such a wave of network-wide communication is not only difficult for traditional companies to handle, even the Internet companies that are most adept at interactive marketing now dare not guarantee that they can achieve such a communication effect through careful planning.

The netizens' spoof spread ultimately benefited Lanxiang

Since it is not a marketing event of Lanxiang, is it just a simple prank by netizens? Not entirely. The pranks by netizens seem to be unorganized and unintentional, so why did they eventually become a sensational hot event on the entire Internet? What marketing enlightenment can it bring us?

1. Netizens initiate - media promote - netizens spread again

First, we need to understand the entire process of this hot topic or event from fermentation to detonation, and then to the whole network dissemination. This time, "Which excavator is the best?" became popular, and it is said that it originated from a news comment about Stephen Chow and Xiang Tai on NetEase. After the screenshot of the comment was posted on Weibo and Moments, it was widely reposted, which made people recall the Lanxiang advertisement. This is the origin. After that, the marketing of major corporate Weibo, media Weibo and Weibo accounts once again pushed the dissemination craze to a peak, and then the creative enthusiasm of netizens was once again driven, forming the third wave of dissemination craze.

2. Internet jokes are an excellent medium for communication

It is worth noting that the reason why "Whose excavator is stronger" can gain such a strong spread is inseparable from its carrier, the online joke. In a fully entertaining social media environment, jokes have been fully tapped into their potential for dissemination. With the help of the fun and easy-to-spread characteristics of jokes, "Whose excavator is stronger" has also been more widely spread. In fact, the spread of the online joke "Whose excavator is stronger" has indeed made Lanxiang Technical School famous.

3. Taking advantage of the situation, Lanxiang Technical School will benefit in the end

But let's look back, did this joke bring any beneficial effects to Lanxiang Technical School? I think it should have. Moreover, we cannot rule out the possibility that Lanxiang will add fuel to the flames and forcefully insert the spread of the topic after it ferments. It is certain that the current spread of such a word-of-mouth will undoubtedly greatly increase Lanxiang's popularity, and the spread of the catchphrase "Whose excavator is the best" will undoubtedly endorse its brand reputation. From this point of view, whether it is intentional or not, the spread of this hot event or topic has played a very positive role in the brand spread of Lanxiang Technical School.

Finally, I would like to say that, looking at the booming development of social media in recent years, there are very few entertainment spoofs directed by a certain communication agency or company. Most of them are accidental, and then companies take advantage of the situation to promote them, and eventually they become hot topics or events on the entire network. As for the many people who came out to claim that they were the directors after the event became popular, most of them are frauds and cannot be trusted.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.