Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 226: Implementation of Brand Rejuvenation Strategy for Family Enterprises

Mu Yang watched as the community, nurtured by Taoist culture, fostered harmonious neighborhood relations. Residents' after-dinner conversations were filled with warmth, and children played and laughed in the community garden. A scene of joyful life unfolded before his eyes, and he felt a surge of accomplishment. However, he knew that business is like sailing against the current; if you don't advance, you'll retreat. In a rapidly changing market, family businesses must keep pace with the times and meet the needs of younger consumers to achieve sustainable development. With a sense of mission and urgency in implementing a brand rejuvenation strategy for family businesses, Mu Yang shifted his focus to this area.

Mu Yang walked into the family business's marketing department, where a bustling scene erupted. Desks were piled high with market research reports, industry analysis materials, and various branding proposals. Data charts flickered on computer screens, constantly updating market dynamics. Marketing employees, intently analyzing data and writing copy, buzzed with discussion. Seeing Mu Yang enter, everyone stopped their work and cast expectant glances.

"Everyone, we all know that market competition is becoming increasingly fierce, and young consumers have become the main force in the market. If our family business wants to continue to develop in the future, we must implement a brand rejuvenation strategy. This is a new challenge and a new opportunity for our company." Mu Yang's eyes were firm as he scanned each employee. "Everyone has worked hard during this period. Are there any new progress in our research on young consumer groups?"

Marketing Manager Xiao Zhang pushed his glasses up and said excitedly, "Mr. Mu, we've done a lot of research. Young consumers are driven by individuality. They don't like cookie-cutter products and brands, preferring things that express their individuality. They also place great emphasis on social interaction, and social media plays a crucial role in their lives. They're curious about new things and are happy to try new products and services. However, the cost of implementing a brand rejuvenation strategy is considerable. We've already invested [X] million yuan in market research alone, including questionnaire design, sample collection, and data analysis. The subsequent advertising costs are even more substantial. Preliminary estimates indicate that advertising on social media and short video platforms alone will cost around [X] million yuan per quarter, which is inconsistent with short-term sales growth. We're worried that despite this investment, we won't see significant sales growth in the short term. Given the current market feedback rate, it may be difficult to achieve the expected return on investment in the short term."

Mu Yang pondered for a moment and said, "Xiao Zhang, the contradiction between cost and benefit is indeed a problem we have to face. But in the long run, brand rejuvenation is the only way for corporate development. We can't just look at the immediate benefits, we must focus on the future. In terms of cost control, we can optimize research methods, improve efficiency, and reduce unnecessary expenses. For example, using big data analysis technology, we can accurately locate the target group and reduce the collection of invalid samples; when negotiating with advertising and marketing companies, we can strive for more reasonable cooperation plans and make flexible fee settlements based on advertising results."

To develop a more effective brand rejuvenation strategy, Mu Yang led his marketing team in a collaboration with an advertising and marketing company. The walls of the company's conference room were covered with posters showcasing successful marketing cases. The creative images captivated the audience, ranging from high-tech electronic product ads to heartwarming and romantic daily necessities ads. Each case showcased unique creativity and marketing strategies. Xiao Li, the company's creative director, warmly welcomed Mu Yang and his team.

"Mr. Mu, I'm very happy to cooperate with your family business. We have many innovative ideas for brand rejuvenation, which will definitely make your company's brand shine among young people. We have previously successfully helped a traditional company achieve brand rejuvenation transformation, increasing its share in the young market by [X]% within half a year. We will definitely not let you down this time." Xiao Li said confidently.

Mu Yang responded with a smile: "Director Li, I'll leave it to your company. We hope that through this cooperation, the family business brand will be closer to the hearts of young consumers. Our family business has a profound historical heritage, but it also needs to keep pace with the times, incorporate youthful elements, and attract the attention of the younger generation."

Xiao Li then presented a series of advertising campaigns. They planned to use social media platforms and short video platforms commonly used by young people as their primary channels, producing creative short videos that would showcase the family business's products and brand philosophy through engaging plots and vivid imagery. For example, they planned to design a short video based on the family business's heritage story, depicting how the older generation, upholding the spirit of craftsmanship, created products, and how the younger generation innovated based on tradition, thereby attracting young consumers to identify with the brand's culture. They also planned to launch interactive ads to engage young consumers, enhancing their sense of engagement and retention, such as by setting up online raffles and Q&A sessions. They also planned to invite influencers to promote the product, leveraging their influence and fan base to expand brand awareness. Several influencers selected initially had a combined fan base exceeding [X] million among young people.

However, during the discussions, disputes gradually emerged with the advertising and marketing company regarding ownership of the creative ideas, payment, and effectiveness evaluation. The advertising and marketing company sought partial ownership of the creative ideas so they could be used and showcased in other projects; the family business, on the other hand, believed that the creative ideas were based on the company's own brand characteristics and market demand, and that ownership should remain with the company. Regarding payment, the advertising and marketing company proposed paying the majority of the fees upfront, with the balance to be settled based on performance; the family business preferred phased payments based on results to ensure the campaign achieved its intended goals. Regarding effectiveness evaluation, the two sides also differed on the emphasis of evaluation metrics: the advertising and marketing company prioritized exposure and buzz, while the family business focused on sales and actual conversion rates among young customers.

Mu Yang patiently communicated with Xiao Li: "Director Li, creative ownership is very important to our company. It is related to the uniqueness and consistency of the brand. We can clearly stipulate in the cooperation agreement that the advertising creativity is jointly owned by both parties, but your company may not use it in other projects without our consent. Regarding payment, we hope to pay in stages based on the results. This will not only motivate your company to go all out, but also protect the interests of our company. In terms of performance evaluation, we can jointly develop detailed evaluation indicators, including brand awareness, sales growth, feedback from young consumers, etc., and set corresponding weights according to the goals of different stages to ensure the comprehensiveness and fairness of the evaluation."

After several rounds of arduous negotiations, the two sides finally reached an agreement and signed a cooperation agreement.

To ensure the brand's youth-focused strategy truly caters to the needs of young consumers, Mu Yang visited a research site dedicated to young consumers. It was a vibrant space, its walls covered in trendy posters and popular elements beloved by young people, from popular anime characters to trendy celebrities, showcasing the interests and hobbies of this demographic. Young consumers gathered around and actively participated in questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions.

"Thank you very much for taking the time to participate in this survey. Your opinions are very important to the rejuvenation of our family business brand." Mu Yang said sincerely to the young consumers.

A young university student said, "I think the product quality of your family business is pretty good, but the brand image is too old-fashioned and feels out of touch with us young people. I hope the brand can be more fashionable and interesting, and have more interactions with us. For example, launching some limited-edition co-branded products and collaborating with our favorite anime and game IPs will definitely attract our attention."

Another young office worker said, "I often watch short videos. If I see an interesting ad for your company on a short video platform, I might pay more attention. I also like to share interesting things with my friends. If brands can provide some social sharing topics, that would be even better. For example, some brands have launched interactive topics that allow people to share their user experiences, which is very interesting."

Mu Yang meticulously recorded every piece of feedback, gaining a clearer understanding of the direction of his brand's youth-focused strategy. However, during his research, he also discovered competitive conflicts among various family-owned brands in the young consumer market. Some competitors have already achieved success in the youth market, developing a more youthful brand image and continuously expanding their market share. According to the latest market research report, Competitor A's share of the youth market has increased by [X]% over the past year, primarily due to its successful online marketing campaigns and stylish brand packaging.

After returning to the company, Mu Yang organized an emergency meeting with the staff of the marketing department and the advertising and marketing company.

"Everyone has seen that our competitors have already gained certain advantages in the young market. We must accelerate the pace of brand rejuvenation and highlight our brand characteristics." Mu Yang said seriously.

Xiao Wang, a marketing employee, suggested, "Mr. Mu, I think we can start with product packaging. We can design more personalized and fashionable packaging to attract the attention of young consumers. At the same time, we can develop some new products targeting young consumers to meet their personalized needs. For example, we can launch mini and portable versions of products to make them easier for young people to carry and use."

Creatives at advertising and marketing agencies have also come up with some new ideas, such as hosting an online creative challenge to engage young consumers in creating brand promotional content, further strengthening their engagement with the brand. The plan is to offer generous prizes to attract at least [X] young consumers to participate and increase brand awareness among young people.

In the process of implementing a brand rejuvenation strategy, conflicts gradually emerged between the traditional brand culture of family businesses and the trendy culture favored by younger generations in terms of brand image building and communication methods. Older employees of family businesses, accustomed to traditional brand promotion methods, were less adaptable to new communication channels and marketing methods.

One longtime employee said, "I don't think advertising on social media is reliable. Traditional advertising methods are more reliable. Furthermore, those creative short videos seem too flashy and don't fit the traditional image of our family business. We've always relied on product quality and word-of-mouth to win the market. If we suddenly change our promotional methods, I'm worried we'll lose old customers."

Mu Yang patiently explained, "Times are changing, and so must our brand promotion methods. Young consumers live in the internet age, and social media is their primary channel for information. We need to adapt to their habits and communicate with them in the ways they prefer. Creative short videos may look flashy, but they can quickly capture their attention and convey our brand philosophy. We must maintain the traditional advantages of our family business while incorporating young and trendy culture to make the brand more dynamic. We can emphasize the family business's traditional craftsmanship and quality assurance in our promotions, while incorporating young and trendy elements to attract the attention of both new and existing customers."

To alleviate this cultural conflict, Muyang organized numerous training and exchange programs, inviting professionals to explain youth trends and new marketing methods to veteran employees. During one training session, a professional instructor, using real-world case studies, explained successful social media marketing practices in a simple and accessible manner, giving veteran employees a more intuitive understanding of new marketing methods. Muyang also encouraged new and veteran employees to learn from each other and jointly explore promotional strategies suitable for the brand's youthful appeal. A dedicated brand rejuvenation project team was established to foster communication and collaboration between new and veteran employees.

After several months of hard work, the family business's brand rejuvenation strategy is beginning to show results. The brand's popularity on social media continues to rise, with creative short videos exceeding [X] million views and interactive ads reaching [X] people. Young consumers are showing a marked increase in their interest in the brand, and product sales are steadily increasing, with sales in the youth market increasing by [X]% compared to the previous quarter.

"I am very pleased to see that the brand rejuvenation strategy has achieved initial results. But we cannot be satisfied with this and must continue to optimize and improve the strategy. I am full of expectations for the brand's successful entry into the youth market. In the future, we must continue to innovate and pay attention to the changing needs of young consumer groups, so that the family business brand can take root and grow in the youth market. We plan to increase our share of the youth market by another [X]% in the next six months, and consolidate the brand's position among young people by continuously launching new marketing activities and products." Mu Yang said with emotion at an internal company meeting.

In the days to come, Mu Yang will continue to lead the family business, constantly explore and move forward on the path of brand rejuvenation, deeply integrate traditional business culture with young trendy culture, and inject new vitality into the sustainable development of the family business.